Have you ever encountered someone in your life who was domineering? It can happen even in everyday conversation: someone who relates any topic or idea back to herself or himself. Maybe they are monopolizing the conversation or competing in one-upsmanship. Palāsa , this quality of domineering, is one of the sixteen upakkilesas in Early Buddhist suttas . If you interact with palāsin , someone who exhibits this quality, it is important to remember that their behaviour doesn’t justify treating them poorly. You can prepare yourself for dealing with palāsin - whether it is someone you already know or a chance encounter with a stranger - by considering the following: 1. Choose when to engage, and on what topics There are some people who may be best to avoid, and there are others for whom a discussion that is thoughtful and introspective may help them release patterns of thought which cause palāsa . Changing the topic is a good way to avoid getting bogged down in unp...