The Elimination of
Anger
With two stories retold
from the Buddhist texts
by
Ven. K. Piyatissa Thera
The ultimate goal of
Buddhism is the deathless condition of Nibbana, the sole reality. Hence, one
who aspires to that state should renounce mundane pursuits and attachments,
which are ephemeral, for the sake of that reality. But there are very few who
are sufficiently mature to develop themselves to achieve that state in this
very life. Thus the Buddha does not force the life of renunciation upon those
who lack the spiritual capacity to embark upon the higher life.
Therefore, one should
follow the path of mundane advantage which is twofold, namely, the advantage
obtainable here in this very life and the advantage obtainable in future lives,
as steps on the path to the spiritual life. Although one may enjoy the
pleasures of life, one must regard one's body as an instrument with which to
practice virtue for one's own and other's benefit; in short, one should live a
useful life of moral integrity, a life of simplicity and paucity of wants.
As regards acquisition of
wealth, the Buddha said: "One must be diligent and energetic," and as
regards the safeguarding of one's wealth, "one must be mindful and
economical."
It is not impossible that
even the life of such a man may be somehow or other disturbed and harassed as a
result of the actions of "unskillful" men. Although this might induce
him to abandon his chosen path, it is at such times that one must not forget
the steps to be taken for the purpose of establishing peace. According to the
teaching of the Buddha this includes the reflection: "Others may be
harmful, but I shall be harmless, thus should I train myself." We must not
forget that the whole spirit of Buddhism is one of pacification. In the calm
and placid atmosphere of the Buddha's teaching there is every chance, every
possibility, of removing hatred, jealousy and violence from our mind.
It is no wonder if we, at
times, in our everyday life, feel angry with somebody about something. But we
should not allow this feeling to reside in our mind. We should try to curb it
at the very moment it has arisen. Generally there are eight ways to curb or
control our anger.
The first method is to
recollect the teachings of the Buddha. On very many occasions the Buddha
explained the disadvantages of an angry temper. Here is one of his admonitions:
Suppose some bandits catch
one of you and sever his body limb from limb with a two-handed saw, and if he
should feel angry thereby even at that moment, he is no follower of my
teaching.
Again:
As a log from a pyre,
burnt at both ends and fouled in the middle, serves neither for firewood in the
village nor for timber in the forest, so is such a wrathful man.
— Anguttara Nikaya II, 95
Further, we may consider
the Buddha's advice to be found in the Dhammapada:
He abused me, he beat me,
he defeated me, he robbed me of my property. Whosoever harbor such thoughts
will never be able to still their enmity.
Never indeed is hatred
stilled by hatred; it will only be stilled by non-hatred — this is an eternal
law.
— Dhp., vv. 4-5
Do not speak harshly to
anyone. Those who are harshly spoken to might retaliate against you. Angry words
hurt other's feelings, even blows may overtake you in return.
— Dhp., v. 133
Forbearance is the highest
observance. Patience is the highest virtue. So the Buddhas say.
— Dhp., v. 184
Let a man remove his
anger. Let him root out his pride. Let him overcome all fetters of passions. No
sufferings overtake him who neither clings to mind-and-body nor claims anything
of the world.
— Dhp., v. 221
Conquer anger by
non-anger. Conquer evil by good. Conquer miserliness by liberality. Conquer a
liar by truthfulness.
— Dhp., v. 223
Guard your mind against an
outburst of wrong feelings. Keep your mind controlled. Renouncing evil
thoughts, develop purity of mind.
— Dhp., v. 233
If by contemplating the
advice of the Buddha in this way one cannot curb his anger, then let him try
the second method.
Naturally, any bad person
may possess some good quality. Some men are evil in mind but speak in deceptive
language or slyly perform their deeds in an unsuspecting manner. Some men are
coarse only in their language but not in their mind or deeds. Some men are
coarse and cruel in their deeds but neither in their speech nor in their mind.
Some are soft and kind in mind, speech and deed as well.
When we feel angry with
any person, we should try to find out some good in him, either in his way of
thinking, or in his way of speaking or in his way of acting. If we find some
redeeming quality in him, we should ponder its value and ignore his bad
qualities as natural weaknesses that are to be found in everyone. Whilst we
think thus, our mind will soften and we may even feel kindly towards that
person. If we develop this way of thinking we will be able to curb or eliminate
our anger towards him.
