THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS By Ajahn Sumedho - DharmaFlower.Net

negative thing we’re doing; it’s a kind of patience - being willing tobear with something; allowing it to change naturally rather thanegotistically trying to prop everything up and cleaning it all up out ofour aversion and distaste for a mess.Then, when people push our buttons, we’re not always offended, hurtor upset by the things that happen, or shattered and destroyed by thethings that people say or do. One person I know tends to exaggerateeverything. If something goes wrong today, she will say, ‘I’m utterlyand absolutely shattered!’ - when all that has happened is that somelittle problem occurred. However, her mind exaggerates it to such anextent that a very small thing can absolutely destroy her for the day.When we see this, we should realise that there is a great imbalancebecause little things should not totally shatter anyone.I realised that I could be easily offended so I took a vow not to beoffended. I had noticed how easy it was for me to be offended by littlethings, whether intentional or unintentional. We can see how easy it isto feel hurt, wounded, offended, upset or worried - how something inus is always trying to be nice, but always feels a little offended by thisor a little hurt by that.With reflection, you can see that the world is like this; it’s a sensitiveplace. It is not always going to soothe you and make you feel happy,secure and positive. Life is full of things that can offend, hurt, woundor shatter. This is life. It is this way. If somebody speaks in a crosstone of voice, you are going to feel it. But then the mind can go on andbe offended: ‘Oh, it really hurt when she said that to me; you know,that was not a very nice tone of voice. I felt quite wounded. I’ve neverdone anything to hurt her.’ The proliferating mind goes on like that,doesn’t it - you have been shattered, wounded or offended! But then ifyou contemplate, you realise it’s just sensitivity.When you contemplate this way, it is not that you are trying not tofeel. When somebody talks to you in an unkind tone of voice, it’s notthat you don’t feel it at all. We are not trying to be insensitive. Rather,we are trying not to give it the wrong interpretation, not to take it on apersonal level. Having balanced emotions means that people can saythings that are offensive and you can take it. You have the balanceand emotional strength not to be offended, wounded or shattered bywhat happens in life.If you are someone who is always being wounded or offended by life,you always have to run off and hide or you have to find a group ofobsequious sycophants to live with, people who say: ‘You’re wonderful,Ajahn Sumedho.’ ‘Am I really wonderful?’ ‘Yes, you are.’ ‘You’re justsaying that, aren’t you?’ ‘No, no, I mean it from the bottom of myheart.’ ‘Well, that person over there doesn’t think I’m wonderful.’ ‘Well,he’s stupid!’ ‘That’s what I thought.’ It’s like the story of the emperor’s