Zen precept #13: "Not praising self at the expense of others" -- seeing how we are supported by many others

Zen precept #13: Not praising self at the expense of others. What a tricky precept since the human psyche tends to love praise, and if it can't get that, it praises itself. :)

I think this passage from Reb Anderson's book, "Being Upright," skillfully outlines the challenge of this precept:

In the realm of dharma, ignoring the dependent co-arising of self is the equivalent of original sin: it is the fundamental disaster. Not seeing how all beings kindly support and sustain our virtue and goodness, it is possible to speak of our own virtue as something separate from others...You forget that it is really only due to the support of countless others that you accomplish anything of merit.

Furthermore, indulging in self-loathing won't stop the self-praising impulse either. Thoughts of self-loathing are born of the same concern that generates self-praise. Both self-loathing and self-praise are tools in the service of self-concern.

This is why people on the Buddhist path are encouraged to be mindful of praise and blame. A wise teaching...