What is the practice of mahamudra? In practical terms it is a gradual process, and it must begin with the cultivation of tranquility. As long as we do not have the ability to remain free of distraction, we are not going to be able to discover, let alone rest in, our mind’s natural state. But ultimately, the presence or absence of thought in and of itself is irrelevant to the practice of mahamudra. If you can remain present, that is to say if you can remain aware of the present moment of experience, then even if a hundred thoughts pass through your mind it’s irrelevant because you won’t be distracted by them. Thoughts will arise, but to be distracted by a thought you must stray, you must be somehow captured by that thought, either because you mistakenly regard it as a special case, “Oh, this thought is important; I’d better follow it,” or because you have the habit, as we all do, of simply following thought blindly and surrendering your autonomy to the thoughts that happen to flit through your mind. But if you don’t do that, if you don’t allow thoughts to capture you, the mere presence of a thought, the mere passing of a thought through your mind does not in itself impede or obstruct present awareness.
[From a teaching on Treasury of Eloquence: Songs of Barway Dorje by Bardor Tulku Rinpoche. Translated by Lama Yeshe Gyamtso. Free video of this teaching is available.]