Everyone has his or her own level of virtue. An outstanding person in ordinary society and a cultivator can reach very high realm through self-cultivation. In real life, because of predestined relationships through many generations of reincarnation, people have difficulty avoiding being maliciously humiliated, threatened, defamed, criticised or envied by others. How one deals with humiliation depends on one's level of virtue.
According to historical records, Fu Bi, a famous official in the Song dynasty, had a magnificent level of tolerance even when he was young. When people cursed him, he turned a deaf ear to it and devoted all his attention to do his work. It seemed like he didn't hear anything. Once a very ferocious person cursed him, even though it was totally uncalled for. People beside him said to him: "He is cursing you!" Fu Bi gave them a pleasant smile and said: "I am afraid he is cursing some other person." People beside him said again: "He is calling your name." Fu Bi said: "There are many people with the same name in this world. It's not necessarily me." When he heard that answer, the person felt ashamed and stopped cursing.
If Fu Bi had responded to the cursing with tit for tat and cursed back at the person, the situation would have been aggravated or even escalated to fighting. With a calm mind, he made the person's anger vanish and caused the situation to be resolved with compassion. People who can endure and tolerate others must have a high moral ability. If one cannot tolerate others, one lacks forbearance. The most difficult thing in this human world is to endure humiliation without explaining.
There was a story about Sakyamuni: He encountered envy and cursing from a certain person for some time. But Sakyamuni was perfectly calm and kept silent and devoted his time to saving people. When, finally, the person was done with his cursing, Sakyamuni asked him with a smile: "My friend, when a person gives something to another person and if the person refuses to accept it, then who shall own the thing?" That person answered offhandedly: "Of course it belongs to the giver." Sakyamuni said: "That's right. You have been cursing me until now. If I don't accept your cursing, then who will receive the cursing?" Upon hearing the wise and compassionate questions from Sakyamuni, the person was speechless and never dare to curse Sakyamuni again.
When dealing with personal insults, few people are able to deal with it with an unperturbed mind like Fu Bi and Sakyamuni. If we calmly ponder this, we'll realise that it is unwise to deal with such things with an "eye for an eye" attitude and curse back. If one faces curses with a charming smile and answers them in a calm voice, he will certainly have the bearing of the wise. When you respond to cursing in an even-tempered and good-humoured way, it is the wisdom of a cultivator. Of course, an ordinary person who doesn't cultivate will never have the wisdom of a great enlightened being.
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