Sharp as a Razor (poem)

Sharp as a razor the mind cuts
through mental negativities, be it anger or fear.
Letting love bloom to transform anger
into calmness of mind, and fear into fearlessness,
the calm mind is free to remove all negativities.

Once free of the bondage of fear, I am ready to meet
any challenge with courage, tempered by love unconditional.
For it is love that provides the mind in keeping sharp.
What is calmness of the mind but love abiding?
What is fearlessness but love taming all fears?

Holy Anger is Righteous Anger

Holy anger is righteous because it does not affect rebirth in the Pure Land.

Suppose at service a heckler curses the priest loudly and disturbs the wa, the harmony during chanting of the Twelve Adorations.

Holy anger is when the priest stops the service and asks the heckler to leave immediately. 

That kind of anger is warranted because a temple is for dharma practice, and hecklers are unwanted.

Though it is best that a member of the temple ask the heckler to leave first, because if the priest has to intervene then he'll need to calm down before carrying on with the service.

Holy anger does not affect rebirth.
Even if it is evil passion, because such anger is used to ask a heckler to begone or to awaken a napping member of the temple, it is justifiable.

As long as the priest or member does not curse or use violence, no harm or evil karma results.

Thus it is excusable, this holy anger.

Buddhism and Anger: Three Types of People

The Buddha said:

"There are three types of people in the world. What three?

One who is like carving on a rock, one who is like scratching on the ground and one who is like writing on the water.

What sort of person is like carving on the rock?

Imagine a certain person who is always getting angry and his anger lasts long, jut as carving on a rock is not soon worn off by wind, water or lapse of time.

What sort of person is like scratching on the ground?

Imagine a certain person who is always getting angry but his anger does not last long, just as scratching on the ground is soon worn off by wind, water and lapse of time.

And what sort of person is like writing on the water?

Imagine a certain person who, even though spoken to harshly, sharply, roughly, is easily reconciled and becomes agreeable and friendly, just as writing on the water soon disappears".

--Anguttara Nikaya I/283

Reflection on these three types of people forms the basis for the Buddhist approach to anger management.

This is helpful in putting anger in context of the situation in which it arises.

This part of Anguttara Nikaya is known to be part of the Book of Threes (Tika Nipata), called in Pali, Lekha Sutta. However, this translation is also popular in Singapore and Sri Lanka.

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Reference:

Anger Management Buddhist style: http://www.4ui.com/eart/178eart1.htm
Anger in context: http://www.burnfield.net/id14.htm


Anguttara Nikaya:
Tika Nipata: http://www.suttacentral.net/disp_sutta.php?subdivision_id=61&subdivision_name=Tika%20Nip%C4%81ta&collection_name=Pali&division=AN&acronym=3&type=Subdivision

Singapore:
There are three types of people: http://sdhammika.blogspot.ca/2010/03/there-are-three-types-of-people-in.html
Essential teachings of the Buddha: http://www.alexkhun.com/drupal79/node/68

Sri Lanka
Syndrome of hate: http://www.lankika.com/?p=7451