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B.1 Definition: Openness to 
Criticism 
In the original Pali, openness to 
criticism uses the 
word `sovacassata' — literally, 
someone who learns 
easily and is gentle in response to 
teaching. When 
a person of knowledge teaches 
them something useful 
out of compassion, they will 
follow the advice 
given with respect and humility —
without `ifs' or 
`buts' or answering back. Thus if 
they are taught 
something, they start by listening 
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— then they do 
what they have been advised 
without showing reluctance 
but thinking of the compassion of 
that person 
to have taken the trouble to give a 
piece of advice. 
B.2 Characteristics of those open 
to criticism 
The characteristics of someone 
who is open to criticism 
are as follows: 
I. Doesn't answer back when 
warned or given advice. 
Some people will immediately 
criticize 
someone back as soon as they hear 
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are you so 
superior as to expect to criticize 
me in that 
way?" Or "How come you are the 
only person 
to say such a thing?" If someone 
doesn't accept 
advice in such a way, it doesn't 
make any difference 
to the person who gives the advice. 
They 
only bothered to say it out of 
compassion for 
the listener! 
4. Facilitate further teaching: 
they will follow the 
advice, acting on what they have 
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been told in a 
way that will give the advisor the 
encouragement 
to pass on further advice to them, 
if the 
need arises, in the future. 
5. Having the highest respect for 
what they have 
been taught and for the person 
who has given 
the advice: Some people follow 
the advice they 
have been given with reluctance. 
However, if 
someone is really open to 
criticism, they will 
not even show reluctance because 
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they will be 
afraid of showing disrespect 
towards what has 
been taught and the person who 
has given the 
advice. In fact, anyone who had 
come to give 
us advice, is taking a big risk 
because they know 
that they might not meet with a 
favourable response 
if they give someone a piece of 
personal 
advice — and yet they still give it. 
When someone 
is criticized, usually they have not 
even 
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thought whether the criticism is 
true or false, 
they must first express some 
resistance to the 
criticism. This is the sign of an 
untrained mind. 
Thus a well trained person will 
pause to consider 
the value of teachings received 
instead of 
immediately thinking, "How dare 
they criticize 
me?" or "Who are they to criticize 
me?" If they 
are even better trained, not only 
will they consider 
whether what they have been 
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taught is 
true or not — they will show their 
enthusiasm 
to hear criticism, no matter 
whether the criticism 
received is true or not. They think 
instead, 
"What a great risk this person has 
taken in giving 
me some criticism — look at how 
they have 
singled me out for special attention 
— so I had 
better be quick to thank them for 
their good intention." 
6. Will show the greatest humility: 
They will reBlessing 
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Twenty-Eight: Openness to 
Criticism 313 
spond to criticism without 
expressing stubbornness 
and without pretending as if they 
already 
knew better. 
7. They will express their 
happiness and gratitude 
at having received advice: In the 
time of the 
Buddha, they would express 
appreciation with 
the word ' SAdhu'. For people 
really interested 
in training themselves, receiving 
criticism is like 
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an elixir for the mind. They feel 
really thankful 
to the critic to the degree that they 
will thank 
that person immediately. However 
for a stubborn 
person, when they receive 
criticism which 
is correct and they know it, the 
words `thank 
you' seem to get stuck in their 
throat. 
8. Follow the advice to an 
appropriate extent. 
Supposing someone points out the 
reality of a 
situation. "Why at your age and 
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your time of 
life are you still unable to support 
yourself? 
Why are you still gambling every 
day? When 
your children grow up and see you 
like this, 
what will they think?" Really, 
what that person 
has said is out of goodwill for the 
listener 
— but if they are stubborn they 
will respond, 
"And what about you then 
and 
who are you 
to speak when you drink alcohol 
every day?" 
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Even if what the critic says is not 
100% true, if 
we are on the receiving end of the 
criticism must 
temporarily forget their bad points 
in order to 
help ourselves open up to their 
advice. Rather 
than continuing to err just to prove 
our point, 
once we know we are in the 
wrong, we accept 
this and do what is right according 
to the 
Dhamma. 
9. Has acceptable and polite 
behaviour: Anyone 
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who is open to criticism must resist 
the temptation 
to burst into a tantrum or be 
unpleasant 
to the person giving the advice; 
10. Must listen with intent to all 
sides of advice 
given without answering back and 
should even 
go so far as to invite that person 
to speak up 
again if ever they notice anything 
else in their 
behaviour which needs 
improvement. They will 
not be afraid of being embarrassed 
by knowledge 
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of their faults — because the 
character of 
a wise man is never to suffice as to 
new knowledge. 
Thus if someone gives you some 
advice 
you could think to yourself, `thank 
you' because 
it has been worthwhile keeping 
friendship with 
you, or paying respect to you as an 
elder member 
of my family etc. etc. 
11. Tolerant even to advice that 
comes in the form 
of unpleasant speech: we have to 
accept that 
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we have not yet come to an end of 
defilements. 
Sometimes someone has already 
carefully explained 
something to us, but we are unable 
to 
follow what they have said. 
Sometimes we are 
not smart enough to grasp what 
they mean. 
Sometimes, the person who gives 
us the advice 
might already be irritated or in a 
bad mood. 
Sometimes they might speak a 
little harshly or 
use comparisons that are a little 
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direct. If any of 
the case, then you should still be 
patient and 
not be angry as a result. 
B.3 Characteristics of those open 
to criticism 
For ease of remembering, these 
eleven headings can 
be summarized down to three main 
characteristics 
of those open to criticism 
being 
able to: 
I. Hear out criticism: Someone 
who doesn't even 
hear out others have to say is very 
stubborn. 
2. Follow advice: Some people 
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like their 
husband or wife. Such a person is 
not entirely 
open to criticism. Some people 
accept and follow 
advice given to them by seniors 
and peers 
but if someone younger or 
subordinate offers 
them advice, it is too much for 
them. They lose 
face and so cannot accept advice. 
If you are put in such a situation 
and you still feel 
irritated, try biting your lip instead 
of criticizing 
them in return. You will build up a 
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habit of being a 
good listener to such advice which 
will start to become 
part of your personality. At first, if 
you prevent 
yourself from criticizing them in 
return but 
314 A Manual of Peace: 38 Steps 
towards Enlightened Living 
can still not bring yourself to 
follow their advice —
at least you keep the channel open 
to improvement 
in the future. At first you may have 
no inkling of 
appreciation for the goodwill of 
that person. However, 
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if over the course of time, you can 
prevent 
yourself criticizing them in return 
and can follow 
their advice too, before long you 
will start to see 
through to the goodwill of that 
person too. 
B.4 Ulterior motives for being 
open to criticism 
It is rare to find someone who can 
genuinely take 
criticism on board. However, 
saying that, that someone 
accepts criticism doesn't 
automatically mean 
that they are motivated by 
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