Last week I noticed that my friends were treating me rather badly. When I mentioned this to another friend, she said that I was probably not feeling so good about myself already, which is why what other people said hurt me.


So this led me to a few thoughts about insults.
1) the person who is being rude is probably upset and having a bad day him/herself! As Goenkaji, the founder of Vippasana in India, says -it is impossible to be hurtful if you are full of compassion and goodwill inside!

2) Other people's behavior will only affect me when I myself am not feeling confident and happy. We give away our power to other people on a regular basis.

There is a lovely Buddha story about an Old man who comes to Buddha abusing and upset. He refuses to listen to Buddha as he knows that Buddha is very intelligent and would brainwash him. Buddha smiled and asked him "Old man - just one question - Do you get visitors coming to your house?"
The old man replied "Yes-not that it's any of your business! "
"Do some of them bring you presents?"
"Yes, Why do you ask?"
Do you accept all the presents people bring you?
NO
What happens to the presents you don't accept?
People take them back!
Old man, Take your present of anger and abuse back as I don't accept it.

3) When I am feeling insulted, it's my ego or the image that I have of myself in my mind, which is being attacked. Not only do I need to protect this image of myself, I also have to protect the images of my friends, family and belongings as they all contribute to the image of ME!

4) It is said that the soul or true nature of man is blissfulness. I suppose if we shed a great many layers of illusion, deep deep down we would find that! Even now we have moments/ glimpses of joy, but most of the time, most of us are overly sensitive, confused and unhappy or aggressive, rude, very sure that only I know everything and still unhappy!