Everyone Will Be Buddha To You if You Got A Buddhist Mind

If we are always in a state of altruism, then we know what to say on a certain occasion, and what to speak to a certain person. In Buddhism, this is called Kumārajīva. 

There was a story about this: Once, Su Dongpo, the famous Chinese poet, went to a Zen master and said to the Zen master: "I think you are shit." However, the Zen master replied: "I think you are a Buddha." When Su Dongpo went home, he felt very flattered by the conversation. In fact, he didn’t know the truth - when you have a heart like a Buddha, you see others as Buddha; if you have a heart filled with shit, you see all others as shit. Therefore, it is troublesome if we cannot see any merits in others.

Some people feel reluctant or embarrassed to compliment other people, thinking this is something hypocritical. Others think that complimenting other people has the effect of belittling themselves. The fact is, we all need encouragement. If you compliment others just to let them benefit, without seeking anything in return, this is in itself a type of giving.​​

---