Ignore the Flaws of Others (Pay Attention to Your Own)

Wherever you go, you will find that others have kleshas. You will never encounter anyone who does not have kleshas. Although, the proportions can vary in each case, everybody has got them. So you cannot hope for, or wait for, surrounding yourself with companions who have no kleshas. It is not going to happen. It also does not need to happen because the interesting thing about the kleshas of others is that they do not actually do anything to you. The kleshas of others cannot cast you further into samsara. On the other hand, your own klesha-motivated behavior of body and speech definitely can and will cast you deeper into samsara. When you think you see character flaws in others, you may actually be right. You do not have to think that you are probably wrong. The important thing to realize is that it does not matter, because their flaws do not — and cannot — cast you into samsara. Just ignore them and pay attention to your own being, your own mind, your own words, and your own actions. Change these rather than trying to change or reform others. [From the Commentary on The Daily Guru Rinpoche Sadhana with Tsok by Bardor Tulku Rinpoche. Translated by Lama Yeshe Gyamtso.]