Afflictions Deplete Merit

Knowing that every word and deed, whether wholesome or unwholesome, carries karmic retribution, one should be careful and prudent in speech and action, speaking and acting with caution, and not care only about oneself while disregarding others. In ordinary conduct and dealings with people, restrain greed, anger, arrogance, and jealousy as much as possible; do not scheme against others, do not use cunning to squeeze out this person or that person. Think more of others, think more of the various groups you belong to, and think of the greater good. Keep a kind and honest heart. In this way, first, you can eliminate innate afflictive obstruction (kleśāvaraṇa) and karmic obstructions; second, you can increase merit. If the mind is not pure and one commits defiled karma, a great deal of merit will be consumed. When merit is insufficient, nothing can be accomplished—whether worldly affairs or matters of cultivation, whether good deeds or bad deeds, without the support of merit, nothing will succeed.  

Toward those whose merit is greater than yours, whose wisdom and meditative concentration are deeper than yours, whose observance of precepts is better than yours, and whose abilities in all respects are stronger than yours, you should be sincerely convinced and respectful—at the very least, show them respect. You must not give rise to jealousy. If your words and deeds offend them, a considerable amount of merit will be consumed, and in the end, you yourself will be the one who loses out. Toward those who are inferior to you or weaker than you, you should feel compassion, and give them more help, support, and care. You must not give rise to arrogance or a desire to bully them. In this way, your merit and compassion will increase.