Humility and pride.

 

119. Humility and pride. In the religions of God, we find that the practice of humility leads to loftiness, while the practice of pridefulness leads to degradation of the human soul. One is very good to have the other leads to the damnation of the soul: In the Bahá’í Faith we read that man needs to be humble to approach God and the kingdom on high, while pride if left unchecked will lead to man’s utter degradation. This is also a teaching found in the other religions of God as well; humility is good, pride is bad.  Judaism: Exodus 10:3 “How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me?” Leviticus 26:19 “I will break the pride of your power;” Deuteronomy 8:2 “And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee,” Psalms 10:4 “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” Psalms 25:9 “The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way.” Proverbs 16:19 “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Proverbs 18:12 “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.” Proverbs 22:4 “By humility and the fear of The LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” Proverbs 29:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.” Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth The LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God”  Christianity: Matthew 18:4 “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 23:12 “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:14 “Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” James 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of The Lord, and he shall lift you up.” 1 Peter 5:5 “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”

 BABI RELIGION: “Through our little-mindedness and conceit, we are withholding from ourselves the redeeming grace of God, and are causing pain to Him who is the Fountain thereof. Will you not this time beseech God to grant that you may be enabled to attain His presence with becoming humility and detachment, that perchance He may graciously relieve you from the oppression of uncertainty and doubt?”

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 173)

 ISLAM: 58. “And remember We said: ‘Enter this town, and eat of the plenty therein as ye wish; but enter the gate with humility, in posture and in words, and We shall forgive you your faults and increase (the portion of) those who do good.”’

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   2)

Islam: 1. “The Believers must (eventually) win through — Those who humble themselves in their prayers; Who avoid vain talk; Who are active in deeds of charity; 18. “And swell not thy cheek (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence through the earth; for Allah (God) loveth not any arrogant boaster.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surahs 23 and 31)

 ZOROASTRIANISM: 36. “They clothe themselves with spite, in the course of strife, for the sake of vanishing goods;” “They are intoxicated with pride in their youth,” “And shall be full of regrets at the end of their time.”

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta Fragments)

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “Be it known that, of all God‘s creatures man may improve himself and save his soul from hell. One (means is the humble submission to Ohrmazd (Ahura Mazda, God) to advance in the good religion.”

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “Do religious works with humility, think good thoughts, speak good words, and do good deeds.”

 HINDUISM: “There is the rightful doer. He who acts Free from self-seeking, humble, resolute, Steadfast, in good or evil hap the same, Content to do aright- he truly acts.”

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 18)

 Hinduism: 163. “Let him avoid atheism, caviling at the Vedas, contempt of the gods, hatred, want of modesty, pride, anger, and harshness.”

(Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 4)

 Hinduism: 236. “Let him not be proud of his austerities (severities); let him not utter a falsehood after he has offered a sacrifice; let him not speak ill of Brahmanas, though he be tormented (by them); when he has bestowed (a gift), let him not boast of it.” “With humble adoration show this day your song of praise.”

(Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 4 and, Vedas, Rig Veda – Book 10)

 BUDDHISM: 17. “Abandon anger, give up pride, and overcome all fetters. Suffering does not befall him who is without attachment to names and forms, and possesses nothing of his own.” 20. “Cut out the love of self, like an autumn lotus, with your hand. Cherish the path of peace. Nirvana has been shown by the Buddha.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 2 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: “Five hindrances (called veils) entanglements to mankind, lust, malice, sloth, pride and self righteousness and doubt; these are five hindrances to the Noble Path and at the dissolution of the physical body of the Brahman prevent the man from approaching Brahma (God) and obtaining His presence.” (Buddha, Tevigga Sutra)

 Buddhism: “He who is humble and patient on all occasions and is courteous to everyone, has truly realized his Mind-essence, so truly in fact that his Path is free from further obstacles. This is the way to take refuge in (the Buddha of) oneself.” (Buddha, Sixth Patriarch)

 SABEANISM: “It is time to pray the ‘Devotions’ The great moment for humble worship.” “I shall be pure in all my words (thoughts); and life.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 1 and 118)

Sabeanism: “I humble myself and my children to Thy name, for I have been true to thy name, and speak (it) in my heart and talk (of it) in my mind. And I subdue my form and my loins,” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 410

 BABI RELIGION: “By the righteousness of Him Who hath called thee into being,” “Fear thou God and pride not thyself on thine earthly possessions, inasmuch as what God doth possess is better for them that tread the path of righteousness.” “if thou hast, upon hearing the divine verses and by virtue of thy spontaneous love for the True Word of God, responded in a spirit of utter humility and lowliness — a spirit which is one of the mightiest signs of true love and understanding — then such proofs have been and will ever be regarded as sound.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 19 and 118)

BAHA’I FAITH: “If thou art seeking everlasting glory, choose humility in the path of the True One.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v1, p. 214)

Baha’i Faith: “Humility exalteth man to the heaven of glory and power, whilst pride abaseth him to the depths of wretchedness and degradation.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 29)

Baha’i Faith: “Humility and self-effacement are the signs of spiritual growth, whereas pride in one’s self and one’s accomplishments is a deadly enemy.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha’u’llah v 1, p. 74)

Baha’i Faith: “Be humble and submissive to God and chant the verses of thanksgiving at morn and eve, for that He guided thee unto the Manifest Light and showed to thee the straight Path and destined to thee the station of nearness in His wonderful Kingdom.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 359)