An aware mind is one who knows that a problem exists but may not do anything about it. For example an obese person with health problems knows that he is overweight, yet he may exercise or improve his eating habits. But he may not do anything. To identify a problem may be easy, but to overcome requires great resolve. Imagine a hungry animal in the forest, what if it did nothing to go and hunt for food? It could die of starvation. A student knows he is weak in a subject, but does nothing about it, would fail in it. Likewise being mere aware of a problem does not solve that.

Let’s take a look at the mind control. Tempestuous thoughts and emotions arise daily in an agitated mind. There could be virtuous thoughts but they might get buried when mind is stressed. Once we learn to be aware of the disturbing thoughts, we can try to subside them quicker than if allowed to subside on their own and in the meantime could translate into speech or action and cause to suffer. If this still happens after being aware shows we haven’t taken enough efforts to be awakened. We have ignored the caution received during awareness.

We always allot time for correcting the worldly shortcomings. Similarly we need to allot time for correcting the mind condition. We should also take necessary guidance from our Guru for the same, as that can help in achieving our objective faster. Thus we need to be not only aware about our thoughts, but also be able to correct timely any tempestuous thoughts.

For if I bind myself with (mere) promises

But fail to carry out my words in deed,

Then every being will (i) have betrayed,

What destiny must lie in store for me?

- Shantideva, Way of Bodhisattva