Acharya Prashant explains that the tendency to perceive others as superior or inferior is a result of the mind's habit of forming pre-conceived images. He suggests that the real problem is not just feeling small, but the act of labeling people at all. Whether we see someone as a friend, enemy, or relative, we are relying on pre-determined definitions rather than engaging in a fresh, living contact. This happens because the mind finds security and convenience in what it already knows. To truly know someone in the present requires one to be conscious and alert, which takes effort. By using labels, the mind avoids this effort and remains in a state of unconsciousness while claiming to have knowledge. He further notes that life is constantly new, yet humans often view it through the lens of the past. He cites the example of Buddha, whose own family could not recognize his transformation because they held onto old images of him. When we live through images, we are living in the past, and our goals and desires become slaves to that past. Acharya Prashant encourages looking at the world—whether it is a tree, a person, or a country—without any prejudices or pre-conceived notions. By dropping these mental images, one can experience the joy of reality and avoid the suffering that arises when imagination conflicts with truth.
