IGNORANCE LEADS TO ARROGANCE, WHICH CAN IMPEDE ONE’S ATTAINMENT ON THE PATH OF SPIRITUAL CULTIVATION
Caller: Nowadays, many people are outright arrogant, yet, remain completely unaware of it. If you observe closely, you will notice that these people are extremely self-loving, selfish, egoistic and are unable to accept differing feedback. What belies these characteristics is a deeply ingrained arrogance.
If one fails to recognise this negative trait and does not let go of his self-pride, self-centredness and egocentrism, there is no way that he is able to progress in his spiritual cultivation, let alone being able to cultivate a heart of gratitude and compassion. Master, would you be able to give us a rundown on this matter?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Firstly, the highest realm an arrogant person could ascend to is the Asura realm. There is no way that they would be able to ascend any higher, not even the Heaven realm. Secondly, arrogance is developed over a prolonged period of sticking to one’s bad habits. This underscores the importance of eradicating them. You must understand that superiority complex arises from one’s lack of understanding of things or simply put, ignorance. A successful person, on the other hand, will always be receptive to others’ opinions.
You have seen how I educate my disciples by deliberately helping them to overcome arrogance? I would intentionally reprimand them before others till they let go of the attachment to ‘self’. In doing so, they are free from all possible causes that are harmful to them. Many people are highly egoistic. When they are being reprimanded, they will usually feel embarrassed that they wished they could bury themselves in a hole. Clearly, these are all exhibits of one’s deep-rooted bad habits.
We come to this world with nothing, so what ego are you trying to defend? If you think so highly of yourself, why not make an attempt to transcend the cycle of rebirth? What ego have you got when you even went to the extent of picking up human feces to eat when you were little? As you grow older, you realise that everything in this world is false, empty and illusory in nature.
I want you to know that your actual purpose in the human realm is to practise spiritual cultivation, and seize the occasion to cultivate your Buddha nature in this impermanent world. Ask yourself, is there anything that is truly yours! As the saying goes, “While the Great Wall still exists today, long gone is the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty”.
Source: Wenda20161023B 31:48, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program