Beware! Seeing others as bad or evil
Arrogantly judging others as stupid or bad too quickly will bring on disaster without us being aware. We will lose kin, well wishers, loyal colleagues, and even teachers who can truly help us. And we will be blindly aggressive, like Narindh Gleung* who considered me a worthless monk till the day he died, in a way that had no benefit for anyone. The disease of self-inflation and despising others will take over our brains such that we won’t find even one loving friend.
*A controversial figure during the Rama V’s reign who aggressively criticized senior monks. He was a governor who quit out of disagreement with his superiors and went into the aphrodisiac business. In 1928, he built Wat Nareewong for nuns and, in 1932, had his two daughters ordained as bhikkhunis in stubborn pursuit of his own ideas. These attempts failed and inspired the passing of draconian laws against the full ordination of women. As Narindh was active around the time of Suan Mokkh’s founding, some people thought that he influenced Ajahn Buddhadasa. In fact, Tan Ajarn disagreed with his confrontational methods.
– – ❖ – –
From the book “Thoughts & Experiences”