I have recently been re-reading a book called "Destructive Emotions - How Can We Overcome Them?", which is a scientific dialogue with the Dalai Lama:
This is a big issue for me, as anger has been a growth retardant for my life on many occasions. I can also see the ill effects of jealousy and greed in my life, but the worst for me has been anger. Seeing how these emotions affect my life is one thing, but actually getting in there and doing something about them is another altogether.
My practice of chanting nam(u)-Myoho-Renge-Kyo has sometimes been helpful to me in this struggle, and sometimes not. In particular, I recall the level of anger I had against someone whom I believed had wronged me about 20 years ago. My anger was extremely painful, and I needed a remedy. However, at that time, the SGI was in the initial throes of its "divorce" from our parent sect, Nichiren Shoshu, and was actively cultivating the emotion of anger among its membership in order to "win" in that conflict. I was suffering from anger poisoning, and my church kept feeding me more anger. Getting angry at the Temple was touted in the SGI back then as the fastest way to "get benefit", but oh, God, was it painful for me.
Finally, I ended up with a law degree that I don't particularly want or use, just so that I could get past the destructive rage which had wormed its way into my soul. I did a lot of volunteer work with the targets of domestic violence, and saw again, first-hand, how hideously destructive uncontrolled anger can be, and the horrible effects it can have on children. So, this is a topic which interests me, and I hope to start a conversation about it among the folks here.
According to Buddhism, there three major "poisons", and any number of lesser ones. The "Big Three" are, of course:
1. Greed
2. Anger
3. Ignorance
The antidotes to these poisons are the "Immeasurables" which I discussed a month or so ago on this blog site: Compassion, Lovingkindness, Joy, and Equanimity. In a nutshell, by the cultivating the joyful and liberating qualities of compassion and lovingkindness, we can counteract the painful emotions of greed and anger, the way we can illuminate a dark room by turning on a light. For those of you who missed that entry, here, again, are the Immeasurables:
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/bs-s15.htm
Anyway, the book which I am re-reading is a dialogue between the Dalai Lama and a number of Western scientists. Apparently, meditation practices have actual, discernable effects on the brains of the meditators. I know this will come as no surprise to my good friend and fellow FWP blogger Charles Atkins, but I was very interested to read about it.
So, how do we learn to "master our minds" rather than letting our "minds master us"? For years, in the SGI, I was led to believe that this sort of wisdom comes naturally, as the result of many years of chanting. But in my experience, this has not been true - there's no "magic" to observation of the mind - not for me, at least. Like the man sings, "it don't come easy".
One of the scientists in this discussion, a meditation teacher himself, says:
"when you start to get used to recognizing thoughts as they arise, it is like rapidly spotting someone you know in a crowd. When a powerful thought of strong attraction or anger arises that you know is bound to lead to a proliferation of thoughts, now you recognize it: 'Oh, that thought is coming'. That helps a lot to avoid being overwhelmed by that thought."
Wow! I sure could have used that one twenty years ago!
Anyway, I offer it here for the enlightenment (!) of anyone who can use. it.
Have any of you here had to struggle with destructive emotions? If so, how did you apply your practice to the problem? I genuinely think this is animportant topic of conversation.
Be even-keeled and compassionate, all ---
Byrd in LA
Byrd,
Anger, for me, is the most difficult emotion I think I deal with. I have not by any means mastered it; but some things seem to help.
Pema Chodron and Thich Nhat Hanh's writing have been the most useful for me, from a study viewpoint, and from the standpoint of cultivating "Right View".
From the meditation standpoint, the meditations on the 4 Immeasurables have been the most pivotal and helpful (as much as I like chanting daimoku, silent meditation seems to be for me the most helpful for anger).
Finally, what seems to be most useful to me, on the nuts and bolts level. When meditating, those angry thoughts start floating up, and I look at them, notice them, say thank you for trying to protect me (my anger in the past usually arises when I fear something), and let it go. The crux, for me, is not being attached to that emotion as a fixed, necessary part of ME. It doesn't remove the emotion, per se, but seems to lessen it, and it gets less potent every time (usually).
With time, the meditative ability to let that emotion just arise and float by like a cloud, spills over into normal waking life. It takes time (and I'm still learning) but it sure is more productive that trying to maintain that "righteous" anger I used to like to hold on to.
On that topic, I think until one transforms "Righteous Anger" into something that is not anger - say, "Thirst for Equitable Loving Justice" it is just another form of anger, and as such, a fetter. Plus, I think anger can become an addiction (been there, done that). Doesn't it feel like a rush to be part of the Righteous Few? :) So I am not an advocate of cultivating Righteous Anger.
I'm glad you are back and writing, Byrd.
Stay cool, and wise,
Kris
Byrd,
I know you don't if ever see eye to eye with me, but believe it or not I have felt anger, and not knowing what to do, but I did not want to look in the pre-lotus teachings for answers, and came up with something I hope you will find helpful for your heart and mind.
Nichiren, in his letters said, feelings like this belong to a third realm called daisan hōmon, meaning the third sphere of Shakyamuni's teaching. The teachings in this realm of the Lotus Sutra emphasize the need to endure the trials of life and to practice the Lotus Sutra with your life.
In short, it means human activity in the real world, or really a bodhisattva practices. It is the feelings that gush out of your body and mind that is the real chanting Byrd, we chant with our life, and Buddha is in your mind, merits are in your life, good luck to you.
Bruce
Posted by: Bruce Maltz at June 7, 2008 11:39 PMI wonder why we are so afraid of "being angry"!?We have the model of ten worlds, so know that anger has its good side as well as destructive.
If we look at people who have kind of "flattend" out their emotions, my experience is that they can seem cold and judging!
We live in a world that is full of injustice and pain....of course one gets ANGRY....its a wonderful motivating force to get off one's butt (I think Americans call it that....we would say bottom!) and DO something....we live by the precepts, well hopefuly most of the time, so we will not kill, apart from by accident.
My list of being angry at things.....
Poverty, where ever, and however it manifests itself.
Women dying at the rate of one a day from child-birth. (mostly for no reason)
Cruelty to animals.
The death penalty.
War for any reason.
Seeing young people sent to war.
Torture.
Consumerism which poisons our young people's minds.
Missuse of the earths resorses.
Oh the list can go on and on........
Sometimes I am angry at myself for being stupid - greedy - unloving - selfcentred - lazy - not as beautiful as I should like - unthinking and etc.
We live in this life, so don't be afraid to feel "emotional"....anger is one of these emotions. We practise so it will not be destructive...trust yourselves. If you make a mistake that's hard but not the end!
My way of thinking is that being buddhist isn't being without passion, quite the opposite....full of life...don't really as yet, understand what being in the "Buddha" state is....however, the three high states before this are all driven by passion....
Take care Gassho Suzanne
Posted by: Suzanne Rees Glanister at June 11, 2008 09:12 AM