Anger Danger

« Feb 2008 ¶ Apr 2008 »

31st of March, 2008 - 12:33

A few days back, as our route took us to Bangalore, we also spent a few days in Puttaparthi, the ashram of Sathya Sai Baba, the famous Hindu teacher, considered by his followers to be an avatar.

31st of March, 2008 - 12:29

The gurubhai seers of Radhakund have now realized that I have become a Tantric and a Buddhist Sannyasi, and concluded that my fame deserves to be spread...

27th of March, 2008 - 13:41

To adopt a new conceptual framework, to revise the old, or neither, or both? Thoughts in principle on evolutions, revolutions and renunciations, on current emphases and future possibilities.

25th of March, 2008 - 4:08

The first installment in exploring earlier themes of Vedas, Advaita, Buddha, Brahmanas and so forth in some further detail.

24th of March, 2008 - 16:14

23rd of March, 2008 - 5:30

I don't really have a very clear picture of the demographics of the current Vraja Journal readership. Here's a question to the readers.

22nd of March, 2008 - 19:44

Being a Buddhist means I no longer believe in god. Right? Well, let's be a bit more nuanced here.

21st of March, 2008 - 13:30

Buddhism earned the nastika (atheist or infidel) label owing to the Buddha's rejection of Vedas. However, rejecting the Vedas isn't as black and white an issue as one might assume. This is a look at the Vedas the Buddha knew of.

20th of March, 2008 - 13:03

A gem from recent feedback from Harry Krishna, a self-appointed sahajiya watcher.

18th of March, 2008 - 10:45

I wish to write a few words on the "exclusive devotion" theme of an earlier entry to clarify my views on bhakti.

16th of March, 2008 - 10:41

Yesterday, Advaitadas commented on my exit in his blog. These are some reflections on his message.

16th of March, 2008 - 5:52

Following the change of spirit, the form of the journal has undergone a due transfiguration.

15th of March, 2008 - 15:57

What's the future of Vraja Journal? It'll continue, albeit in a somewhat different spirit. Please read this disclaimer before reading any further.

14th of March, 2008 - 18:37

Many readers of this journal have been wondering about the evolutions in my slant on things and my spiritual direction in general. Time has come to address matters in definite terms.

12th of March, 2008 - 16:13

I'm aware Vilasa Kunja and the rest of the sites (except for Vraja Journal) are down. Here's the latest on that.

9th of March, 2008 - 16:51

Walking around the ghats of Varanasi, death is a common sight. The large piles of firewood tell their story of the volume of corpses daily burnt.

4th of March, 2008 - 15:03

There was an earlier blog on misleading, commenting on the feedback of someone who came forward in a rather pointed manner about it. This is something, slightly retouched, I wrote to a friend who asked whether I truly felt I had misled someone.

1st of March, 2008 - 13:25

Reaching New Delhi, booking train tickets, killing a few extra hours, observing the ominous Buddha-presence, moving towards Varanasi...

« Feb 2008 ¶ Apr 2008 »

Posted: 24th of March, 2008 - 16:14

With my recent writings on the evolution of my views on Hinduism, featuring a departure that to many is irreconcilable and to some also unforgivable, expressions of anger have again become a theme of some contemplation to me.

A classical illustration from the Hindu side of the equation is found in Bhagavata-purana (4.4.17), featuring the story of Sati, Shiva's wife, who is grievously offended by her father's harsh words of her husband.

"Blocking one's ears, one should go away if one is powerless,
Where a master, lord of dharma, is blasphemed by the unrestrained men,
But the able should cut out the vilifying blasphemer's tongue by force,
And then indeed give up his own life, this is the righteous duty."

I needn't say how passages like this can fuel religious violence and cause immense damage in the hands of immature believers. In fact, just today I received a threatening comment on my blog entry on Buddha, Vedas and Brahmanas from a person who considers himself a Hindu patriot. After a series of denigrating comments about me, the message concluded as follows:

"I just want to remind you that you are in India, and I would also advise you to think twice prior to keying in any trash on Hinduism. I, like millions of my brothers of faith and blood in Bharata, are Hindu patriots to the core, and not many would tolerate your egotistical but ridiculous balderdash. So, by all means "evolve" and embrace Bauddha dharma - it is a great path for one to follow. However, you are no Sanskritist or pandita, and therefore keep your preposterous, recently developed "academic" garbage on our Dharma confined within the dark inner chambers of your messed-up being. Speak more than behoves someone on your sloppy terrain and I may have to notify some contacts in the RSS, VHP or some other nationalist outfit to teach you a lesson, and one that you won't forget for sure. You have been warned, Loponen Finnish boy."

Allowing anger to gain foothold in the heart is spiritually very unwholesome, for anger is the root of all that is destructive in the world. I have commented on this from a more wholesome Vaishnava perspective in an earlier blog entry (Dealing with indignations) from last summer, and we should hope that people could at least reach the level of civilized indignation if the urge of anger cannot be tamed.

To contrast this with something, I wish to share a passage from the Brahma-jala-sutta Digdha-nikaya that was a beautiful and soothing read, featuring attitudes closer to my heart. Attitudes I've fostered for long, and — perhaps as a bit of a surprise — found them featured at length in the Buddha's teachings. No doubt the highly evolved attitudes encouraged in the Buddhist teaching have featured as a substantial factor in my spiritual shift.

The background story reads as follows:

Once Buddha and some five hundred bhikkhus traveled down the road from Rajagaha to Nalinda. In their wake walked mendicant Suppiya and a disciple of his, Brahmadatta, the first constant in his disparaging speech of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, and the latter constant in his praise of the same. The Buddha, hearing of the situation as they retired for the night at Ambalatthika-vihara, taught the bhikkhus as follows.

"Bhikkhus! If others should malign the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, you must not feel resentment, nor displeasure, nor anger on that account. Bhikkhus! If you feel angry or displeased when others malign the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, it will only be harmful to you (because then you will not be able to practise the dhamma).

"Bhikkhus! If you feel angry or displeased when others malign the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, will you be able to discriminate their good speech from bad? "No, indeed, Venerable Sir!" said the bhikkhus. If others malign me or the Dhamma, or the Sangha, you should explain to them what is false as false, saying 'It is not so. It is not true. It is, indeed, not thus with us. Such fault is not to be found among us.'

"Bhikkhus! If others should praise the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, you should not, feel pleased, or delighted, or elated on that account. Bhikkhus! If you feel pleased, or delighted, or elated, when others praise me, or the Dhamma, or the Sangha, it will only be harmful to you. Bhikkhus! If others praise me, or the Dhamma, or the Sangha, you should admit what is true as true, saying 'It is so. It is true. It is, indeed, thus with us. In fact, it is to be found among us.'"

Contemplate on the diverse approaches and their results, find within you the most enlightened course of action among the options available. I have come to find much joy and wisdom in the last option.

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