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The Humble Narcissist
Strong-minded individuals need to not only have intelligence, but also compassion.
As I sat around the group of monks — some bearded and some bald — carousing in our monk lounge area the “Sun Palace,” I began to shuffle my cards and prepare the last question of the merry evening. I was anointed master of ceremonies for my guru’s 70th Jayanti (birthday) and had to coordinate the evening with speeches, gifts, storytelling, and questions. We always made sure to ask my guru the deepest questions after a glass of wine because he would go from reticent to loquacious in about two glasses.
“Seeing as how we are accomplished,” I started out, “prepared, well-developed, sharp and educated under a system of discipline and routine, how then are we to be better now and in the future?”
Everyone put down their glasses and leaned in closer to my guru so they could grab each and every syllable he spoke aloud and put them in their robes for safekeeping.
The head monk spoke softly:
We are to never get angry, frustrated or disturbed with one another anymore. Cease to have disagreements, allow others to be right or wrong, and remember your training.
