Arrogance

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jet.urgyen
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Arrogance

Post by jet.urgyen »

Hello all,

How one's arrogance can be anihilated? There are many methods for diminish it, but still, ¿how can it be totally annihilated?
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
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Queequeg
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Re: Arrogance

Post by Queequeg »

"Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to aging, not beyond aging, sees another who is aged, he is horrified, humiliated, & disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to aging, not beyond aging. If I — who am subject to aging, not beyond aging — were to be horrified, humiliated, & disgusted on seeing another person who is aged, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the [typical] young person's intoxication with youth entirely dropped away.

"Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to illness, not beyond illness, sees another who is ill, he is horrified, humiliated, & disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to illness, not beyond illness. And if I — who am subject to illness, not beyond illness — were to be horrified, humiliated, & disgusted on seeing another person who is ill, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the healthy person's intoxication with health entirely dropped away.

"Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to death, not beyond death, sees another who is dead, he is horrified, humiliated, & disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to death, not beyond death. And if I — who am subject to death, not beyond death — were to be horrified, humiliated, & disgusted on seeing another person who is dead, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the living person's intoxication with life entirely dropped away.
Anguttara Nikaya 3:38
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
Schrödinger’s Yidam
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Re: Arrogance

Post by Schrödinger’s Yidam »

You wake up and see through it, like seeing that a mirage is not an oasis.

Of course it requires a Dharma practice to do that.
1.The problem isn’t ‘ignorance’. The problem is the mind you have right now. (H.H. Karmapa XVII @NYC 2/4/18)
2. I support Mingyur R and HHDL in their positions against lama abuse.
3. Student: Lama, I thought I might die but then I realized that the 3 Jewels would protect me.
Lama: Even If you had died the 3 Jewels would still have protected you. (DW post by Fortyeightvows)
Vasana
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Re: Arrogance

Post by Vasana »

(This an adapted version of some thoughts on this I wrote down for my own reminder recently)

In short, contemplating the inevitable varieties of suffering we will endure in samsara can reduce our inflated arrogance, pride, laziness etc.

We do not like to suffer. We prefer comfort and ease as opposed to discomfort and strenuous effort. We prefer safety to danger, health to illness, pleasure to pain, praise to blame, wealth to being poor, nice food as opposed to bad food. Gain as opposed to loss. Happiness as opposed to depression. Inspiration as opposed to dejction. Fearlessness as opposed to fear...Uninterrupted sleep as opposed to interrupted sleep. Living as opposed to dying. Encountering what is pleasing, not encountering what is displeasing and so on.

If we then consider things realistically; How likely will it be for us to encounter any of these in both the near and distant future - not in some fantasy but in our daily lives: discomfort, strenuous effort, danger, illness, blame, times of financial difficulty, ill health, displeasing food, loss, interrupted sleep, addiction, guilt, depression, dejection, fear and encountering what is displeasing, accidents and finally death.

If we then ask ourselves, how likely will our reactions to such experiences generate more suffering in the process? One by one, visualize all of these possible scenarios vividly to see whether or not our minds have been sufficiently trained to remain steadfast with the fluctuations of the worldly winds. (See Upajjhatthana Sutta in full: Subjects for Contemplation )

Suffering diminishes arrogance so routinely remembering the inevitable suffering of samsara can help put our self-inflated arrogance and egoic-grasping in perspective.

If we then ask ourselves, who in this world is sufficiently trained to first of all cope and endure, then to consider who is truly happy, truly possesing eudamonia and equanimity rather than conditoned by hedonic motivation and the 8 worldly winds ? Truly content, truly resilient, truly inspired, not weighed down by changes in the sense feilds or mental feild, who springs to mind?

Ideally our own teachers should come to mind and then the teachers who we have connections of inspiration and then the great masters of the past. These people have and do still exist in this world.

If we then ask ourselves how they achieved such qualities in this life alone, inevetiably we're led to the dharma they study, practice and teach which naturally includes all of the other desirable and supporting qualities for happiness, contentment and resilience in this life, let alone future lives and eventual liberation from samsara.
'When thoughts arise, recognise them clearly as your teacher'— Gampopa
'When alone, examine your mind, when among others, examine your speech'.— Atisha
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Dan74
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Re: Arrogance

Post by Dan74 »

Participation in Buddhist fora may not be the most efficient method it seems... :thinking:
florin
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Re: Arrogance

Post by florin »

javier.espinoza.t wrote: Sun Jun 03, 2018 2:48 am Hello all,

How one's arrogance can be anihilated? There are many methods for diminish it, but still, ¿how can it be totally annihilated?

