法苑珠林 82.61

82.61

The Tattvasiddhi-śāstra also says: 'Small people cannot bear harsh speech and revilement, like birds rained on by stones; great people can bear harsh speech and cursing, like an elephant rained on by flowers. The practitioner should constantly observe the past and present causes and conditions of the person before him: perhaps in the past they were my parents who raised my body without avoiding guilt or seeking merit, and I have not yet repaid their kindness—why should I give rise to anger? Or they were brothers, wife and children, or relatives; or they were noble persons or former good friends. If worldly sentiment fails to recognize this, why should one add slander?'