Yes we should take Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as examples we
should follow... and at the same time not slight others but rather
to 'study yourself'.
He who treads the Path in earnest
Sees not the mistakes of the world; If we find fault with others We
ourselves are also in the wrong.
When other people are in the wrong, we should ignore it, For it is
wrong for us to find fault.
By getting rid of the habit of fault-finding We cut off a source of
defilement.
When neither hatred nor love disturb our mind Serenely we
sleep.
------
Learned Audience, those who train themselves for 'imperturbability'
should, in their contact with all types of men, ignore the faults
of others. They should be indifferent to others' merit or demerit,
good or evil, for such an attitude accords with the
'imperturbability of the Essence of Mind'. Learned Audience, a man
unenlightened may be unperturbed physically, but as soon as he
opens his mouth he criticizes others and talks about their merits
or demerits, ability or weakness, good or evil; thus he deviates
from the right course.
--------
Thereupon Shen Hui asked the Patriarch, "In your meditation, Sir,
do you see (your Essence of Mind) or not?" Striking him three blows
with his staff, the Patriarch asked him whether he felt pain or
not. "Painful and not painful," replied Shen Hui. "I see and I see
not," retorted the Patriarch. "How is it that you see and see not?"
asked Shen Hui. "What I see is my own faults," replied the
Patriarch. "What I do not see is the good, the evil, the merit and
the demerit of others. That is why I see and I see not. Now tell me
what you mean by 'painful and not painful'. If you feel no pain,
you would be as a piece of wood or stone. On the other hand, should
you feel pain, and anger of hatred is thereby aroused, you would be
in the same position as an ordinary man. "The 'seeing' and
'not-seeing' you referred to are a pair of opposites; while
'painful' and 'not painful' belong to conditioned Dharma which
becomes and ceases.
~ 6th Zen Patriarch Hui Neng
