Dhamma Talks - Abandon Anger :: Buddhapadipa Thai Temple

Anger is a problem which it seems is difficult for people to eradicate. If it can be eradicated from the mind, it is very beneficial to human beings. The Buddha advised mankind to abandon anger, as he said, ‘a person should abandon anger, the ego, fetters, and those who can overcome those and who do not attach to name and form, can reach the real happiness and peace in life.

What is anger? Human beings seem to know anger well and its disadvantages are explained as follows; food is not digested properly, the heart beats improperly, the body is shaken and cannot be controlled showing the violent actions through mental action, verbal action and bodily action, it is followed by sorrow, lamentation, depression etc. Anger blocks out wisdom and development as if it were a cloud blocking out the Sun’s light. The Buddha said, “When a man is overwhelmed by anger, he is like a blind man.”

Anger brings about disadvantages both to the one with the anger and to others. For example, one cannot control one’s temper and does things with carelessness. One affects others by bothering them or causing them harm through verbal and bodily action. Acting in anger, one’s parents and relatives have unrest as well. This is basically how anger brings about disadvantages to the world, so the Buddha taught mankind to abandon it. The methods to abandon anger are explained in Visuddhimagga as follows;
(1) Consider anger’s disadvantages, when a person sees this, he will be patient and experience moral shame and moral dread.
(2) Suffuse loving kindness, compassion and generosity to oneself and others (even an enemy); may I be happy, may all beings be happy. The Buddha said in the Dhammapada, "All living things fear violence. All living things fear death. Life is dear to all living things. You should think of others as yourself, and neither kill nor allow killing."
(3) Contemplation of the Buddha’s teachings, for instance in Kakacupama Sutta, “Who gets angry with those who are angry, that is worse than them. Those who don’t get angry against the anger-maker are the best winners of all. Those, who know that the others are angry of them, are mindful or calmly conscious. It means that they save themselves and others.”
(4) Comparing anger to fire, we see that it will burn oneself and others or even if it is small - be aware of that.
(5) Reflect on the good parts of those who cause anger, because usually mankind consists of both good and bad parts. To do this can relieve the anger.
(6) Instruct oneself in such a manner, “Do not fall under anger because it causes disadvantages to oneself. Anger only causes suffering and burns those who fall under it both inside and outside.”
(7) Contemplating kamma; “Beings are the owners of their actions (kamma, karma), heir to their actions, born of their actions, related through their actions, and have their actions as their arbitrator.” A person becomes what he performs so there is no need to respond any acts to the anger-maker, he will receive exactly the action he has performed.
(8) Reflect on good examples of others, like that of the great teachers such as the Buddha, who spent his life in peacefulness, spreading loving kindness to all beings, who taught all beings how to live a righteous life, and gave the opportunity to all beings to develop themselves.
(9) Having considered how short life is, so mankind should take time to learn and practice for the better, and how long Samsara (round of rebirth) is, all living beings may be ever related to one another, or have helped each other in previous lives.
(10) Think of the advantages of non anger, for instance, one who can abandon anger, sleeps or awakens happily, without sorrow etc.
(11) Contemplating non self; there is just name and form which works together, who is the anger against?

These are the methods or dhamma that the Buddha taught mankind, which can be used at any time, past, present, and future, one must just learn and put it into action. Practicing in such manners they can get the same benefits, peace and happiness in life, especially in this very life.