The Trap of Praise

In our daily lives, there are fleeting moments that can decide a long chain of karma. These are the moments between a thought and a spoken word. Imagine one afternoon in a quiet dharma class. A young monk was listening to his dharma brothers discuss a renowned teacher from the city. This teacher was praised endlessly for his eloquent speech, profound knowledge, and ability to draw thousands to his dharma talks.

Hearing this, a sudden feeling of discomfort arose in the young monk—an invisible irritation. His ego cried out: “Why is he so respected? I also practice and study. Why does no one mention me?” By instinct, his mouth was about to utter a sarcastic, bitter remark:

“Surely he just has a personal favor from the teacher, so he gets top marks and special treatment!”

But thankfully, thanks to the lesson on “mindfulness in speech,” he managed to pause. He took a breath, looked inward, and asked himself: “Why do I want to say that? Where does this speech come from?” Immediately, he recognized that behind that sarcastic remark was a heart bleeding with jealousy. He was not yet open-hearted enough to rejoice in another’s success. If he spoke those words, he would not only create bad karma through his speech but also nourish an evil seed within his own mind.

Instead of offering criticism, he chose silence and inward repentance. He told himself: “My mind is still full of jealousy. I need to prostrate before the Buddha to repent, to cleanse this mind.” After that, he tried to transform his negative emotion into a positive one. He thought: “If that teacher has many listeners, it means many beings are benefiting. The Dharma flourishes, and I also benefit from that. I should rejoice instead of feeling envious.”

One week later, another story occurred that reinforced this lesson. A friend told me about that famous teacher. Instead of commenting on his speaking talent, I based my observation on the law of cause and effect:

“That person must have accumulated certain merit and wholesome qualities within his heart from the past, leading to such great success and influence.”

A week after that, I heard that the teacher had once lived in strict observance of the precepts, practicing diligently in seclusion for a long time. My observation had been correct. This shows that when we remove jealousy and replace it with a view based on cause and effect and rejoicing in others’ merit, our speech becomes accurate, constructive, and brings peace to both the speaker and the listener.

We often suffer from the “fowl that hate each other’s crow,” like artists disliking each other’s singing. This is the instinct of beings. But those who practice must transcend this instinct. When hearing of someone’s success, instead of looking for faults to criticize, look for their wholesome causes to praise. Cultivate the habit of “looking before speaking.” Before opening your mouth, ask yourself: “Does this speech come from a heart of compassion? Or from a heart of anger, hatred, and jealousy?” If it comes from a bad heart, block it. Do not let it escape into karma.

**The Meaning of the Story**

Our speech is a direct expression of our inner world. Controlling our speech is not merely about maintaining politeness; it is an important practice for purifying the mind. When we can recognize the hidden motives—like jealousy and envy—behind the words we are about to utter, we have the opportunity for repentance and transformation. Instead of criticizing, practice rejoicing in the success of others, viewing all events through the lens of karmic law. To master our speech is the first step to mastering our destiny and progressing toward liberation.

*Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang*