No.376 - How Anger Gratifies an Enemy

 

How Anger Gratifies an Enemy

 

 There are these seven conditions which overtake an angry man or woman which are gratifying and helpful to an enemy.  What seven?

 

 Take the case of one who wishes of an enemy: “I wish he were ugly.”  And why?  One does not like a beautiful enemy.  This person, overwhelmed and subverted by anger even though he is bathed, anointed, with trimmed hair and beard and clad in clean clothes – for all that, he is ugly because of his anger.

 

 Then, take the case of one who wishes this of an enemy: “I hope he sleeps badly.”  And why?  One does not like an enemy to sleep well.  This person, being overwhelmed and subverted by anger, despite lying on a bed spread with fleecy cover, spread with white blankets and woolen cover embroidered with flowers, covered by an antelope skin, with awning above and red cushions at each end – he sleeps badly because of his anger.

 

 Again, take the case of one who wishes this of an enemy: “I hope he becomes poor.”  And why?  One does not like a rich enemy.  This person, being overwhelmed and subverted by anger, owning whatever possessions, earned by vigor, gathered up by strength of army and sweat of brow righteously and lawfully – the king will order them all sent to the royal treasury because he is overwhelmed by anger.

 

 Once again, take the case of one who wishes this of an enemy: “I wish he was without fame.” And why?  One does not like a famous enemy.  For this sort of person, being overwhelmed and subverted by anger, whatever fame he has earned falls away because he is overwhelmed by anger.

 

 Again, take the case of one who wishes this of an enemy.  “ I hope he has no friends.”  And why?  One does not like an enemy with friends.  As for this person, being overwhelmed and subverted by anger, whatever friends, intimates, relatives and kin he has will all avoid him and keep away from him because he is overwhelmed by anger.

 

 And finally, take the case of one who wishes this of an enemy.  “I hope he goes to hell.”  And why?  One does not like an enemy to go to heaven.  This person, overwhelmed and subverted by anger, misconducts himself in body, speech, and mind, and thus goes to hell himself.

 

 These are the seven conditions which overtake the angry man or woman which are gratifying and helpful to an enemy.

 

 – Anguttara Nikaya IV 94