Do Not Give Arise to Anger

Buddhism says we should see friends and enemies as equal. This means we should learn to tolerate unfriendly people, unideal environments, and language that is hard on the ears. There is a saying, “When working, you wish to do what is hard. When living with others, you should wish to live with those who are difficult.” If a task is difficult, do it without hesitation. Doing so shows what we are capable of undertaking. We should conduct ourselves to maintain harmony and resolve conflict with difficult people. If we face others with an accepting spirit, our lives will become much easier.

When we meet people in this world who are of poor character, we should be more lenient with them. That way, we can change their ways. Magnanimity to others is the most beautiful action in the world. All it takes for us to help ourselves and other people is to give a little space, understanding, and tolerance. Look upon all things with a heart of tolerance. Learn to accept all things into the mind.

The world is the world of the mind, and sentient beings are the sentient beings of the mind. If we can’t accept all things, the mind will give rise to anger and we will find ourselves constantly in disputes.

Of all the angry people you have seen, which among them was beautiful? Their faces are ferociously flushed and wicked speech pours from their lips. They have a ghastly appearance, and cause people displeasure. One could hardly call their appearance elegant or proper.

The Great Perfection of Wisdom Treatise says,

“Anger deserves the greatest blame. Of all mental ailments, it is the hardest to cure.”

Anger is a mental ailment, and the most difficult to treat. There is a Buddhist saying, “When one thought of anger arises, hundreds of thousands of obstacles are created.” In the natural world, earthquakes are the frightening force. Typhoons are also terrible. However, the fires of rage within the mind put the former two to shame. Once anger arises in people, they frequently lose their sense of reason. They put aside their morals and can loose their sense of humanity.

The Teachings Bequeathed by the Buddha Sutra says,

“Anger is like a fierce fire. We must constantly guard against it, so that it does not enter. Among all things that steal our merit, there is none greater
than anger.”

Anger is a power greater than a surging fire. Not only does it keep people from having an elegant, proper form, but it cuts off their wisdom, burns their wholesome roots, and gives rise to obstructions. Everyone should be careful to protect themselves from anger.

Once, Sariputra, one of the Buddha’s great disciples, ran into an old friend of his and exclaimed in surprise, “Oh my, is something wrong? Why do you have such a fierce expression on your face?” His friend replied, “Lately, I have been carving statues of demons.”

There is a saying, “What we sincerely feel inside will manifest outside.” Since Sariputra’s friend carved so many fierce, fanged faces of demons, his own face gradually take on their angry features. Later, on Sariputra’s advice, the sculptor began carving dignified Buddha statues instead. Slowly, Sariputra’s friend became more pleasing to the eye. From then on, each time Sariputra saw him he would happily comment, “You have taken on such a dignified appearance now.”

All phenomena arise from the mind. The mind can change a person’s appearance. Someone who is frequently angry will develop a ferocious appearance. Someone with a mind that is always gentle will have an appearance that emanates kindness.

The Flower Adornment Sutra says,

“The mind is like an artist, it can paint all things.” We can paint an image of ourselves that is a saint or an ordinary person. The life we have depends on how we choose to create ourselves in the mind.

If we have less anger, our lives will transform and become more peaceful. If we find ourselves resenting or blaming others, we should avoid looking for faults in those who do not treat us well. Instead, we should change our perspective and think: “My own compassion, capacity, and respectfulness are insufficient. It is me who is being too selfish…” When we begin to think in this manner, our attitude will change and our hearts will grow.

From Ten Paths to Happiness, written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun.

Image from Pixabay.

More Featured Articles

If someone is too tough or stubborn, one can say that they have a cold heart, or even a heart made of stone. But consider this: our teeth may be hard and rigid, but they will each fall out as we get older. On the other hand, the tongue more or less retains its form even after we die. In general, things can sustain themselves Read more
People suffer from a variety of diseases of the mind, such as being greedy, judgmental, or quick to anger. The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra says, “There are four kinds of diseases of the body, which are due to excessive wind, heat, phlegm, or other causes. There are also four kinds of diseases of the mind, which are greed, anger, ignorance, and pride.” Truthfully, it Read more
If we want to understand what the Dharma teaches us about building affinity and living in harmony with others, we must first understand the four great all-embracing virtues. The Buddha teaches that for us to realize our true capacity of connecting with and serving our fellow citizens, we have to first build a good rapport, and the four virtues are tools to that end. The four Read more
Although "compassion is the foundation of Buddhism" is a popular slogan, compassion is not the exclusive property of Buddhists. It is a common treasure shared by all sentient beings. Because there is compassion in this world, life is full of meaning. As we endure the trials and tribulations life offers us, compassion inspires us with endless visions. The mind of compassion is the ever-flowing fountainhead Read more
Music gives us the capacity to express deep emotions. Whether through holy hymns or chants of praise, music is capable of uplifting the mind to an almost sublime state. As such, it has a significant role in the promotion of religion.All Buddhas and bodhisattvas are very skilled in utilizing music to teach the Dharma and guide sentient beings to enlightenment.Music has a very important function Read more
In devoting my life to Buddhism, in order to keep Buddhism current with the advances in society, in terms of thoughts, I am always making improvements at every hour and moment; in terms of practice, I am constantly and continuously making adjustments. Even though I know that Buddhism must be reformed, innovation never comes into being in the heat of the moment. My “silent revolution” Read more
The great masters of the Chan School have always been like leisurely clouds and wild cranes, sometimes dwelling in the mountain forests, sometimes living by the water. Read more
In the Sutra of Forty-Two Sections, the Buddha asked his disciples, "How long is one's life?" One of the monks replied, "A few years." The next one answered, "A few days!" Another one said, "Less than one day!" Another responded, "Between meals!" Finally, the Buddha said, "Life lasts for the duration of one breath." Life is extraordinarily precious and yet it is based on a Read more
One of the biggest weaknesses in today’s society is that we have developed the habit of not saying we are sorry. Once we grow up and rise in status and knowledge, apologizing becomes harder and harder. But human beings are not perfect sages and we all make mistakes. Being able to correct our mistakes is a virtue in itself. This ability to amend our actions Read more
Control of the body means that we know when to act, and when not to act and that we know how to behave with moderation. Read more
If we want to understand what the Dharma teaches us about building affinity and living in harmony with others, we must first understand the four great all-embracing virtues. The Buddha teaches that for us to realize our true capacity of connecting with and serving our fellow citizens, we have to first build a good rapport, and the four virtues are tools to that end. The four Read more
At the many places I engaged in practice and study—at places such as Qixia in Nanjing, Jinshan and Jiaoshan in Zhenjiang, and Tianning in Changzhou, where I was brought up experiencing spring breezes, summer rains, autumn frosts, and winter snows—I studied silently and grew up quietly. I was always thinking as to how I could repay Buddhism’s kindness. I could not make a living by depending on Buddhism over Read more