Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

hermit, pride easily increases. One may treat others as
ignorant, worldly fools, while in one's own mind it
seems that one is just like the Buddha, thinking, "I am a
holy man, I am a hermit." Such thoughts are common
temptations for one who gives all his time to meditation.
Even those who are not hermits but do a little
meditation each day may look down on others who do
none. As one's mind contains pride, so dreams may
occur where men praise you and say that you are bound
for Full Enlightenment. They may also say that in past
lives you were a bodhisattva.
Bhante interjected here that there was quite a lot
concerning this matter in the Astasahasrika
(Prajnaparamita Sutra). Mr. Chen continued:
Such dreams are just some demon who wants to harm
you, or else a bodhisattva is tempting you to prove your
worth. One must always keep one's mind humble, and
see clearly that in any case there is no self to be found
among the elements. Worship much; that is a good
treatment for this temptation. A meditator should think,
"Maybe it is my pride causing such dreams," and he or
she should worship the elder monks (or all the monks if
he is a layman), make reverent prostrations to the
Buddha, and be humble even to attendants and those
who are junior to one. This is the Hinayana treatment,
but one may also consider this matter from the
Mahayana view: "Every person is included in the
Buddha-nature. May all those beings gain Full
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