The Dangers of Arrogance and Methods to Counteract It
Arrogance is a form of pride and self-importance. It is one of the five poisons discussed in Buddhism and one of the seven deadly sins in Christianity.
Arrogance stems from a discriminating mind, beginning with the distinction between oneself and others, leading to an attachment to one’s own concepts of fame and fortune. Currently, our social environment and education have conditioned us to think of ourselves as unique, encouraging self-development. This environment fosters arrogance within each of us. The emergence of arrogance is often accompanied by other negative emotions such as jealousy and hatred; because it hides behind these emotions, it can be difficult to detect and eradicate.
When we experience arrogance, our facial expressions may sometimes reveal a hardened, haughty demeanor, while our behavior and language can show a lack of sociability, making it hard for us to relax and communicate openly with others. Those with strong arrogance often seek to showcase themselves, hoping for recognition and praise from others and the public. They are unwilling to cooperate with others or share matters that benefit all beings; they prefer to control others, refuse to accept differing opinions, and cannot tolerate anyone being better than themselves. People with arrogance fail to see their own shortcomings but meticulously observe the flaws in others; they enjoy understanding and discussing other people’s issues. Due to the subtlety of arrogance, sometimes our praises for others may appear as good deeds on the surface but are actually rooted in arrogance. When we compare ourselves with others and feel satisfaction at their failures, we have already sown deep seeds of negativity within ourselves. Arrogance can breed jealousy, leading to various negative actions through body, speech, or mind; this often results in feelings of frustration that gradually develop into inferiority complex or defeatism.
For practitioners on the path, arrogance poses a significant obstacle—especially for those who are somewhat knowledgeable or insightful. Even when virtuous teachers are present among them, their own arrogance can cause them to miss opportunities for learning Dharma. Some individuals may doubt after seeking teachings for some time: “Is the Dharma my teacher transmitted correct? Must I strictly follow my teacher’s teachings and rituals?” Others may mistakenly believe that understanding theory makes them superior enough not to need practice anymore. Some look down upon those who do not engage in good deeds after performing a few themselves; newcomers who just started learning Buddhism may disdain those who do not study Buddhism; those who have experienced some insights from meditation might look down upon non-meditators. It is difficult for arrogant individuals to cultivate genuine compassion for all beings; they accumulate no merit within themselves—there’s a saying in Tibet: “The spring waters that nourish merit cannot reside on the mountain of pride.”
However, there exists a type of confident arrogance that belongs to positive energy. Distinguishing between arrogant pride and self-confidence can be challenging; we need standards by which to measure them. Arrogance is built upon external impermanent things such as wealth, status, ability, knowledge etc., exaggerating one’s self-evaluation; whereas confident pride is based on inner right understanding and mindfulness—it clearly knows who one is and what one can or should do. A confident person feels happy and fulfilled internally; they find satisfaction in their wealth status or practice without needing validation from others or comparisons.
We need to lower our sense of self so that our level of practice can elevate—only then can true wisdom and compassion unfold within us. We can subdue our arrogance by cultivating respectfulness—constantly reflecting on the virtues of all Buddhas while generating joyfulness within ourselves; recognizing our own faults while nurturing feelings of repentance and shame; when seeing the suffering of sentient beings we immediately set aside selfish thoughts in order to benefit others—through body speech mind paying homage respectfully towards all Buddhas—the great prostration among the five preliminary practices is one of the best methods for subduing our arrogance.
If someone who has not learned Buddhism exhibits arrogance it might be understandable—but if practitioners fail to recognize their own arrogance that would tarnish Buddhist teachings. Let’s reflect carefully: since we have yet achieved realization ourselves what reason do we have for being arrogant? The realized beings from the past were so humble—on what grounds do we presume superiority?