Don’t make gods into demons

Don’t let spiritual practice become a source of pride, judgment, or superiority over others.

Why it works

Lojong warns against what Chögyam Trungpa called "spiritual materialism" — using a practice meant to dissolve ego as a new trophy for ego. When practice becomes a source of identity, comparison, or judgment ("I’m more mindful than others"), the compassion mechanism is hijacked. The slogan is a circuit-breaker: does your practice open you toward others or close you in superiority?

How to do it

1. Periodically check: does your practice make you more patient and kind with others, or more impatient and critical?
2. Notice when you use spiritual language to judge others or inflate your own status.
3. If the practice is making you harsher, not gentler, that’s feedback, not a reason to practice harder.
4. Talk to a teacher or trusted person about whether your practice is opening or closing.

Evidence

This is a traditional Lojong check rather than a studied practice. Psychological research on "spiritual bypass" (using spiritual practice to avoid difficult emotions or relationships) is consistent with the concern the slogan addresses. (anecdotal)

Spiritual bypassing research is limited and largely clinical; the slogan is a traditional wisdom teaching evaluated through practitioner consensus.

Common mistake

Thinking this slogan applies to other practitioners but not to you — it applies precisely to the moments of certainty that it doesn’t.