conceit

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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befriend
Posts: 2284
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:39 am

conceit

Post by befriend »

how does one practice dhamma without feeling that they are somehow better, or special. sorry if i already asked this, but as i grow psycho emotionally from practicing morality and what not, i am genuinely afraid of getting a big head about it, as i already have. is there a practice i can do to safeguard me from developing conceit? thanks. befriend
Take care of mindfulness and mindfulness will take care of you.
Strive4Karuna
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Re: conceit

Post by Strive4Karuna »

What is special? That what may be "special" to a fool who does not see is nothing but the ordinary to the wise person. "Special", "Normal", "Ordinary".....nothing but your own construct.

Your conceit is your stain of ignorance. There is nothing to feel proud about, rather it is something to be ashamed of. Those without it, those who have not yet found faith in the Buddha but are free from this defilement have already accomplished what you have not.

The Lord Buddha...the wisest,the one where no one of the like exist in the entire universe,the tathagata..teacher of all beings and Brahmans...free of defilement's, ignorance,delusion.....dares not look down upon any sentient being.
How can a fool....ignorant, defiled, delusional such as yourself, such as myself... dare look down upon anybody.


I have work to do in this sense and so do you. Good luck.
Babadhari
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Re: conceit

Post by Babadhari »

befriend wrote: is there a practice i can do to safeguard me from developing conceit?
"'This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.'
Bhikkuni Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html translated by Thanissaro Bhikku
Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion.
Aflame, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs ......

Seeing thus, the disciple of the Noble One grows disenchanted. SN 35.28
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Mkoll
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Re: conceit

Post by Mkoll »

befriend wrote:how does one practice dhamma without feeling that they are somehow better, or special. sorry if i already asked this, but as i grow psycho emotionally from practicing morality and what not, i am genuinely afraid of getting a big head about it, as i already have. is there a practice i can do to safeguard me from developing conceit? thanks. befriend
You can try noticing when you start praising yourself and disparaging others in your thoughts and then apply one of the five ways of removing unwholesome thoughts from MN 20. Just noticing and thus bringing this kind of mental action into consciousness is helpful by itself and is the prerequisite to doing anything about it.

Of course that's a gross form of conceit which crosses over into ill will. The more subtle forms of conceit must be attenuated much more slowly because the fetter of conceit isn't fully eradicated until arahantship. And as the Bhikkhuni sutta mentions, conceit should be used as a means in the meantime.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
SarathW
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Re: conceit

Post by SarathW »

Hi Befriend
Conceit (Mana) is one of the fetters eliminated only by Arahants.
Ven. Thanissaro once said (very old interview) that even he felt subtle Dhamma pride in some occasions.
Awareness that you have conceit and understanding Anatta is the best way to eliminate this.
:)
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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waterchan
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Re: conceit

Post by waterchan »

befriend wrote:how does one practice dhamma without feeling that they are somehow better, or special.
You don't.

It's a higher fetter, only to be abolished upon full enlightenment. Are you halfway there yet? Are you a saka-dagami, or maybe a sotapanna? If not, then why worry about practicing without conceit? For now, it's enough to acknowledge to yourself that it exists, understand where it comes from — in particular a strong delusion of self — and know that it will weakened as your practice matures.
quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur
(Anything in Latin sounds profound.)
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