At times, this method may
not be successful and we shall then have to try the third method. Basically,
this entails reflecting thus:
"He has done some
wrong to me and in so doing has spoiled his mind. Then why should I spoil or
impair my own mind because of his foolishness? Sometimes I ignore support or
help offered by my relatives; sometimes their tears even shed because of my
activities. Being a person of such type myself, why should I not therefore
ignore that foolish man's deed?
"He has done that
wrong, being subject to anger, should I too follow him, making my mind subject
to anger? Is it not foolish to imitate him? He harboring his hatred destroys
himself internally. Why should I, on his account, destroy my reputation?
"All things are
momentary. Both his mind and body are momentary too. The thoughts and the body
with which the wrong was done to me are not now existing. What I call the same
man now are the thoughts and physical parts which are different from the
earlier ones that harmed me although belonging to the same psycho-physical
process. Thus, one thought together with one mass of physical parts did me some
wrong, and vanished there and then, giving place to succeeding thoughts and
material parts to appear. So with which am I getting angry? With the vanished
and disappeared thoughts and physical parts or with the thoughts and material
parts which do not do any wrong now? Should I get angry with one thing which is
innocent whereas another thing has done me wrong and vanished?
"The so-called 'I' is
not the same for two consecutive moments. At the moment the wrong was done
there was another thought and another mass of molecules which were regarded as
'I,' whereas what are regarded as 'I' at the present moment are a different
thought and collection of molecules, though belonging to the same process. Thus
some other being did wrong to someone else and another gets angry with another.
Is this not a ridiculous situation?"
If we scrutinize the exact
nature of our life and its happenings in this manner, our anger might subside
or vanish there and then.
There is another way, too,
to eliminate upsurging anger. Suppose we think of someone who has done wrong to
us. On such occasions we should remember that we suffer harm or loss as a
result of our previous kamma. Even if others were angry with
us, they could not harm us if there were no latent force of past unwholesome kamma committed
by us which took advantage of this opportunity to arouse our adversary. So it
is I who am responsible for this harm or loss and not anybody else. And at the
same time, now while I am suffering the result of past kamma, if
I, on account of this, should get angry and do any harm to him, by that do I
accumulate much more unwholesome kamma which would bring me
correspondingly unwholesome results.
If we recall to mind this
law of kamma, our anger may subside immediately. We can consider
such a situation in another way too. We as the followers of Buddha believe that
our Bodhisatta passed through incalculable numbers of lives practicing virtues
before he attained Buddhahood. The Buddha related the history of some of his
past lives as illustrations to teach us how he practiced these virtues. The
lives of the prince Dhammapala and the ascetic Khantivadi are most illustrative
and draw our attention.
At one time the Bodhisatta
had been born as the son of a certain king named Mahapatapa. The child was
named Culla Dhammapala. One day the Queen sat on a chair fondling her child and
did not notice the King passing by. The King thought the Queen was so proud of
her child as not to get up from her chair even when she saw that her lord the
King passed that way. So he grew angry and immediately sent for the
executioner. When he came the King ordered him to snatch the child from the
Queen's arms and cut his hands, feet and head off, which he did instantly. The
child, our Bodhisatta, suffered all that with extreme patience and did not grow
ill-tempered or relinquish his impartial love for his cruel father, lamenting
mother and the executioner. So far had he matured in the practice of
forbearance and loving-kindness at that time.
At another time, our Bodhisatta
was an ascetic well-known for his developed virtue of forbearance and
consequently people named him Khantivadi, the preacher of forbearance. One day
he visited Benares and took his lodgings at the royal pleasure grove.
Meanwhile, the King passed that way with his harem and, seeing the ascetic
seated under a tree, asked what virtue he was practicing, to which the ascetic
replied that of forbearance. The King was a materialist who regarded the
practice of virtue to be humbug. So, hearing the words of the ascetic, he sent
for the executioner and ordered him to cut off his hands and feet and
questioned the ascetic as to whether he could hold to forbearance at the
severing of his limbs. The ascetic did not feel ill-tempered but even at that
time he lay down extending his loving-kindness and holding his forbearance
undiminished. He spoke to the King in reply to the effect that his forbearance
and other virtues were not in his limbs but in his mind. The King, being
unsuccessful in his attempts to disturb the ascetic's feelings, grew angrier
and kicked the stomach of the ascetic with his heel and went away. Meanwhile,
the King's minister came over and, seeing what had happened, bowed before the
dying ascetic and begged him saying: "Venerable one, none of us agreed to
this cruel act of the King and we are all sorrowing over what has been done to
you by that devilish man. We ask you to curse the King but not us." At
this the ascetic said: "May that king who has caused my hands and feet to
be cut off, as well as you, live long in happiness. Persons who practice
virtues like me never get angry." Saying this, he breathed his last.
