PATIENCE UNDER HUMILIATION: BEING IMPATIENT WILL ONLY UNDERMINE YOUR WISDOM
Master Jun Hong Lu: Joe Louis, a well-known American boxing champion, reigned as the world’s heavyweight champion, having defeated numerous boxing experts. Completely unlike his tough-looking appearance in the boxing ring, as a person, Louis had a humble and friendly demeanour.
Once, he and his friend were out for a spin. It so happened that their car was blocking the truck behind. The truck driver kept honking at them, before overtaking and deliberately stopping right in front of their car. Angrily pointing at them, the truck driver lashed out at them and gave them a piece of his mind. After the truck driver had left, his friend asked him, “My boxing champion, that was so rude of him. Why didn’t you fix him?”
With much ease, Joe Louis replied, “If someone insults the great singer Enrico Caruso, do you think he will sing a song for him?”
Master Lu says, “This is what wisdom is all about. As a Buddhist cultivator, when others attack you and if you quarrel with them, you are just undermining your wisdom. The same goes when your spouse scolds you, why would you want to bring yourself to the same mortal level as them?”
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Storytelling, Story No. 75
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