Anger

Anger:

'Krodhaath bhavathi sammohaha sammohaath smruthi vibhramaha
Smruthi bhramsaath budhinaasanaha buddhinaasaath pranasyathi.'
From anger arises infatuation; from infatuation, confusion of memory; from confusion of memory, loss of reason: and from loss of reason one goes to complete ruin. (Gita II-63,)

Listen to some of these Buddhist sayings:
If you keep thinking "That man has abused me," holding it as a much-cherished grievance, your ANGER will never be allayed. If you can put down that fury-inducing thought, your ANGER will lessen. Fury will never end fury; it will just ricochet on and on. Only putting it down will end such an abysmal state.
-Sunnata Vagga (A Buddhist Monk)

"Holding on to ANGER is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." - Buddha

When all the myriad streams that flow in different places, each with its own colour and taste, enter the great ocean, they blend and become just one taste, with one name. In the same way, stupidity and wisdom both become one in the awakened mind. When one first starts along the path, there seems to be a distinction that this is stupidity and that is wisdom. But later, when one penetrates more deeply, one finds there is no difference between stupidity and wisdom !!!!.
-Visuddhi Magga (A Buddhist Monk)

Here is one doubt a disciple (Majjhima Nikaya) had and queried the preceptor:

"But what makes these 'experts' preach their opinion and call it truth?" asked the inquirer. "Is it an inheritance of humankind to do this, or is it merely something they gain satisfaction from?"
"Apart from consciousness," answered the Buddha, "no absolute truths exist. False reasoning declares one view to be true and another view wrong. It is delight in their dearly held opinions that makes them assert that anyone who disagrees is bound to come to a bad end. But no true seeker becomes embroiled in all this. Pass by peacefully and go a stainless way, free from theories, lusts and dogmas."

From "Buddha Speaks," edited by Anne Bancroft, 2000. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Boston.

Now our very own home grown sayings:

To utter harsh words when sweet ones would serve
Is like eating unripe fruits when ripe ones are at hand.
-Tirukkural 10: 99-100

Men who conduct themselves virtuously
Are incapable of voicing harmful words, even forgetfully.
-Tirukkural 14:139

So what is the TRUTH???

"The truth is rarely pure and never simple." Oscar Wilde delivers some good news for those of us searching for "the" correctness and truth. We can stop looking. There is truth in everything, but what truth we extract is often a matter of our perspectives. Look for the plain simple truth for the rest of your life, and you will never find it. Look for truth in everything you see, and you will find it every day. And that's the TRUTH

With due respects to everyone, I may hasten to add and take the liberty to reiterate that none of these is my sayings for God’s sake.

But then let me end by putting my two paise bit in the cauldron of heated discussions:
All of us have the CHOICE. Every situation presents you with two paths. You can choose the path of reaction or you can choose the path of action. The first path is not really even about choice. It is the abdication of choice to every little event. You might have left the geyser switch on overnight. Or the printer jams. Or say you spilled Sambhar on your shirt. The first path allows these events to bring you down, because you simply react.

The second path is the path of choice. It is about choosing how you want to feel. Dead car batteries, Sambhar and pickle stains won't bring you down because they do not factor into your choice. If you choose to be happy, you will still be happy. These little events will still be inconvenient, but inconvenience is not the same thing as misery.

Which path will you take today?

Why would anyone speak cruel words?
Having observed the happiness that kind words confer?

And hey! These are no sermons. It is just that I wanted to share some thoughts on ANGER.

"Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can
anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him."

*Epictetus (55-135 AD) Greek Philosopher


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4th Mar 06