What makes a man (or woman) noble?
The noble man is not noble because of his birth, look, wealth or position. The nobleman is noble because of his ennobled mind and noble heart. He is noble because he loves truths, seeks truths and lives his life in accordance with truths.
He speaks truthfully, gently and appropriately. He speaks to unite, to encourage and to comfort. He does not speak to divide, to discourage or to destroy. He speaks lovingly, compassionately and joyfully. He does not speak out of fear, anger or hate.
He lives his life following the fundamental principle that all beings have a right to life, and a right to choose how to live his life, provided that his choice does not infringe on the same right of another. In this way, he lives in mutual co-existence with others.
He recognizes that what is required is universal love. With love, there is respect for all lives, and mutual respect for each other. With love, there is contentment and peace, and therefore harmony.
Power and man-made laws are necessary only when this fundamental principle of mutual co-existence is breached.
When that happens, the arrogant “I” believes that he has more entitlements than others. This gives birth to greed, which leads to conflicts, then anger, hatred and violence. Discontent arises. Peace is lost. Love is diminished. Fear grows.
The nobleman takes full responsibility for his life. He knows that how he experiences life is dependent on his attitudes, mindsets and beliefs. Choosing wisely, he lives happily even in challenging external conditions. He does not blame others for his own inner discontentment for he knows that only he is in charge of his own inner world.
He trains himself, disciplines himself. He cultivates and ennobles his mind. He suffuses his heart with love.
The nobleman, with his ennobled mind and noble heart, seeks peace within, finds peace within. Thus, nothing outside of him can take away his peace, his contentment, his joy. He stays peaceful within in the midst of external chaos.
It is in this way that he is a nobleman.