Philosophical Sayings About Worldly Matter (LII)

Arrogant persons often demand respect with their power, yet they are never respected wholeheartedly. Why? Power does not equal truth, and demanding respect is merely evidence of arrogance and stupidity. Genuine respect is built on moral integrity and can stand the test of time.

(This is a translation of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu’s philosophical sayings about worldly matters originally written in Chinese.)

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Below is not an official translation, just for reference

The arrogant often try to force others to respect them through power, believing they have established prestige. However, the outcome of such behavior is usually the opposite; people not only fail to genuinely respect them but may even dislike or oppose them. This is because the false authority established through coercion is not an embodiment of truth.

Only when a person inspires others with his noble moral character and profound knowledge can the respect he gets truly come from the heart. Using coercion and other methods to forcibly inspire others is called subduing. In fact, it is to forcefully control others - to make the other party to respect you - in order to achieve the purpose of building your own prestige. This is actually an ugly behavior. This action is a manifestation of ignorance, stupidity and arrogance, which can only produce bad consequences.

Only by establishing oneself on the foundation of ethical morality, proven through time and practice, can one naturally earn respect and admiration, thus attaining genuine prestige.