THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTROLLING ANGER
Anger has been said to be the passion of foolish men. Perhaps that is why
sages dwell upon the need for calmness and the importance of overcoming anger.
Anger certainly seems to arise from foolish concerns and results in foolish
action.
He who attendeth to the inclination of the senses in them hath a concern; from
this concern is created passion, from passion anger, from anger is produced
delusion, from delusion a loss of the memory, from the loss of memory, loss of
discrimination, and from the loss of discrimination loss of all.
Bhagavad-Gita
Considering the effects that flow from anger, it does not make any difference
what the cause of the anger may be. The anger becomes a destructive force of
nature that will work itself out in its appointed way. There is a kind of anger
and discontent that can lead to personal change and social reform. However,
even in this case the regeneration is not accomplished without destruction.
Since the drive to perfection is often inspired more by passion that it is by
wisdom, the destructive wake of our reforms is much wider than necessary.
If we meet those Egos who are related to our good or evil, charitable or
uncharitable thoughts, the force acts at once - not before - and when the man we
injured, condemned, or filled with anger meets us in the next life or the one
after, or whenever, we have to await his return with us... before we can tell
whether he will repay in kind. If he has not become a saint meanwhile, he will
at once be the cause of our hurt for hurt received, of benefit for benefit.
These laws act through us with automatic regularity until we know them and bring
up counteractions.”
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The student of human nature soon realizes that the control of anger is not
easy. It cannot be controlled by changing circumstances or indifference. For
sooner or later circumstances change and passions rekindle to give new life to
the expression of anger. Besides, these methods add nothing to spiritual
development.
Anger must be strictly avoided, and it cannot be avoided unless charity and
love - absolute toleration - are cultivated. Our duty is clear: search out and
discover the causes of our own imperfections and replace them with the
counteracting virtue. There is danger in judging another’s imperfections in
anger, “for though the anger passes the judgment remains.” The judgment remains
as a bias and hindrance in the mind of the one who judges and the one who is
judged.
But he who, free from attachment or repulsion for objects, experienceth them
through the senses and organs, with his heart obedient to his will, attains to
tranquility of thought. And this tranquil state attained, therefrom shall soon
result a separation from all troubles; and his mind being thus at ease, fixed
upon one object, it embraceth wisdom from all sides.
Bhagavad-Gita
SOME USEFUL QUOTES ON ANGER
Anger begets more anger. We often suffer much more from anger than from the
very thing at which we are angry.... outbursts of anger rarely relieve whatever
caused it and usually aggravate the situation, disabling the person from
reasoning.
-Theosophical
Movement volume 71
There is an aspect in us which drives us to achieve one hundred percent
perfection. If we are trying to conquer anger or greed or attachment, this inner
taskmaster places us again and again in such situations till we have mastered
these completely.
-Theosophical
Movement volume 74
It is the Paramita Path which we have to learn to walk. Here again we have to
learn to go to the core of the Paramitas. We have learnt, for instance, that to
control anger is good. Hundreds of people can control their anger, either
through force of circumstances, or because they just do not care enough about
anything to be angry over it! Control in both these ways is no good for the
spiritual life. We have to learn why we should control anger, what anger does to
our inner nature, to others around us, and so on. Only when we have sought and
thought over the deeper, positive reasons why it must be controlled, will our
efforts bear fruit for lives.
-Theosophical
Movement volume 74
Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury
that provokes it. -
Seneca
Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind. -
Robert G.
Ingersoll
He who angers you, controls you.
-
Elizabeth Kenny
Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.
-
Cindy Clabough
... no passion so much transports the sincerity of judgment as doth anger.
-
Michel de Montaigne
How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it. -
Marcus
Aurelius.
Anger: an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than
on anything on which it is poured.
-
Seneca
When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one
hundred. -
Thomas
Jefferson.
...every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of
mind.
- Ralph
Waldo Emerson
Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame. -
Benjamin
Franklin.
Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing
it a someone else; you are the one who gets burned. -
Buddha
“Theosophical Independence” is produced monthly by Associates of The
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