Compliments and Criticism

When someone gives us compliments for a job well done, we sometimes get into the mode of touting how we have been doing this for a while and are experts at it in any case. This may not be tomtoming about ourselves but it is definitely a reflection of we liking the compliments. This is a slippery path to tread.

The flip side of this is when there are issues with the work we have done and someone tells us about it, we may get on the defensive about it or start attacking the messenger or if not anything else might sulk or feel bad about it, much the same way we may rejoice on receiving compliments. Both these reactions are unwarranted and unnecessary and are because of undue attachment to our views and our work. Such reactions also set us up for furthermore attachment.

We must learn to cultivate a detached approach to whatever we do or opinions we hold so that either compliments or criticisms about them don’t provoke reactions from us, at least externally to start with, and eventually internally too. This will make us unperturbed and set us on the path of lasting peace and real freedom.