As practitioners, we must always have mindfulness. Wandering, vanity, frivolity and so forth are great obstacles because they disturb our mindfulness. If we have strong mindfulness, then it doesn’t matter where we are. Even if we are in the midst of singing and dancing, we will not lose our mindfulness and our Dharma practice will remain firm. Our mind will not be disturbed or polluted by such conditions; we can keep our minds pure and clear, unstained by these influences. But until we have this quality, it is good to protect ourselves from conditions that disturb and distract our mind.

Sounds that lure wild animals to their death – some hunters play beautiful music on a flute or other instrument to attract deer. When the animals come in closer to hear better, the hunters kill them with their bows and arrows. We should not allow ourselves to be deceived by apparent pleasure and happiness. Deep down, they create suffering and the cause of suffering. The more we see of them, the more we want to see. As a side effect, depression and all kinds of negative thoughts come and our dharma practice falls apart. Even lay people who are not involved in Dharma practice are affected in this way.

-- Khenchen Konchok Gyaltsen Rinpoche