One day recently a student of mine ... - Dhamma by Ajahn Jayasāro
One day recently a student of mine was praised for being kind. As a result, he immediately felt a warm feeling in his heart. Later, he wondered whether his reaction was a mental defilement. He asked me “Do truly wise people feel pleasure when they are praised?”
I replied that wise people do not see themselves as the owners of their good qualities. They don't crave praise for their goodness or become attached to it. But they may feel a kind of joy, just as gardeners may feel when people praise the beauty of flowers in their garden.
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