Since the Buddha in his
past lives, while still imperfect like us, practiced forbearance and
loving-kindness to such a high extent, why cannot we follow his example?
When we remember and think
of similar noble characters of great souls, we should be able to bear any harm,
unmoved by anger. Or if we consider the nature of the round of rebirths in this
beginningless and infinite universe, we will be able to curb our upspringing
anger. For, it is said by the Buddha: "It is not easy to find a being who
has not been your mother, your father, your brother, sister, son or
daughter." Hence with regard to the person whom we have now taken for our
enemy, we should think: "This one now, in the past has been my mother who
bore me in her womb for nine months, gave birth to me, unweariedly cleansed me
of impurities, hid me in her bosom, carried me on her hip and nourished me.
This one was my father in another life and spent time and energy, engaged in
toilsome business, with a view to maintaining me, even sacrificing life for my
sake," and so on. When we ponder over these facts, it should be expected
that our arisen anger against our enemy will subside.
And further, we should
reflect on the advantages of the development of mind through the practice of
extending loving-kindness. For, the Buddha has expounded to us eleven
advantages to be looked for from its development. What are the eleven? The
person who fully develops loving-kindness sleeps happily. He wakes happily. He
experiences no evil dreams. He is beloved of men. He is beloved even of
non-human beings. He is protected by the gods. He can be harmed neither by
fire, poison or a weapon. His mind is quickly composed. His complexion is
serene. At the moment of his death he passes away unbewildered. If he can go no
further along the path of realization, he will at least be reborn in the
heavenly abode of the Brahma Devas.
So, by every similar and
possible way should we endeavor to quench our anger and at last be able to
extend our loving-kindness towards any and every being in the world.
When we are able to curb
our anger and control our mind, we should extend from ourselves boundless love
as far as we can imagine throughout every direction pervading and touching all
living beings with loving-kindness. We should practice this meditation every
day at regular times without any break. As a result of this practice, we will
be able, one day, to attain to the jhanas or meditative
absorptions, comprising four grades which entail the control of sensuality,
ill-will and many other passions, bringing at the same time purity, serenity
and peace of mind.
Appendix: Two Stories
Retold from the Buddhist Texts
The Reviler
Once while the Blessed One
stayed near Rajagaha in the Veluvana Monastery at the Squirrels' Feeding Place,
there lived at Rajagha a Brahman of the Bharadvaja clan who was later called
"the Reviler." When he learned that one of his clan had gone forth from
home life and had become a monk under the recluse Gotama, he was angry and
displeased. And in that mood he went to see the Blessed One, and having arrived
he reviled and abused him in rude and harsh speech.
Thus being spoken to, the
Blessed One said: "How is it, Brahman: do you sometimes receive visits
from friends, relatives or other guests?"
"Yes, Master Gotama,
I sometimes have visitors."
"When they come, do
you offer to them various kinds of foods and a place for resting?"
"Yes, I sometimes do
so."
"But if, Brahman,
your visitors do not accept what you offer, to whom does it then belong?"
"Well, Master Gotama,
if they do not accept it, these things remain with us."
"It is just so in
this case, Brahman: you revile us who do not revile in return, you scold us who
do not scold in return, you abuse us who do not abuse in return. So we do not
accept it from you and hence it remains with you, it belongs to you,
Brahman..."
[The Buddha finally said:]
"Whence should wrath
rise for him who void of wrath,
Holds on the even tenor of his way,
Self-tamed, serene, by highest insight free?
Holds on the even tenor of his way,
Self-tamed, serene, by highest insight free?
"Worse of the two is
he who, when reviled,
Reviles again. Who doth not when reviled,
Revile again, a two-fold victory wins.
Both of the other and himself he seeks
The good; for he the other's angry mood
Doth understand and groweth calm and still.
He who of both is a physician, since
Himself he healeth and the other too —
Folk deem him a fool, they knowing not the Norm."[1]
Reviles again. Who doth not when reviled,
Revile again, a two-fold victory wins.
