Because we tend to be very self-centered, really listening to what someone is saying is not easy. When someone criticizes us, we habitually react with aversion and defensiveness; we refuse to listen, and this makes things even more difficult. So it’s not just a matter of listening to what people say; we also have to be willing to hear their criticism. In Tibet there is an adage: “A harsh rebuke is born of concern; flattery is born of wicked intentions.”
~Khangser Rinpoche~
