How can I remain humble and treat people as equals while helping?

Even when able to help, remain humble and willing to understand the other person's hurt and needs. Do not stand only in your own position and demand compliance with your thinking. Look at the immediate circumstances and what would genuinely help.

Miao Qing shared a valuable reflection after a ceremony. Watching King Yama respond to unseen beings, Miao Qing experienced compassion and humility: despite an exalted position, he understood their grievances and helped resolve them according to their needs, without superiority or trying to frighten them. Our own services should learn that attitude too.

Confidence is good. But if longer practice increasingly makes us think we are extraordinary and uniquely capable, we need to examine ourselves. Everyone knows the importance of humility. Actually releasing arrogance in our dealings is the work to practice.

During ceremony reflections, fellow practitioners described a senior practitioner at another temple who had devoted many years to services, changing clothing for different rituals from morning to night and remaining diligent despite physical fatigue. Miao Ling, Miao Qing, and Dao Sheng each felt moved and saw areas for learning. These were their understandings from witnessing another's contribution. Acknowledging and learning from others' strengths is another way to lower ourselves in humility.