Afflictions Dissolve Merit

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

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 every respect surpass 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 actions offend them, a considerable amount of merit will be consumed, and in the end, you yourself will be the one who suffers the loss. 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 compassionate mind will increase.