Arrogance, a Structural Defect of the
Mind KLEISHA
Arrogance arises out of ignorance, and also
from attachment, thus connected to other structural defects of our minds, and
in addition to the fear of change.
Here lies the beauty of trying to
understand the KLEISHAS, their interconnectivity allows us to help reduce them,
not singly or by any unique fashion but in a general fashion which makes us a
better person, definitely a happier person, and makes our company pleasant for
others.
These thoughts were provoked by a comment
by an Iranian acquaintance.
How does Ignorance raise Arrogance and what
does it do for your future.
An Example. From Cambodia
Two tuk-tuk drivers
One pleasant, graciously accepts the fare
agreed upon and says thank you
The other has a grim face, argues for more
money and leaves an unpleasant taste for the visitor to his country.
Which one of the two above gets ahead in
life?
We wanted to give more money to the first
tuk tuk driver, the second one got the exact fare agreed upon, left wondering
why he has difficulties financially-which he would always have until he learns
to control his mental structural defect. His arrogance, however small scale,
arising out of ignorance, dooms his future, whereas the first one makes a
pleasant impression on the visitor, is sure to succeed even in this country of
intense competition and limited resources.
I can back it up with case
histories, reinforced when I spoke to Ko Maung Maung, owner of the Mandalay Inn
in Siem Reap. He informed me that his manager for four years was leaving for a
job at a larger hotel for higher pay, and he had encouraged him to do that,
being a good Buddhist. I reminded Ko MM, remember, when I first met you, this
manager of yours was driving a tuk tuk and you were impressed with him and
offered him to drive your car and then promoted him so that he ended up
managing your hotel! Now he has gone further ahead. He is still humble, not a
trace of arrogance in him and he is bound to reach the pinnacle of his
potential. I was also reminded of “William of Chaungtha Beach”, Win Htay, who
had begun his adolescence as a humble street vendor and ending up owning a nice
restaurant and still marching forward.
Public Education and helpful spiritual
education such as a good Buddhist one, would train people to be humble and get
ahead in life without rattling any sabres of arrogance.
Ego, Arrogance and Destruction of
Relationships
When your ego blinds you, you care less for
the opinions of others, you would say, “you believe in what you want”, which in
effect means, “I know the truth and I don't care what you think”. This
arrogance arising out of ignorance is destructive to relationships. Friendships
are for discourses, discursivity in philosophical terms, but not to sparkle
conflicts in relationships, just to satisfy ones ego. Humble people usually
prefer not to have confrontations; on the contrary, the arrogant ones incite
confrontations, taking a certain amount of illicit pleasure from them.
Our duty:
American Indians would say you are bound to
come across all sorts of people, when you meet an arrogant person, do not antagonize
them but go around them. There is no room for arrogant people in our lives.
Humble people could try and bring the arrogance to the notice of those but the
ego had blinded them, and the friendships are ended or eroded. It is not our
duty to wake up the whole world but it is better to commune with people who are
already awake.
Moral of the story:
Humility always wins in the end.
I dedicate this to my friend Joe, the
humble man of Bogor with whom I spent this last week, along with some new
friends from Malaysia and some old friends from Indonesia
