Month: June 2024

The Seven Harmful Consequences of Anger

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The Seven Harmful Consequences of Anger

Anger brings about seven unfortunate consequences that delight one’s enemy. What are these seven?

  1. Loss of Appearance: An enemy wishes for their foe to become unattractive. When someone is consumed by anger, no matter how well-groomed they are, their appearance turns ugly due to the overwhelming influence of their anger. This pleases their enemy.
  2. Poor Sleep: An enemy wishes for their foe to sleep poorly. When someone is angry, even the most luxurious and comfortable bed cannot grant them restful sleep. The turmoil of anger disrupts their rest, which is gratifying to their enemy.
  3. Misjudgment of Profit and Loss: An enemy wishes for their foe to misjudge their gains. When someone is angry, they mistakenly view losses as gains and gains as losses. This confusion leads to long-term suffering, much to the enemy’s satisfaction.
  4. Loss of Wealth: An enemy wishes for their foe to lose wealth. When anger takes hold, a person’s accumulated wealth may be forfeited due to fines or poor decisions made in the heat of the moment. This loss of wealth is a victory for their enemy.
  5. Loss of Reputation: An enemy wishes for their foe to lose their good name. Anger can tarnish a person’s reputation that was built through careful and heedful behavior. This fall from grace delights their enemy.
  6. Loss of Friends: An enemy wishes for their foe to be isolated. Anger drives away friends, companions, and relatives, leaving the person lonely and isolated. This social isolation is pleasing to their enemy.
  7. Spiritual Decline: An enemy wishes for their foe to suffer in the afterlife. Anger leads to harmful actions in body, speech, and mind, causing the person to face a wretched rebirth. This spiritual downfall fulfills the enemy’s desire.

The Consequences of Anger

An angry person becomes unattractive and suffers from poor sleep. They turn profits into losses through misguided actions and words, destroying their wealth and status. Friends and family avoid them, and their mind is inflamed by anger. They fail to see the danger within themselves and cannot grasp the Dhamma, leading to darkness and regret. They take pleasure in bad deeds, which later cause immense suffering. Their anger obscures their judgment, leading to destructive actions and ultimate ruin.

Overcoming Anger

Anger drives people to commit terrible deeds, harming themselves and others. It is a snare that traps the heart and mind. To overcome anger, one must cultivate self-control, discernment, persistence, and right view. By abandoning anger, greed, and longing, and by taming oneself, true liberation and peace can be achieved. Train yourselves to avoid the destruction anger brings and strive to live untroubled and unbound.

Link: https://wisdomtea.org/2024/06/27/the-seven-harmful-consequences-of-anger/

The Reserve Fund

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The Reserve Fund

A person stashes funds away deep underground, at the waterline: “When a need or duty arises, this will provide for my needs, for my release if I’m denounced by the king, harassed by thieves, in case of debt, famine, or accidents.” With aims like this in the world, a reserve fund is stashed away. But no matter how well it’s stored, deep underground, at the waterline, it won’t always serve one’s needs. The fund gets shifted from its place, or one’s memory gets confused; or—unseen—nāgas make off with it, spirits steal it, or hateful heirs run off with it. When one’s merit ends, it’s totally destroyed. But when a man or woman has laid aside a well-stored fund of generosity, virtue, restraint, and self-control, with regard to a shrine, the Saṅgha, a fine individual, guests, mother, father, or elder sibling: That’s a well-stored fund. It can’t be taken away. It follows you along. When you leave this world, for wherever you must go, you take it with you. This fund is not shared with others, & cannot be stolen by thieves. So, enlightened, you should make merit, the fund that will follow you along. This is the fund that gives all they want to beings human and divine. Whatever devas aspire to, that is all gained by this. A fine complexion, fine voice, a body well-built, well-formed, lordship, a following: That is all gained by this. Earthly kingship, supremacy, the bliss of an emperor, kingship over devas in the heavens: That is all gained by this. The attainment of the human state, any delight in heaven, the attainment of unbinding: That is all gained by this. Excellent friends, appropriate application, mastery of clear knowing & release: That is all gained by this. Acumen, emancipations, the perfection of disciplehood: That is all gained by this. Private awakening, Buddhahood: That is all gained by this. So powerful this, the accomplishment of merit. Thus the wise, the enlightened, praise the fund of merit already made.

Link: https://wisdomtea.org/2024/06/20/the-reserve-fund/

Discourse on Outcasts

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Discourse on Outcasts

Once upon a time, the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi at Jetavana in Anathapindika’s monastery. One morning, he dressed himself, took his bowl and robe, and entered the city for alms. At the house of the brahman Aggikabharadvaja, a fire was burning, and an offering was being prepared.

As the Blessed One approached, the brahman shouted, “Stay there, you shaveling! Stay there, you wretched monk! Stay there, you outcast!”

The Blessed One calmly asked, “Do you know, brahman, who an outcast is and what makes one an outcast?”

“No, Venerable Gotama, I do not know. Please explain,” the brahman replied.

The Blessed One said, “Listen carefully, and I will explain.”

  1. “Whoever is angry, hateful, deceitful, and reluctant to speak well of others is an outcast.
  2. “Whoever kills living beings and lacks sympathy is an outcast.
  3. “Whoever destroys villages and becomes notorious as an oppressor is an outcast.
  4. “Whoever steals, whether in the village or forest, is an outcast.
  5. “Whoever incurs a debt and denies it is an outcast.
  6. “Whoever kills and robs travelers is an outcast.
  7. “Whoever lies as a witness for personal gain is an outcast.
  8. “Whoever engages in infidelity with relatives’ or friends’ spouses is an outcast.
  9. “Whoever, despite wealth, neglects his elderly parents is an outcast.
  10. “Whoever strikes and abuses family members with harsh words is an outcast.
  11. “Whoever gives harmful advice when asked about good is an outcast.
  12. “Whoever commits evil deeds in secret and wishes they remain hidden is an outcast.
  13. “Whoever does not honor a host after partaking of their food is an outcast.
  14. “Whoever deceives brahmans, ascetics, or mendicants by lying is an outcast.
  15. “Whoever angers a visiting brahman or ascetic during mealtime and does not offer alms is an outcast.
  16. “Whoever speaks harsh words or falsehoods expecting to gain something is an outcast.
  17. “Whoever exalts himself and belittles others out of pride is an outcast.
  18. “Whoever is angry, miserly, selfish, deceitful, shameless, and fearless in doing evil is an outcast.
  19. “Whoever reviles the Buddha, a disciple, a recluse, or a householder is an outcast.
  20. “Whoever pretends to be an arahant but is not is the lowest of outcasts.
  21. “Not by birth is one an outcast; by deeds, one becomes an outcast. By deeds, one becomes a brahman.

“Consider Sopaka, an outcast’s son who became the renowned Matanga. Despite his low birth, he attained the highest fame, reached the Brahma realm, and was honored by many. In contrast, brahmans born into noble families often commit evil deeds and are despised in this life and the next. Therefore, not by birth is one an outcast or a brahman; by deeds, one becomes an outcast or a brahman.”

Moved by these words, the brahman Aggikabharadvaja said, “Excellent, Venerable Gotama! You have expounded the Dharma clearly. I take refuge in the Venerable Gotama, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. Please accept me as a lay follower from this day onwards, for as long as life lasts.”

Link: https://wisdomtea.org/2024/06/13/discourse-on-outcasts/