Shri Chaitanya, a fifteenth century saint of the Bhakti tradition, encouraged his followers to “become more humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, to offer all respects to others, and to expect none in return.” His successors have elaborated on the meaning of this passage. A blade of grass is stepped on, but without complaining it continues to offer comfort to the individual. A tree stands tolerating the winter and summer seasons while continuing to offer all that it has to anyone and everyone. One pursuing spiritual truths is encouraged to become “more” tolerant than the
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