You Are IT

As it says in The Way of the Bodhisattva, praise and a good reputation do nothing to increase our longevity or good health.  Maybe if lots of people praised us we might get a bit richer!  But apart from that, praise does not make us live longer or in better health or help us in any other way.  If people criticize us, it does not make us sick or unhealthy and nor does it shorten our lives. It does not affect us in any substantial way at all.

If we really stop to think about praise and criticism, we will see they do not have the least importance.  Whether we receive praise or criticism is of no account.  The only important thing is that we have a pure motivation, and let the law of cause and effect be our witness.  If we are really honest, we can see that it makes no difference whether we receive praise and acclaim.

– The Dalai Lama, “Bad Repuation” (Summer 2007)