It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

Why So Angry? Buddha Wisdom

page: 1
47
<<   2  3  4 >>

log in

join
share:
+42 more 
posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 07:17 AM
link   
Why So Angry?


"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

Such a simple thing to understand, yet how many of us truly understand this? Maybe some of us truly do yet we strangely believe that anger is useful in the sense that it is a motivational driver for establishing justice. We are angry at politicians. We are angry at war. We are angry at bad drivers. We are angry at our bosses or co-workers or customers or clients, at our spouses or children or parents. We are angry at people who use words like "enlightenment" or "God" or "spirituality". We are angry at the world. And why? What use does it have? Do we think it will fix our problems?

What if we realized that we could still be motivated to seek change, be that in the political realm or at our work place or in our personal life or on an internet forum like ATS, without becoming angry? Would we choose this way over anger?

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.” - Buddha

One day a man found out that his brother had renounced worldly life to become a monk, and he became very angry. He set off on foot to find the Buddha, and upon finding him, he began to abuse the Buddha. He yelled at him, spit on him and even struck him with his fist. The Buddha did not flinch, instead he remained as calm and as blissful as he always was. “If you offered some food to a guest who came to your house, and the guest left without eating any of it, who would the food belong to?” the Buddha asked the man.

The man was confused by this seemingly very strange question, but upon reflection he replied, "Of course, it would belong to me!" The Buddha shook his head in agreement and then said, “In the same way, I do not wish to accept your abuse, so the abuse belongs to you.” The man then realized this truth and bowed to the Buddha's feet in forgiveness. The Buddha told him there was no need for forgiveness and asked the man to sit with them in discussion. The man soon after became a monk, just like his brother.

Such a simple story, but the implications are tremendously powerful! The Buddha was being verbally and physically abused and managed to fix the problem without becoming angry in the least bit. This is not surprising though because an awakened one will never become angry. But let us not place the Buddha on a pedal stool and act like we too cannot awaken to this simple realization today; that when we are angry at something or someone else, we are only hurting ourselves and making our lives that much more difficult than they already are. When we truly realize this simple fact, the doors of real lasting and powerful change will open wide.

"You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” - Buddha

Peace.


edit on 11-8-2011 by LifeIsEnergy because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 07:23 AM
link   


"You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” - Buddha


This is quote is spot on..



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 07:25 AM
link   
reply to post by LifeIsEnergy
 


Thank you that is so true.

Namaste.



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 07:29 AM
link   
Yes, the quote does hit the spot. However, with human nature as it is, anger management is problematic at best. I try not tolose my temper and stay calm, but sometimes you cannot bottle it in or let it flow over you. Sometimes human nature runs its typical path.

However, what a wonderful world it would be if we could control ourselves in that manner.



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 07:29 AM
link   
Thank you. I have come across this before but found that I could not re-locate the source. Thank you for answering. Please share the writing source for this most wonderful account. Star and Flag without a doubt.



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 07:33 AM
link   
Thankyou !
I'm so angry at the moment I feel like I'm breathing fire.
Reading that has just given me an ego slap and calmed me down.
The universe really does work in strange ways - the message is out there if you stop being a muppet and listen

S&F



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 07:39 AM
link   
reply to post by LifeIsEnergy
 


Thank you I needed that...

No man is an island..

Peace



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 08:11 AM
link   

Originally posted by TheLoneArcher
Yes, the quote does hit the spot. However, with human nature as it is, anger management is problematic at best. I try not tolose my temper and stay calm, but sometimes you cannot bottle it in or let it flow over you. Sometimes human nature runs its typical path.

However, what a wonderful world it would be if we could control ourselves in that manner.


There is nothing to bottle in though, that is the point. If we see the futility in becoming angry, if we truly understand that it is a useless emotion that does nothing but harm ourselves, then we will not grasp on to it. Today while I was in the grocery store I was in my natural emotionless state of bliss when two young kids behind me in line started to make fun of my shoes because they are kind of dirty, I had the choice to grasp on to a feeling of anger or remain in my natural emotionless state of bliss. I chose the latter. It is that simple. There is no bottling in anything because anger never arose in me in the first place.

Peace.



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 08:15 AM
link   

Originally posted by yoesse
Thank you. I have come across this before but found that I could not re-locate the source. Thank you for answering. Please share the writing source for this most wonderful account. Star and Flag without a doubt.


The story of the man who abused the Buddha is from the Dhammapada, "The Abusive Brothers", but I kind of edited it and made my own version of it for this post.

Peace.

Here is a link to the Dhammapada, the story is on page 113. www.buddhanet.net...
edit on 11-8-2011 by LifeIsEnergy because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 08:23 AM
link   
reply to post by LifeIsEnergy
 


Hello,
One question please.
Why don't you clean your choose?
You seem to take great care of cleaning your mind, but you neglect your choose!



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 08:28 AM
link   
reply to post by kacou
 


LOL! They aren't really dirty just a little scuffed up because I went on a long bike ride (off-road) yesterday.



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 08:30 AM
link   
reply to post by LifeIsEnergy
 

Good day to you and good cleaning




posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 09:25 AM
link   
A "shot in the arm" from our good friend LifeisEngergy. Thanks~ Words we all need to take seriously.