One way is by understnding the emptiness of the proud self ad its object of pride. Sutra methods are very good for this. One of this could be the pratyekabuddha method for example where we investigate how we construe a self identity based on contact with our dimension, the emotions we create around that and the actions we take as a result of believing that we are this limited entity that is this or that.
dude
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Re: Arrogance

Post by dude »

by annihilating consciousness and reducing the body to ashes
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Josef
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Re: Arrogance

Post by Josef »

javier.espinoza.t wrote: Sun Jun 03, 2018 2:48 am Hello all,

How one's arrogance can be anihilated? There are many methods for diminish it, but still, ¿how can it be totally annihilated?
bodhicitta
"All phenomena of samsara depend on the mind, so when the essence of mind is purified, samsara is purified. Since the phenomena of nirvana depend on the pristine consciousness of vidyā, because one remains in the immediacy of vidyā, buddhahood arises on its own. All critical points are summarized with those two." - Longchenpa
XXIlluminatingVoid72
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Re: Arrogance

Post by XXIlluminatingVoid72 »

Arrogance is corrupted wisdom. Cultivate genuine wisdom
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: Arrogance

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

Why do you want to get rid of arrogance?
Is it a cause of your suffering? Does it cause suffering to others?
If the answer is yes, if it's obvious, then by meditating on that, getting rid of arrogance should be relatively easy.
You can see it's like holding a burning log.

If the answer is no, then you can just observe it and that observation becomes the means for realization.
That means, you don't have to try to get rid of it. Instead, look at it and examine it and deconstruct it and try to find where it is and what its components are, what is causing it. Then, you identify the cause of arrogance... is it insecurity, for example?
Then you start looking at why that is happening, and you keep looking at the cause for each thing you find that your mind is doing.

The thing is, if you have this idea that being arrogant is bad, and you don't want to be bad, you want to be good
(to put it in very simplistic terms)
then you are really just trying to set up another cozy spot for your ego,
basically, trying to accomplish "non-arrogance" as though that in itself is a thing.
"YAY! I am finally non-arrogant!"
So, that's really the tricky part. It's still a "me" identifier.

Is mind's original nature arrogance? No. Is the nature of awareness arrogance? No.
So, the mind's awareness observes the arrogance, as though you were watching someone else's arrogance from a few feet away.
The arrogance becomes the object of ("your") awareness.
Then, you just let your mind be that awareness. That awareness itself is your "identity" for the moment, just for the moment.
You sort of "shift your focus".
Then, you don't have to try to get rid of arrogance. When your mind is resting in the awareness,
then it is doing that and simply not generating the arrogance to begin with.
.
.
.
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
jet.urgyen
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Re: Arrogance

Post by jet.urgyen »

is not that easy. it's deep shit, this arrogance of mine.

when you surprise youlself being arrogant instead of being contemplative in middle of a meditation, how could be... horrible. the only good thing is having find it out.

this is no happiness, arrogance.
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
humble.student
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Re: Arrogance

Post by humble.student »

prostrations?
amanitamusc
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Re: Arrogance

Post by amanitamusc »

javier.espinoza.t wrote: Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:04 pm is not that easy. it's deep shit, this arrogance of mine.

when you surprise youlself being arrogant instead of being contemplative in middle of a meditation, how could be... horrible. the only good thing is having find it out.

this is no happiness, arrogance.
Read the bio's of past masters and the ones in this life.Contemplate and mix with a
a good dose of Bodhicitta rinse and repeat until you are humble. :cheers:
jet.urgyen
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Re: Arrogance

Post by jet.urgyen »

amanitamusc wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 11:11 am
javier.espinoza.t wrote: Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:04 pm is not that easy. it's deep shit, this arrogance of mine.

when you surprise youlself being arrogant instead of being contemplative in middle of a meditation, how could be... horrible. the only good thing is having find it out.

this is no happiness, arrogance.
Read the bio's of past masters and the ones in this life.Contemplate and mix with a
a good dose of Bodhicitta rinse and repeat until you are humble. :cheers:
frankly, i think the bios does not contain the part when they shit themselves or have problems with their commitments, namtars only says "oh , he/she endured so many problems" but bios are made with pure vision of their students so they are not reliable for real real life problems; also their circumstances are of the past ages, it doesn't correspond to this times :(

sorry if my language is too direct :smile:
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
jet.urgyen
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Re: Arrogance

Post by jet.urgyen »

Queequeg wrote: Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:30 am "Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to aging, not beyond aging, sees another who is aged, he is horrified, humiliated, & disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to aging, not beyond aging. If I — who am subject to aging, not beyond aging — were to be horrified, humiliated, & disgusted on seeing another person who is aged, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the [typical] young person's intoxication with youth entirely dropped away.

"Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to illness, not beyond illness, sees another who is ill, he is horrified, humiliated, & disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to illness, not beyond illness. And if I — who am subject to illness, not beyond illness — were to be horrified, humiliated, & disgusted on seeing another person who is ill, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the healthy person's intoxication with health entirely dropped away.

"Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to death, not beyond death, sees another who is dead, he is horrified, humiliated, & disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to death, not beyond death. And if I — who am subject to death, not beyond death — were to be horrified, humiliated, & disgusted on seeing another person who is dead, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the living person's intoxication with life entirely dropped away.
Anguttara Nikaya 3:38
this is the best approach til now for diminish it, cleaning over and over <3
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
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Josef
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Re: Arrogance

Post by Josef »

javier.espinoza.t wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:45 pm
Queequeg wrote: Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:30 am "Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to aging, not beyond aging, sees another who is aged, he is horrified, humiliated, & disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to aging, not beyond aging. If I — who am subject to aging, not beyond aging — were to be horrified, humiliated, & disgusted on seeing another person who is aged, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the [typical] young person's intoxication with youth entirely dropped away.

"Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to illness, not beyond illness, sees another who is ill, he is horrified, humiliated, & disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to illness, not beyond illness. And if I — who am subject to illness, not beyond illness — were to be horrified, humiliated, & disgusted on seeing another person who is ill, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the healthy person's intoxication with health entirely dropped away.

"Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person, himself subject to death, not beyond death, sees another who is dead, he is horrified, humiliated, & disgusted, oblivious to himself that he too is subject to death, not beyond death. And if I — who am subject to death, not beyond death — were to be horrified, humiliated, & disgusted on seeing another person who is dead, that would not be fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the living person's intoxication with life entirely dropped away.
Anguttara Nikaya 3:38
this is the best approach til now for diminish it, cleaning over and over <3
Page 243 of The Treasury of Precious Qualities has a clear description of how the four immeasurables purify afflictive emotions, including arrogance.
"All phenomena of samsara depend on the mind, so when the essence of mind is purified, samsara is purified. Since the phenomena of nirvana depend on the pristine consciousness of vidyā, because one remains in the immediacy of vidyā, buddhahood arises on its own. All critical points are summarized with those two." - Longchenpa
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Re: Arrogance

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

It's one of the afflictions, best not to personalize it is as "I am arrogant" and to realize that there is no essential arrogance. I find that contemplating all the help I have received can undermine arrogant thoughts. Understanding that one's accomplishments as such are not really one's own helps a lot.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
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Queequeg
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Re: Arrogance

Post by Queequeg »

Johnny Dangerous wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 4:21 pm It's one of the afflictions, best not to personalize it is as "I am arrogant" and to realize that there is no essential arrogance. I find that contemplating all the help I have received can undermine arrogant thoughts. Understanding that one's accomplishments as such are not really one's own helps a lot.
Yes. Gratitude practice is very effective in cultivating a humble disposition and appreciation of others.

Modern studies show that being grateful is very good for your mental health, too.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
jet.urgyen
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Re: Arrogance

Post by jet.urgyen »

what about "i'm in middle of the sadhana, now i'm conteplating, now i'm satisfied"... this "contemplation" is just another fabrication!!!!!!
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
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Josef
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Re: Arrogance

Post by Josef »

javier.espinoza.t wrote: Tue Jun 12, 2018 8:24 am what about "i'm in middle of the sadhana, now i'm conteplating, now i'm satisfied"... this "contemplation" is just another fabrication!!!!!!
That's distraction, which is the root of ignorance, which leads to the other afflictions.
"All phenomena of samsara depend on the mind, so when the essence of mind is purified, samsara is purified. Since the phenomena of nirvana depend on the pristine consciousness of vidyā, because one remains in the immediacy of vidyā, buddhahood arises on its own. All critical points are summarized with those two." - Longchenpa
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