Humility

I make it a point to have regular conversations with my meditation teacher, Bhante Saranapala. He has been my teacher for many years now. He has not only been a teacher but a great friend and an exemplary figure. I have learnt much from his formal and informal teachings.

One such informal occasion took place on the phone about two weeks ago. Of course he resides in the Mississauga temple. So I ring him up perhaps once a month or so. This time round, I had written an editorial for the newsletter and I had wanted his approval for it. Since I did not hear back from him, I thought I'd give him a ring. By the time I rang him up, he had already sent me a reply but as he always does, he took the time to talk to me. He praised me for what I had written in the editorial and said that he enjoys reading what I write because they are very insightful. Then came the surprise....he said that he learns from the things that I write.

I was so very pleased to hear that. My teacher learning from me! Hearing that from him meant a lot. Of course I was walking a few feet above ground level when it hit me. In what he said was something was of so value to me for my own growth. I almost missed that in my egotistical euphoria. It was Humility!

Think about it. As I said...he is my teacher, a learned monk, a Highly learned monk, venerated by many in society....him saying that he learns things from me.......me....just a nobody really compared to him. He didn't have to say that. In fact he doesn't have to say anything. He doesn't even have to admire and appreciate what I write and it's contents or whatever. He could very well say like so many others do and like I have heard so many others including myself say, "Oh I did the same" or "Yes I know". But instead he choose to do and say something quite the opposite.

It was after my ego calmed down that I picked up on something which he obviously did not intend to teach. But sometimes teaching is best done when someone lives the teachings. This was such an occasion. I was so inspired. Of course it gave material for me write another blog but it also made me realise how much I needed to cultivate the quality of "Humility" within me. In fact don't we all?

Think about it. Everything we do, we do to make ourselves look good, to seek approval, to make ourselves worthy...but in it all is the desire, the need to justify and satisfy the ego. When I write my blogs, I constantly remind myself as to why I write my blogs. It's not to get as many people to read them...no that's not the purpose...if it were the purpose then my blogs will serve no purpose other than to support and build up of my own ego. But my blogs are written so that I may gather my own learnings from life so that it's like a compilation of teachings for me...and if and when it's time for others to benefit from it perhaps I may share at large. But that is all.

But like this how much we engage in ego building activities. Be it buying a car, having a house, going on holiday and talking about it or posting numerous pictures on facebook...it's all part of making out a niche for my little ego. But to let it shrink, to make it's importance a little less is a difficult thing for all of us. In fact no one for even a minute would even consider this. Considering this would be next to craziness (although real craziness lies in feeding the ego more and more!)

When Bhante appreciated me, said that he learns something from me, he put his ego aside. He put aside his identification with his titles "Bhante Saranapala, Theravada Priest of over 25 years, PhD teacher, Meditation Teacher, Pali Scholar, Buddhist Scholar etc", he also put aside his identification and value he has placed with all the years of his experiences as a priest and a meditator. That is not an easy thing to do.

Look at yourselves. How easy is it for you to listen to a child? How easy is it for us as adults to listen and take the advice of a child, even if it makes sense?! Forget about listening to a child. How easy is it for us to listen to a different point of view from another human being of the same age group. My point is that it's not easy for us to put aside what we know and what we think of ourselves to be and the worth we attach to it and the worth that has been attached to it by others around us. It takes a lot of training and self-discipline. But unless we learn to do so, at least some of the time, we become hollow, we become mean, self-righteous and worst of all we fail to learn and grow, we become fossilised.

But it's inspiring to see humility when it happens. Especially to see it coming from someone who does not need to give it. I think it shows true spiritual maturity of a person. Thank you Bhante for teaching me another inspiring lesson!