In this talk Venerable Thubten Chodron discusses the challenges of living with a diverse group of people in a monastery and the importance of overcoming anger and impatience toward those who are different.
Despite sharing a common faith and practice, monastics are not all alike, and it is natural to focus on the faults of those we dislike.
Thubten Chodron explains that this mindset hinders progress toward becoming a fully awakened Buddha.
She acknowledges that even enlightened figures like the Buddha or the Dalai Lama may have disliked certain individuals, but emphasizes that our own dislike harms us more than the people we dislike.
Thubten Chodron shares personal experiences of projecting dislike onto others and rationalizing it by imagining that even revered figures might share these sentiments.
Thubten Chodron encourages the use of compassion and mind training practices to recognize the projections we place on others and understand that we cannot change them.
She highlights that living with challenging individuals is essential for personal growth.
Ultimately, Thubten Chodron emphasizes that our dislike for certain individuals is not their problem but rather our own.
Practicing teachings to counteract a judgmental and critical mind may lead to discovering the nice qualities in people we currently dislike, potentially transforming adversaries into friends.
