"Anger and Patience" Part 1, Bhikshu Tenzin Sherab

Excerpt of Dharma talk on "Anger and Patience" by Canadian Buddhist monk Bhikshu Tenzin Sherab (Br. Sean Hillman), at Mahavihara Sri Lankan Buddhist Temple, Toronto, 2003

http://torontobuddhistethics.blogspot.com/

NB: I am speaking in a particular way because the audience is less familiar with English

Textual Reference:
"A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life" (Arya Shantideva)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Buddhism
• monks
• Buddha
• Dharma
• Sangha
• religion
• patience
• ethics
• Shantideva
• anger
• self-help
• meditation
• talk
• Bhikshu
• Tenzin
• Sherab
• Sean
• Hillman
• India
• Tibet

[Simon0]

So if I have not dedcted my merits, all the good deeds I have done are totally lost (in one moment of anger which Ihave probably had)? I find that a bit disheartening.

[seansherab]

Doesn't quite seem fair, does it? It is said that the workings of karma is evern more obscure than ultimate reality itself. On the other side of the spectrum, 1 moment of Bodhicitta (the compassionate wish to become enlightened for the sake of all beings) apparently brings about limitless merit.

[seansherab]

It's important to see the Dharma in the context of a great scope. E.g. The First Noble Truth that all of life is suffering (also potentially disheartening)is complemented by the fact that there is release.

[seansherab]

The teachings are not meant to make us feel hopeless...quite the opposite. Knowledge of the negative effects of anger can prompt us to change our mind, and the fact that we are ABLE to change the mind is very inspiring. Also, having the good fortune to have exposure to teachings that can guide us towards such a transformation is the cause of immense joy.

[Dan1234111]

Hey skin head My old pal said anger is the wind that blows out the candel of thought.

I like taking things head on I have a lot of lumps on my head.I was nice of you to replie I think of you often you have a great spirit

[seansherab]

Hi Dan!

Your old pal sounds wise...it is impossible to think straight when angry...the texts say that our powers of resoning are ineffectual when we are in the heat of fury.

I like taking things head on, and i have faith that this can be done without getting angry...but i am still prone to losing it! at least it is less intense and doesn't last as long as before i made a commitment to try and practise patience...

[leviathan6]

that is a beautiful insight on the virtue of dedication.

[jesskazen]

How do you deal with anger experienced due to having to deal with bad drivers? How do you not experience rage when someone puts your only form of transportation/body/life in danger?

[Simon0]

@ballaststoffel2 yeah i see what you mean!

[ballaststoffel2]

@Simon0 There is nothing WRONG.

Good actions inherently bring good karma. No need to "want" that explicitly. That is what I meant.

Let's say X% of your motivation is: Building up good karma for yourself. 100-X of your motivation is for the others.

Then, I would say, the smaller X is, the more good karma you build up.

But there is still nothing wrong. Even if X would be 100%, I mean, hey, there would still be good actions ;-)

[Simon0]

@ballaststoffel2 when i act kind or try to do good to others it is usually a mixture of wanting them to be happy and also wanting to create good karma for myself. is there anything wrong with believing in karma, acting nice towards others because yo believe in karma and believe it will ultimately benefit you.

[ballaststoffel2]

@Simon0

Maybe too late to answer your question, but just feel inside. When you do good things to others, or make good wishes. For whom are you doing that?

If you can really feel, that you do it because you want to see the others being happy, then the merit becomes a gift to others. If not, the gift stays somewhere inside you, and there it breaks into pieces when the waves of anger catch you. This is not disheartening, it is as it is. At least I would say so.

[douglasmacjames]

thousands of years to be conditioned like him !

[Vietnamemperor12346]

wow never a young white buddhist

[miked7631]

What happened all your merit become destroyed because of anger?

He is saying because of one act of anger all the previous merits will become destroyed?

[StrivingWolf]

You're so handsome that you keep me in samsara. :-) But I like the way you teach! Keep up the good work!!