Fourth Lesson

                        The Benefits of Humility

 

In the I-Ching, it is said that the Heavens will take away from those who are arrogant and help those who are humble.  If you look at the way the earth is structured, the water in the e higher places always flows to the lower places, and it is with the spirits and demigods who will take away from those who are arrogant, and protect those who are humble.  It is the same with humans.  Those who are arrogant and full of self-importance usually are despised by others and only those who are humble are respected by others.  In the I-Ching there are sixty-four principles describing three hundred and eighty-four counsels, two-thirds of which are for warning and caution.  But in the six principles that belong to the ‘human hexagram’ they are all for praises.  No wonder there is a common saying that humility receives benefit and arrogance invites trouble.

 

If you look at those scholars who were poor, usually just before they became famous they were very, very humble.  A few years back there were ten people from my village who went to the capital for the imperial examinations.  Among these there was someone named Ting-Ching who was the youngest but also the most humble.  I had told my other friends that he would pass the imperial examination that year and my friends said, ‘How do you know that?’  I said, ‘only those who are humble will receive fortune and in that group he is the one who is humble and very sincere.  Only he is respectful of others and does not fight with others.  When he is mistreated he is tolerant.  When he hears of slander, he does not fight back.  When one can come to this level of humility, the heavens and spirits will all protect him; of course he will pass the examination.’  When the time came, sure enough he did pass the imperial examination.  There were several of others who did not pass and they changed their previous arrogance and became very humble.  They passed the examination later.  Before the heavens are going to reward someone, before their fortune comes, the heavens will first awaken their wisdom.  Once the wisdom is awakened hey will naturally become humble, arrogance will dissipate and fortune will follow.

 

There was another person from Chiang-Yin whose name was Chang.  He was very talented, very knowledgeable, and he had quite a reputation.  When he participated in the examination, he did not pass and he became very angry.  He started accusing the examiner of not having any eyeballs.  There was a Taoist  monk at that time watching on the side who started smiling and then this Mr. Chang directed his anger on this Taoist monk.  This monk then said, ‘It must be that your writing is not good enough.’  Mr. Chang said, ‘How do you know?  You have not read my writing.’  The Taoist monk said, ‘People say that to write well one has to be calm and peaceful, and now I have watched you open your mouth to scold others, and you are definitely not very peaceful and not very calm so how can you write well?’  Mr. Chang became quiet and then turned around and asked the Taoist monk for advice.  The monk said, ‘Passing an examination also relates to destiny.  If in your destiny you are not supposed to pass, then no matter how much time you spend you will not pass.  You first have to change yourself.’  And Chang said, ‘If it is destiny, how can one change?’  And the Taoist monk said, ‘although destiny originates in the heavens, to build it is dependent upon the person.  If one accumulates good merit, then one can attain everything that one asks for.’  Chang then asked, ‘I am a poor man.  How can I perform good deeds and accumulate merit?’  the Taoist monk said, ‘The good deeds and the merits are accumulated from the heart.  If you always keep your kindness in treating people, then that in itself is a great merit.  For example, to be humble does not cost any money.  Why don’t you turn around and instead of accusing the examiner look within yourself and perhaps you see that you do not have enough humility or that you are not good enough.’  Mr. Chang, all of a sudden was awaked and started to change his ways.  Three years later in a dream he came to a large building and picked up a booklet.  He was curious and asked someone next to him, ‘What is this booklet?’  The person next to him answered, ‘well, it is this year’s list of those who have passed the exam.’  Then Chang asked, ‘How come there are a lot of blank spaces?’  And the person answered, ‘Every three years in the underworld we do a check and only those who have accumulated merit and have not committed any evil deeds can remain on the list.  The spaces where names have been erased are people who originally were supposed to pass the exam but because of recent misconduct their names were removed.  In the past three years you have been very cautious, and have worked on yourself very diligently.  You may fill in these blank spaces so take care of yourself.’  And that year, Mr. Chang passed the examination and he was the105th person to pass.

 

In this way, one can understand the common saying that in one’s life one should not do anything that is disgraceful because there is a higher level of consciousness above us that knows it all.  So, in one’s life, whether one will have luck or misfortune, comes down to one’s thoughts: if one can watch one’s thoughts and keep them pure (and also watch one’s humility), then one will always be protected by the gods and the spirits.  If one is arrogant and full of self-importance, using one’s power, talent, and wealth to show off or manipulate others, then one does not have a bright future.  One will not become anything, and will not even enjoy a little fortune.  Therefore, those who are wise and those who understand the Tao will not destroy their own futures or destroy their own fortunes.  Only those who are humble can receive the teachings of others, and that is how one can receive wisdom and fortune and benefit a great deal.  This is a fundamental understanding of living.

 

In Buddha’s teaching there is a saying that if we want to have wealth and position, we will have wealth and position.  If we want to have fame, we can have fame.  Therefore, when we make an inner commitment, it is like a tree settling down its roots.  We should set them down deep, always remembering humility in our dealings with others, always facilitating others, and then naturally we will accomplish what we wish.