Judging other people can get you into a cycle of depression and negativity. Insisting on rightness is delusional and can lead to violence. We can learn to cooperate in our family, workplace, or in our relationships instead of always competing or trying to be right. Don’t get stressed about arguments. Just investigate that stress and see if it’s stemming from some depersonalization or dissatisfaction with our mind states. Arguments can be painful and can have consequences, usually bad, but understanding the anatomy of arguments can help lessen them. We always see the world the way we want to see it, based on our views. When we have a strong opinion, it’s difficult to see things objectively. In the story, two monks argued about whether reincarnation is essential to Buddhism. One argued that it is, while the other said it can’t be because the present moment is all there is. When they both argued their position to the master, they both realized that their arguments depended on their perspective and that there is no right or wrong answer.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded using a low quality MP3 to save on file size (because internet connections were slow back then – remember dialup?) on 10th January 2003. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.