On the more biological side, anger's primary function is to move us to correct injustices.

So, although it is one of the most difficult emotions to control - due to the physiological processes associated with it, it does have a function.

Just sayin.



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 09:33 AM
link   
I fear that few readers will understand any of this thread because they are totally materialistic and cannot conceive of a "higher power" (meaning the concept if not reality of enlightenment that transcends normal reality).

The mistake made here is that Buddha is given as the "answer." That is simply not true. The buddha is only one way to the truth, a very, very formalized way to the truth. In its own way, it is as bad as saying Christianity is the ONLY way to know Heaven.

Others will argue to extreme. but one--and only one--key to understanding that locked-in mentality is to observe that TM, Transcendental Meditation, devoidt all of the hung-on attachments that some would have with it can proide the simple truth in itself. We can view (or any unadultrated program of pure meditation as a new-found horse that can draw the cart of doctrines, beliefs and rituals that most other religions insist that preceed the goal of attaining heaven/niverna. They simply put the cart before the horse for the want of money and power.

In short to tout Buddhaism is simply touting another religion. And it fails, as do all other religions, to teach the "reward" first and let it reflect back into the life of the practioner. Be your own Buddha. Do a meditation regime of your own and let enlightenment show you what is true.

I know. It sounds impossible.



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 09:34 AM
link   
reply to post by LifeIsEnergy
 


S&F. As always, such a pleasure to be reading a new thread of yours. Great dharma talk my brother
May you be blessed by your efforts, and may all that encounter your thread benefit and accelerate towards liberation!



reply to post by TheLoneArcher
 


Overcoming anger is not about bottling it up or keeping it inside. Any closed system under pressure is doomed to burst! Overcoming anger is about understanding the mechanisms and root of anger to transcend the ignorance and suffering it causes. We must confront anger head-on with understanding; ignoring it or keeping it inside only harms ourselves.

Forgiveness, empathy, patience, understanding, and love help us to transcend anger.

"Why am I angry? Does my anger serve any beneficial purpose to myself or to the one my anger is directed towards? Can I choose to feel another way? What benefit will it bring me to forgive? If I truly put myself in the shoes of the one I am angry at, can I better understand the situation in order to forgive more easily? When I bottle up and keep anger inside, I am the only one who feels it and is harmed by my anger; will it better benefit me to let it go? Anger is an emotion produced by bio chemical and electrical signalings within myself; emotions constantly arise and fade, as anger arises so shall it fade."

Get in the habit of having deep and specific conversations with yourself about your thoughts, emotions, and state of being. Understanding relieves suffering, not bottling it away.



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 10:16 AM
link   
This thread rocks !!!


I often have a hard time explaining to my circle of friends and acquaintances why I never seem to get angry. I learned long ago this does nothing good to help a situation. My wife even said I seem emotionless a lot of the time. I guess it's time to dig into the Buddhist way of thinking to find ways to verbally express what I believe without sounding like I'm some robot that walks around blissful all of the time. I just really would prefer to be happy than sad. It really is a simple choice. Just like picking my clothes out every day.

Funny story is my grandmother-in-law thinks I'm a complete idiot (like I don't have the ability to grasp situations like an adult (mind you I'm 38 years old)). Says my acts of kindness to her are only because I want something from her. Which is very untrue. I'm just letting my positive energy do the work of hopefully bring some positive energy her way. I can say I do think it's working....slowly but I have tons of patience!



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 10:47 AM
link   
Anger, like any emotional charge, is felt in the body. Energy in motion. See each charge like an explosion, appearing like a firework, just watch it. Become facinated by the firework display. You will not loose sight of what is going on around you, however you will also become aware of what is going on 'inside' you.
A great insight arose inside me one day, it was; it is always ok to feel like this. I accepted my own feelings no matter what arose. It is only when there is a resistance to a feeling that is becomes a problem. They will all pass naturally if they are not grabbed hold of.


edit on 11-8-2011 by Itisnowagain because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 11:34 AM
link   
i experienced anger for the first time in about 8 years, just a few months ago... after the initial rush i became sleepy, i could barely keep my eyes open for 6 hours. after that time had passed it was as if nothing had happened... strange, i thought.

seeing as i am someone who only sleep when my body does.... (note the term awakened), i suppose thats why it made me tired..... maybe



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 02:20 PM
link   
An awakened one will never be angry?

No. Someone who understands anger is fully awake . God made anger and he made us to be angry sometimes .

Was Moses angry , livid in fact , when he found the Israelites worshipping a golden calf? Yes so angry that he smote his brother and had some of them executed.

Was Noah angry when his sons found him drunk and naked in his tent after the flood abated ? He was so angry they covered him up and thought they knew better than him already, he cursed them , Ham Seth and Japheth .

Someone half asleep doesnt know what anger is for and why people get angry . If you p$ss someone off, are you going to start acting all 'holier than thou' about it?
That's a BAD move.



posted on Aug, 11 2011 @ 02:30 PM
link   
reply to post by LifeIsEnergy
 

I always have pondered the thought of others being angry on the internet.



new topics

top topics



 
47
<<   2  3  4 >>

log in

join