substance

Sometimes people misconstrue arrogance for courage. A decent and most innocent statement can be made to assert one's position and to show that one is better than the rest. The tomato is not launched by mistake. It is the intention and not the action that matters more. Self-praise whether direct or indirect is no praise.

This brings to mind a story.

Once there was a monk who declared to the world that he was the best meditator and spiritualist. He graduated from the fine school of Chariot. He claimed that no storm or Tsunami can move him once he is in a meditative state. He will not get-up even if the wind blows him dry and the sun scorches his skin. The news of this great sage travelled across boundaries. People came from everywhere to challenge the monk or to worship him. No matter what they did, he remained nonchalant. Some even threw stones at him but he didn't wink an eye. He said that he has divine protection and it seems that what he professed was true.

Far away in a distant land, there lived a hermit in a cave. Even he heard of this magnificient monk and he decides to challenge the monk. So, in his dark cave he lit a candle and wrote the monk a letter. Through many hands, the letter finally reached the monk. When he opened the the envelope and read the content of the letter his anger shot higher than his ego. "How dare this tiny hermit calls me a piece of shit!" he roared.

The monk got-up immediately, mounted a horse belonging to his disciple and rode for 3 days and 3 nights to where the hermit lived to teach him a good lesson of manners and courtesy.

When the hermit saw the monk he said calmly, "Oh! I thought nothing could move you?"