sizable number of students seems to feel that a person should be completely moral before beginning to meditate. It is an unworkable strategy. Morality requires a certain degree of mental control as a prerequisite. You can't follow any set of moral precepts without at least a little self-control, and if your mind is perpetually spinning like a fruit cylinder in a slot machine, self-control is highly unlikely. So mental culture has to come first.
A significant group of students believes that one must achieve complete morality prior to starting meditation. However, this perspective is impractical. The practice of morality necessitates a baseline level of mental control, which is difficult to attain if one's mind is restless and chaotic. Without some level of self-discipline, adhering to moral guidelines becomes nearly impossible.
This indicates that developing mental discipline through meditation should be prioritized. By cultivating one's mind first, individuals can eventually reach a point where they can embrace and practice moral values more effectively. Thus, mental development is essential for moral progress.
