Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Respect



Should one find a man who points out faults and who reproves, let him follow such a wise and sagacious person as one would a guide to hidden treasure. It is always better, and never worse, to cultivate such an association.
- Dhammapada Verse 76

'Respect is the attitude you develop toward the things that matter in life. ... '

'... the canon treats the issue of respect. It details the varied ways in which lay people of the Buddha's time showed respect to the Buddha and the monastic Sangha, and the more standardized ways in which the members of the Sangha showed respect to the Buddha and to one another. Especially interesting is the protocol of respect for the Dhamma. Buddhist monks and nuns are forbidden from teaching the Dhamma to anyone who shows disrespect, and the Buddha himself is said to have refused to teach his first sermon to the five brethren until they stopped treating him as a mere equal.'


- 'Opening the Door to the Dhamma : Respect in Buddhist Thought & Practice'
by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

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