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People often look down on others as they think that they are extraordinary individuals that are superior to others. Thus the Buddha said, "It is very difficult for people not to look down on the unlearned." This is because any common folk who has gained some fame will tend to develop a certain degree of pride and arrogance.
In our modern society, there are many disturbing social phenomena due to an overwhelming number of people who regard themselves too highly. These people perceive themselves to be superior to the rest, thus drawing unyielding opponents to fight them. Hence, increasingly violent demonstrations are being staged, and as a result, the society is often filled with violence, leaving many feeling anxious and fretful.
The cause of social unrest is the superiority complex of many individuals who are full of arrogance and pride. In fact, what the current society really needs is “ordinary people”. If everyone sees themselves as an ordinary person, they will naturally be gentle, humble, courteous, and respectful towards one another. Then, the society will be peaceful and harmonious.
A sound society requires everyone to keep an equanimous mind. When we regard ourselves as ordinary folks, we will feel happy and at ease and be respectful of one another. If we can respect one another, our minds will naturally be peaceful and settled, and our quality of life will improve. We should live a life where we are respectful and courteous towards one another. Only then are we living a beautiful life filled with peace and harmony.
However, it is very difficult for us to eradicate our pride and arrogance. It takes a lot of effort for one to get rid of the negative habitual tendencies that one has been having for decades. This is why the Buddha said, “It is difficult to eliminate our arrogance.” Because it is difficult to do so, we must put in a lot of hard work to overcome the difficulties.
Many people are not only arrogant but they also look down on others, thinking that they are more capable and knowledgeable than others. These people often become emotionally unbalanced when they feel that they are tasked with petty jobs by their supervisor. Such a habitual perception is deeply rooted. People with such a mindset naturally start to look down on someone whom they perceive to be less capable than them.
It is actually quite difficult for people who think that they are more knowledgeable than others, not to look down on the latter. The fact is, nobody in this world is born knowledgeable. It takes many years of education and training for one to possess vast knowledge. And, it does not mean that those who have not learned well will never learn. They just have not started the learning process. Therefore, we must always be respectful to others, and not look down on the unlearned.
Emperor Huang and the shepherd boy
In ancient China, Emperor Huang once brought along his six followers to Juci Mountain (currently known as Shizu Mountain) to see a person named Da Wei, but they lost their way along the journey. Just when they didn't know which way to go, they met a shepherd boy.
Emperor Huang walked to the boy and asked, "Do you know the way to Juci Mountain?"
Shepherd replied “yes”, and he showed them the direction.
Emperor Huang then asked a second question, “Do you know where Da Wei is staying?”
The shepherd replied, “Yes I do!”
Emperor Huang was shocked by the shepherd’s reply, and said, “You seem to know a lot despite your young age! Then do you know how to rule a kingdom and bring peace to the world?”
The shepherd replied, “Yes. It's just like grazing the cattle. Just get rid of the wild nature of the cattle, and that will do the job! Isn’t ruling the kingdom the same thing?”
Emperor Huang was very impressed by what he heard as he thought that since the shepherd boy was still young, he might not know a lot of things. He did not expect him to be able to understand how to govern a country and manage people from his experiences in daily life. Therefore, we must not look down on anyone or anything we come across in our life.
The Buddha said, "It is difficult not to look down on the unlearned." Many people will look down on others subconsciously. It is very difficult for people not to look down on others at all. Since we are determined to cultivate spiritually, we must not back off because of that. Instead, we must respect others and tame our ego. We must be respectful towards the elderly, and also not look down on young children as well, because they are the future pillars of the nation.
If we are able to keep a respectful heart at all times, we will always receive respect and love from others.
Extracted from “Sheng Huo De Zhi Hui”《生活的智慧》
Translated by the Tzu Chi Singapore translation team
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