Meditators should judge other people?

The way I see it is, anybody who judges another’s practice or meditation, is just advertising their ignorance. The Way is not “one size fits all.” There is no concept in Buddhism that says “if you do it like this, then this will happen.” Or if there is, it comes from some man’s mind. Buddhism is a set of guidelines, a road map for the purpose of awakening to the possibility of knowing the truth. Actually “seeing the waterfall” is very different than continuing to study the map that will take you there. I see so many people forgetting to first wake up. They seem hung up on the maps and methods. I’m not saying that the maps are not valid.

We are like fingers on the same hand, all plugged into the hand, but each operating independently. On the surface, we have species commonality, but that’s about it. Anyone who judges right and wrong, with regard to practice, no matter what they have personally experienced is acting from ego. None of us really know what is true for someone else.

Our minds are limited, just as a dog will never be able to grasp the concept of Algebra, even with the eloquence and detail of the explanation. We can’t know what is true for someone else. We attribute our “puny” mind to be at the top of the chain. Not so much, really. But we rely on it so dearly, giving it the highest honors. We give it divine properties to say what is true for somebody else. The truth, as I experience it, is that we are not the mind, or even the body. The actual truth is something so foreign to us that our mind cannot begin to comprehend it. I have the “gut or heart” feeling that it is wonderful, but like everybody else, “I don’t know.” It can’t be explained in terms of atoms, which is the substance of this universe. We can’t get there by thinking, practicing or study. It seems to me, once you are established, it happens by letting go of those very things.

The concept and precepts laid out in Buddhism, are what worked for some people and because we are all connected species wide, like the finger on the hand, there is some probability they might work for another person to have this awakening, especially if they are drawn to it by their karma. Again, to me, it is the giving up, letting go and “the ultimate sincerity “ of the practitioner that move him/her along. It seems to me that at their core, all major religions teach the same concepts. Don’t lie, cheat or steal, be kind to others, don’t kill, don’t attach, trust, etc. It isn’t the hours they sit for meditation or whether they are vegetarian or not, but rather the underlying sincerity that they apply the concepts to the way they live their lives. Seekers keep reminding themselves to “wake up” to what is. We are all connected (fingers) on the same hand (self). We are all brothers/sisters under the Self. Judging is foolish. Only provide help where you can, with the depth of your sincerity.

Uuu, interested reader with respect in regard of the Tripple Gems,

Once my person asked Bhikkhu Bodhi on the matter of critism and he gave an answer according to the Dhamma of the Buddha, at the same time confessed that (like most "Bodhisattas") did not investigate much this matter. A good an nice illustation is the Khmer folktale "Great Hermit Saves the Tiger, incl. a detail work about the matter of defilements in judging and whom better not to ask/believe.

"Disprais is not good and praise is good; or is even to praise also bad? Both is good and bad: the fail to do as well as to do it." AN 4.83: Avannaraha Sutta - Dispraise

"Here the Buddha points out to an wandering ascetic that alienation and equanimity are not the higherst virtues in regard of praise and blame." AN 4.100: Potaliya Sutta: Potaliya

That's the problem in general if Dhamma is traded, when ask people trading in Dhamma, they are not really convicted od the Buddhas way, but bound and so bind others as well. And costomers are so intensively trained by their providers to become just fool feeders and "enjoy" that it is hard to transport that the Buddha puts right judgement at the most upper point to have success in liberation.

As for the detail matter in the question, it's good to pressure in a supportive and not ill-willed way as long one is part of a community. That's a duty. But don't forget, people become their leaders, leaders become their folk, according to their deeds, inclination, so change starts within one self and is possible as far as the enviroment and its general objectives gives possible ground and that's the main problem, since all of you are bound here because liking to feed and there is a provider seeking you deeds in return, the seek to increase this business limits "just" enormous and will be always corrupt. Admins and mods, them self consumer, are at fist had obligated to what secures them the food and in such to the provider at secound and maybe after this line obligated to Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha and truthfulness. So plenty of metta and karuna for people bound as you is good placed in such matters, helping each other to trust the way out, again and again.

(Feel free to ask or discuss the matter further and in detail on the linked enviroment without strings.

[Note: This answer is a gift of Dhamma, not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains]