“If one regards himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of the body that is impermanent, painful and subject to change, what else is it than not seeing reality? Or if one regards himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of feelings, perceptions, volitions or consciousness, what else is it than not seeing reality? If one does not regard himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of the body, the feelings, perceptions, volitions or consciousness what else is it than seeing reality?”
— SN 22.49 (Buddhist teachings)
Kabir – The couplet
?????? ?? ????? ????, ??? ????? ???? |
???? ??? ?????, ??? ????? ??? ||
transliterated:
Gyani se kahiye kya, kahat Kabira lajaaye|
Andhe aage naachte, kala akaarat jaaye ||
Translation:
How can I say anything to a learned man, says Kabir, shyly |
Dancing in front of a blind man, is of no avail to the art form||
My thoughts:
“A feeling of superiority is a very pleasant mental state, but it is essentially akusala — unhealthy and unskilled, highly dangerous in its results.” – What Can Be Done About Conceit? by Dr. Elizabeth Ashby
Pride inevitably lands us at the feet of conceit – which can give the body and the physical brain a very addictive (but short-lived) high.
Pride and conceit do drive a person to work for more – but the high from each “achievement” is very short-lived – driving the person to attempt the next “achievement” – and the low from each even partial failure can be debilitating.
That was why our elders preach moderation and a calm detachment – as Lord Krishna
preached to Arjuna (in the Bhagawad Gita) , it is our job to do what we need to do – results will come but that cannot be our focus. Our job is to do our tasks with a sense of calm detachment (the detachment is from the result, not the task itself).
Pride and conceit lead to addiction and ultimate failure. Peaceful outlook and calm satisfaction will ALWAYS lead to happiness and hence realization of Life’s true goals.