We tend to judge people by appearances. But outward appearances are deceptive. We can be easily fooled when we look at people and make judgement about them based on their looks. We cannot find out the real worth of anyone just by their looks. Those who look decent and nice from outside are not always nice and decent from inside. A good looking person is quickly judged as good from his looks and clothes and not from his character. A dark skinned person is judged as bad from his dark skin. Many con men dress well, smile sweetly and talk their way into the best clubs and business deals. They are accepted and welcomed warmly and they become close friends with others quickly. When they leave, they cheat others of huge sums of money. Nobility of behavior is essential. Not just a noble bearing or a noble cast of nose!
We have these little mental labels in our minds of how everyone should be and when we find someone who fits those labels, we say they are perfect without looking at their character or behaviour. It is not looks that make a mother but her love, care and sacrifice for her child. Yet we label a good-looking woman as a good mother and a non-good-looker as a despot. We feel that a saint should have certain appearance and he should behave a certain manner or speak in a specific way. If he does so, he is a genuine saint as he matches our inner concepts of outer looks. Else, even if he is genuinely enlightened person, we will not accept him so. We always suffered from the fallacy of judgement by appearances and our personal concepts of how things should be. Buddha teaches us a very good lesson about how deceptive appearances are and how a man should transform himself from within and not just by his dress:
There was a man who had a comfortable life and was rich enough to have a group of yes men around him trying to please him always. They praised anything he spoke and called him a man of wisdom. After the man’s wife died, he decided to leave home and become a monk. This would enhance his wisdom and all would praise him even more. He joined a monastery. Before his ordination, he had a shelter built for himself which included a store for keeping rice, lentils, oil, butter, salt, chilli powder, spices etc and a kitchen where his servant could prepare his favourite dishes. He brought his own furniture from his home so that he could sleep in comfort. He dressed like a monk but lived a luxurious life. He would not listen to the advice of others on how a monk should live. So finally, the head of the monastery reported him to Buddha.
Buddha sent for this rich monk and spoke to him: Have I not taught you and all other monks that they should live a simple life? The rich monk could not take the reprimand from Buddha. His ego was hurt. He removed his upper garment and threw it on the ground and stood half naked in front of Buddha. He challenged Buddha: So is this how you want me to live? Simple and half naked? Buddha reproached the monk: In one of your previous lives you were an evil spirit. Even in that state you had some sense of shame. Now you are born as man and wear the robes of monk and you are utterly shameless. Throwing away your upper garment does not make you an austere mendicant. Only when you discard your ignorance the same way you discarded your robe, you can be a good monk. Holiness comes from inner character and not from wearing robes or discarding them partially. The rich monk realised his mistake and sought forgiveness from Buddha. He corrected his ways and lived according to the teachings of Buddha.
Quoting the scriptures, fasting, going naked, covering oneself with mud or dust, sleeping on bare floor or following other penances does not make a person holy or good. Overcoming ignorance and living life surrendering oneself to the will of God sanctifies one’s life. Let us not judge others by appearances. Let us sanctify our lives by the holy name, meditation, inner transformation and love for God.
