Editing Humility (section)

====Buddhism====
{{see also|Anatta}}

Buddhism is a religion of "self"-examination.<ref name="Tachibana 1992"/> The natural aim of the Buddhist life is the state of [[Enlightenment in Buddhism|enlightenment]], gradually cultivated through meditation and other spiritual practices. Humility, in this context, is a characteristic that is both an essential part of the spiritual practice, and a result of it.{{r|Tachibana 1992|pages=180, 183}} As a quality to be developed, it is deeply connected with the practice of Four Abodes ([[Brahmavihara]]): love-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}} As a result of the practice, this cultivated humility is expanded by the wisdom acquired by the experience of ultimate emptiness ({{transliteration|sa|[[śūnyatā]]}}) and non-self ({{transliteration|pi|[[anatta]]}}).{{r|Tachibana 1992|page=181}} Humility, compassion, and wisdom are intrinsic parts of the state of enlightenment.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}} On the other hand, not being humble is an obstacle on the path of enlightenment which needs to be overcome.{{r|Tachibana 1992|page=180}} In the [[Tipitaka]] (the Buddhist scriptures), criticizing others and praising oneself is considered a vice; but criticizing oneself and praising others is considered a virtue.<ref name="Tachibana 1992">{{cite book | last = Tachibana |first =Shundō | title= The ethics of Buddhism |year=1992|publisher=Curzon Press|location=Richmond, Surrey|isbn=0-7007-0230-X| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BRWyqi2K4WUC}}</ref>{{rp|178}} Attachment to the self, apart from being a vice in itself, also leads to other evil states that create suffering.{{r|Tachibana 1992|page=182}}

In the Tipitaka, in the widely known ''[[Mangala Sutta]]'', humility ({{transliteration|pi|nivato}}, literally: "without air") is mentioned as one of the thirty-eight blessings in life.<ref>{{cite book|translator-last=Ñāṇamoli|translator-first=Bhikkhu|translator-link=Nanamoli Bhikkhu|title=The Minor Readings and The Illustrator of Ultimate Meaning|year=1960|publisher=[[Pali Text Society]]|location=London|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2FCToAEACAAJ}}</ref> In the [[Pāli Canon]], examples of humility include the monk [[Sariputta|Sariputta Thera]], a leading disciple of the Buddha, and [[Hatthaka of Alavi|Hatthaka]], a leading lay disciple. In later Pali texts and [[Atthakatha|Commentaries]], Sariputta Thera is depicted as a forgiving person, who is quick to apologize and accepting of criticism. In the {{transliteration|pi|[[suttas]]}} (discourses of the Buddha) Hatthaka was praised by the Buddha when he was unwilling to let other people know his good qualities.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Malalasekera|author-link= G P Malalasekera|first1=G.P.|title=Dictionary of Pāli proper names|volume=2|year=2007|orig-date=1937|publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass Publishers]]|location=Delhi|isbn=978-81-208-3022-6|edition=1st Indian|url=http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/dic_idx.html}}</ref>

{{Quote box|quote=Once, the Buddha mentioned to some monks that his lay disciple Hatthaka had seven wonderful and marvellous qualities; these being faith, virtue, propriety, self-respect, learning, generosity and wisdom. Later, when Hatthaka learned how the Buddha had praised him he commented: 'I hope there were no laypeople around at the time'. When this comment was reported back to the Buddha, he remarked: "Good! Very good! He is genuinely modest and does not want his good qualities to be known to others. So you can truly say that Hatthaka is adorned with this eighth wonderful and marvellous quality 'modesty'." {{clarify|text=(A.IV,218)|reason=what does this parenthetical mean?|date=August 2023}}<ref>{{multiref2
|1={{cite web|url=https://www.buddhisma2z.com/content.php?id=269|website=Guide to Buddhism A To Z|title=Modesty|access-date=9 April 2022}}
|2={{cite web|url=https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN8_23.html|title=About Hatthaka |work= Hatthaka Sutta|at=AN 8:23|access-date=9 April 2022}}
}}</ref>|align=right|width=30%}}

In [[Buddhist practice]], humility is practiced in a variety of ways. Japanese [[Soto Zen]] monks bow and chant in honor of their robes before they don them. This serves to remind them of the connection of the monk's robes with enlightenment. Buddhist monks in all traditions are dependent on the generosity of laypeople, through whom they receive their necessities. This in itself is a practice of humility.{{r|Tachibana 1992|page=178}}<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Tanabe|first1=Willa Jane|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Buddhism|title=Robes and clothing|editor1-last=Buswell|editor1-first=Robert E.|year=2004|publisher=[[Thomson Gale|Macmillan Reference USA, Thomson Gale]]|location=New York [u.a.]|isbn=0-02-865720-9|page=732}}</ref>