humility

For the medieval saint of the same name, see Saint Humility.

Humility is a quality or characteristic ascribed to a person who is considered to be humble. "Humility is derived from the Latin word "humilis", which means low, humble, from earth.^[1] A humble person is generally thought to be unpretentious and modest: someone who does not think that he or she is better or more important than others. The concept of humility in various religions is often much more precise and extensive. Humility is not to be confused with humiliation, which is the act of making someone else feel ashamed, and is something completely different.

Spiritual views of humility

Humility and its correlation with human spirituality is defined in some depth in the book The Power of Humility, which describes twelve characteristics of humility from a generalized perspective, as opposed to the expectations of an organized religion. ^[2]

The book indicates that humility is a way towards inner peace, and outlines what the authors believe are the steps toward achieving such.

Spiritual views on humility are contrasted with religious views on humility in that spirituality, by definition, is often personal and thus has a direct impact only on one's particular self or state of being, whereas religious views are generally considered more rigid, wherein a specific set of rules or laws are put in place to govern how modest or audacious is appropriate in a given situation. in other words, spirituality is an avenue through which humility can be shown or explored, but, once more by definition, is not a governing force unless one chooses it to be.

It is generally considered more pleasant to be humble, as being boastful or obnoxious may have the natural consequence of annoying others. This may be why humility is considered a virtuous state of being.

Religious views of humility

Humility in Buddhism

In Buddhism, humility is equivalent to concern of how to be liberated from the sufferings of life and the vexations of the human mind. The ultimate aim is to achieve a state of enlightenment through meditation and other spiritual practices. Humility can also result from achieving the liberation of Nirvana. When one experiences the ultimate Emptiness and non-self, one is free from suffering, vexations and all illusions of self-deception. Humility, compassion and wisdom characterize this state of enlightenment.

Chan (Zen) Master Li Yuansong states that enlightenment can come only after humility - the wisdom of realizing one's own ignorance, insignificance and lowliness, without which one cannot see the truth.^{[citation needed]}

Humility in Christianity

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.

St. Thomas Aquinas defines humility similarly as "the virtue of humility".

Catholic texts view humility as annexed to the cardinal virtue of temperance.^[3] It is viewed as a potential part of temperance because temperance includes all those virtues that refrain or express the inordinate movements of our desires or appetites.^[3]

Humility is defined as, "A quality by which a person considering his own defects has a humble opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God's sake." St. Bernard defines it as, "A virtue by which a man knowing himself as he truly is, abases himself."^[3]

St. Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century philosopher and theologian in the Scholastic tradition, defines humility similarly as "the virtue of humility" that "consists in keeping oneself within one's own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one's superior" (Summa Contra Gent., bk. IV, ch. lv, tr. Rickaby).

Humility is said to be the foundation of the spiritual edifice and inferior only to faith. However, humility is considered the first virtue inasmuch as it removes the obstacles to faith. It removes pride and makes a man subject to and a fit recipient of grace; according to the words of St. James, "God resisteth the proud, and giveth his grace to the humble" (James 4:6).^[3]

"True humility" is distinctly different from "false humility".^{[citation needed]} "False humility" consists of deprecating one's own sanctity, gifts, talents, and accomplishments for the sake of receiving praise or adulation from others.

Humility comprises the following behaviors and attitudes:^{[citation needed]}

1. submission to God and legitimate authority;
2. recognition of the virtues and talents that others possess, particularly those which surpass one's own, and giving due honor and, when required, obeisance;
3. recognition of the limits of one's talents, ability, or authority; and, not reaching for that which is beyond one's grasp.

As illustrated in the person of Moses, who leads the nation of Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt and to the “Promised Land”, humility is a sign of Godly strength and purpose, not weakness. Of this great leader, the Bible states, “Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3, NIV).

The vices opposed to humility are: (A) pride (by reason or defect). (B) a too great obsequiousness or abjection of oneself; this would be considered an excess of humility,and could easily be derogatory to a man's office or holy character; or it might serve only to pamper pride in others, by unworthy flattery, which would occasion their sins of tyranny, arbitrariness, and arrogance. The virtue of humility may not be practiced in any external way which would occasion vices in others.^[3]

Amongst the benefits of humility described in the Bible are honor, wisdom, eternal life, unity, rewards in heaven and others. In the Bible, an exhortation to humility is found in Philippians 2:1-17:

"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life" Philippians 2:1-17 NLT).

Also in 1 Peter 2:23, concerning Jesus Christ's behavior in general and submission to unjust torture and execution in particular: "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:23 NIV)

Humility in Islam

In the Qur'an, Allah uses Arabic words conveying the meaning of "humility." Among these are "tawadu' " and "khoshou' ":

"Before thee We sent messengers to many nations, and We afflicted the nations with suffering and adversity, that they call Allah in humility. When the suffering reached them from Us, why then did they not call Allah in humility? On the contrary, their hearts became hardened, and Satan made their sinful acts seem alluring to them." (Al-Anaam 6:42-43)

"Successful indeed are the believers, those who humble themselves in their prayers." (Al-Muminoon 23:1-2). "Has not the time arrived for the believers that their hearts in all humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah and of the Truth which has been revealed to them."(Al-Hadid 57:16)

Philosophical views of humility

Kant is among the first philosophers to view conception of humility as "that meta-attitude which constitutes the moral agent's proper perspective on herself as a dependent and corrupt but capable and dignified rational agent".^{[citation needed]} Kant's notion of humility is that humility is a virtue, and indeed a central virtue.^{[citation needed]}

Mahatma Gandhi is attributed as suggesting that attempting to sustain truth without humility is doomed to cause it to become instead an "arrogant caricature" of truth.^[4][5]

Some other schools of thought, such as Ayn Rands Objectivism, have seen self-abasement as antithetical to morality.

Humility is considered an important virtue in taoism. The following quote describes how a wise person should see his accomplishments, according to the Tao Te Ching (77.4)

[a wise person] acts without claiming the results as his; he achieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it: -- he does not wish to display his superiority.

Nietzsche wrote of humility (not to speak of patience, wisdom, and any other virtue lauded widely by the masses) as a weakness, a false virtue which concealed the frailties and hidden crookedness in its holder.

His idealized ubermensch would be more apt to roam around unfettered by pretensions of humility, proud of his stature and power, but not reveling idly in it, and certainly not displaying hubris.

Further reading

• Humility, by Andrew Murray. Revised by Harold J. Chadwick. ISBN 0-88270-854-6

References

1. ^ "Humble" from Merriam-Webster
2. ^ Whitfield, CL; Prevatt J, Park R (2006). The Power of Humility: Choosing Peace over Conflict in Relationships (in English). Health Communications. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} Catholic Encyclopedia, "Humilty"
4. ^ http://www.geocities.com/rkvenkat/chastity.html
5. ^ http://www.mkgandhi.org/epigrams/h.htm

• Al-Munajjid, Sheikh Muhammad Saleh. Islam Q&A Website."Different kinds of humility". Retrieved April, 5, 2006.
• Sister Huda. 19/11/1998. About.com Website."Humility". Retrieved April, 5, 2006.
• Catholic Encyclopedia. [1]

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Humility

• Judaism's take on humility (Chabad.org)
• World scripture: Quotes from religious texts about humility
• I'm glad that I'm a nobody: A positive psychology of humility
• Christian bible study on humility at PlanetHoly
• Catholic Encyclopedia

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