National Security

Although these four [guidelines] sound simple, they are difficult and may even be considered ‘ascetic’ practices.

1. Avoid insulting others when they insult us.
2. Avoid getting angry when others are angry at us.
3. Avoid beating others when they hit us.
4. Avoid observing other’s faults when they observe ours.

For some people, these four practices are totally the opposite to what they have been brought up to do.

From the time they’re little, they have been told that when another child hits them, they should strike them back in order to protect themselves and avoid more harm. Our national ‘security’ is based on such a belief.

In addition, when someone is angry at us, anger towards them seems to arise automatically in us, and when we’re insulted or our faults are pointed out we feel entitled to humiliate the other person by making them look bad in from of others.

Cultivating a Compassionate Heart: The Yoga Method of Chenrezig, Thubten Chodron