Both of the other and himself he seeks
The good; for he the other's angry mood
Doth understand and groweth calm and still.
He who of both is a physician, since
Himself he healeth and the other too —
Folk deem him a fool, they knowing not the Norm."[1]
— Abridged and freely
rendered from Samyutta Nikaya, Brahmana Samyutta, No. 2. Verses translated by
C. A. F. Rhys Davids, in "Kindred Sayings," vol. I.
The Anger-eating Demon
Retold from an ancient
Buddhist Story, by Nyanaponika Thera
Once there lived a demon
who had a peculiar diet: he fed on the anger of others. And as his feeding
ground was the human world, there was no lack of food for him. He found it
quite easy to provoke a family quarrel, or national and racial hatred. Even to
stir up a war was not very difficult for him. And whenever he succeeded in
causing a war, he could properly gorge himself without much further effort;
because once a war starts, hate multiplies by its own momentum and affects even
normally friendly people. So the demon's food supply became so rich that he
sometimes had to restrain himself from over-eating, being content with nibbling
just a small piece of resentment found close-by.
But as it often happens
with successful people, he became rather overbearing and one day when feeling
bored he thought: "Shouldn't I try it with the gods?" On reflection
he chose the Heaven of the Thirty-three Deities, ruled by Sakka, Lord of Gods.
He knew that only a few of these gods had entirely eliminated the fetters of
ill-will and aversion, though they were far above petty and selfish quarrels.
So by magic power he transferred himself to that heavenly realm and was lucky
enough to come at a time when Sakka the Divine King was absent. There was none
in the large audience hall and without much ado the demon seated himself on
Sakka's empty throne, waiting quietly for things to happen, which he hoped
would bring him a good feed. Soon some of the gods came to the hall and first
they could hardly believe their own divine eyes when they saw that ugly demon
sitting on the throne, squat and grinning. Having recovered from their shock,
they started to shout and lament: "Oh you ugly demon, how can you dare to
sit on the throne of our Lord? What utter cheekiness! What a crime! you should
be thrown headlong into the hell and straight into a boiling cauldron! You
should be quartered alive! Begone! Begone!"
But while the gods were
growing more and more angry, the demon was quite pleased because from moment to
moment he grew in size, in strength and in power. The anger he absorbed into
his system started to ooze from his body as a smoky red-glowing mist. This evil
aura kept the gods at a distance and their radiance was dimmed.
Suddenly a bright glow
appeared at the other end of the hall and it grew into a dazzling light from
which Sakka emerged, the King of Gods. He who had firmly entered the
undeflectible Stream that leads Nibbana-wards, was unshaken by what he saw. The
smoke-screen created by the gods' anger parted when he slowly and politely approached
the usurper of his throne. "Welcome, friend! Please remain seated. I can
take another chair. May I offer you the drink of hospitality? Our Amrita is not
bad this year. Or do you prefer a stronger brew, the vedic Soma?"
While Sakka spoke these
friendly words, the demon rapidly shrank to a diminutive size and finally
disappeared, trailing behind a whiff of malodorous smoke which likewise soon
dissolved.
— Based on Samyutta
Nikaya, Sakka Samyutta, No. 22
The gist of this story
dates back to the discourses of the Buddha. But even now, over 2500 years
later, our world looks as if large hordes of Anger-eating Demons were haunting
it and were kept well nourished by millions slaving for them all over the
earth. Fires of hate and wide-traveling waves of violence threaten to engulf
mankind. Also the grass roots of society are poisoned by conflict and discord,
manifesting in angry thoughts and words and in violent deeds. Is it not time to
end this self-destructive slavery of man to his impulses of hate and aggression
which only serve the demoniac forces? Our story tells how these demons of hate
can be exorcised by the power of gentleness and love. If this power of love can
be tested and proven, at grass-root level, in the widely spread net of personal
relationships, society at large, the world at large, will not remain unaffected
by it.
Note
1.
The "Norm" or
law (dhamma), here referred to, may be expressed in the words of the Dhammapada
(v. 5):
"Not by hating hatred
ceases
In this world of tooth and claw;
Love alone from hate releases —
This is the Eternal Law."
In this world of tooth and claw;
Love alone from hate releases —
This is the Eternal Law."
(Translated by Francis
Story)