Essay Writing of Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated
(2nd Period)
On hatred
—How a Bodhisattva practitioner can subdue hatred and rescue sentient beings actively and compassionately
Instructor: Shi Wuguang
Author: Wang Huaigu
September 4, 2020
Table of Contents
Chapter 2: The Effects, Hazards, and Sufferings of hatred
Chapter 3: Effects, benefits ，peace and happiness brought by not being angry
Chapter 4: How to subdue hatred as a Bodhisattva practitioner
It is well known that in the practice of Buddhism, the subduing of afflictions is the first and foremost task of a true Buddhist disciple and practitioner. Why does it say so? The Sutra of the Precepts for Upasaka says “All afflictions are my great grievances. What is the reason for this? Because it is the afflictions that can destroy oneself and others.”Because afflictions can destroy one’s own and others’ mood , good roots, blessings, cause and condition, interpersonal relationships and so on. Therefore, as a true Buddhist disciple, one should aspire to subdue all afflictions and even do away with the five skandhas , subduing the demons and achieve the Buddhas’ Way.
In the following chapter, The author would like to explore hatred, the harm and sufferings that hatred brings to all sentient beings, how to subdue hatred, and how a Bodhisattva practitioner should not only not give full play to hatred, but also how to give full play to kindness and compassion in order to actively rescue and protect all sentient beings.
Chapter 1: What is hatred
Hatred is also called anger of hatred. It is one of the three poisons, which is called the three poisons together with greed and ignorance, and is as harmful to the body and mind of sentient beings as poison. These afflictions of three poisons hinder monasticism and destroy the heart of goodness of the world and out-of-world, make all sentient beings feel hot with all their bodies and minds at the moment, and the temperature rise, so it is also called heat afflictions. Covetousness arises from a situation that one loves, while hatred arises from a situation that one hates, because hatred arises when covetousness fails. As it is said in the Surangama Sutra: “Dissent becomes hatred and the same thought becomes love of greed.”
Section 1: Definition of hatred
Let’s first understand what hatred is. According to the Treatise on All Giving , hatred is desire to do harm to sentient beings. In the Treatise of Sutra Asked by Maitreya Bodhisattva, it is mentioned that hatred is to be angry when one is disgusted with other living beings and wants to hit and harm them, which is contrary to the great kindness and compassion.
The Dharma Garden Zhu Lin says: “What is anger? It is the loss of the root of wanting to hold on to the good dharma, the cause and condition of falling into the three evil paths. Why does it lose the good root and fall into the evil paths? The reason is that when one is angry, one’s mind is bound by hatred and one’s evil karma is so widespread, especially the karma of the mouth which is difficult to control, that if one is not careful, he or she will harm others with violence of words.”
It is also mentioned in the Sutra of the Ten Unwholesome Paths of Karma: “What is hatred? It means to be angry with sentient beings and to annoy and beat them.” From this, we can see that hatred is not only to be angry with sentient beings, but also to annoy them, and even to beat them.
The hatred is only when you are not greedy. If someone else eats dog shit there, he will not be angry. If he doesn’t get to eat the good stuff, he will be angry. If someone else eats dog shit, how can he not be angry? Because you don’t have greed. Therefore, greed is the cause and hatred is the effect; without greed, there will be no hatred.
In summary, hatred is the enmity and hate of all sentient beings, and it is a destructive and harmful mind. The process of its manifestation is firstly the internal psychological effect, and then the external behavior and words to harm oneself and others. However, hatred arises only from the ignorance and evil views of sentient beings, from the belief that all illusory phenomena are real, and from greed.
But the harm and danger are infinite, especially for the Buddhist view of the cause and effect of three lives and infinite life, which will lead to fall into the evil path and cannot be freed from the suffering of birth and death. Therefore, the deeper one one’s understanding of hatred is, the easier it will be to subdue hatred.
Section 2: What are the branch afflictions of wrath, jealousy, anger, annoyance and harm?
The hatred is called the five main afflictions along with the greed, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt , and they can also be divided into some branch afflictions, also called subtle afflictions: wrath, jealousy, anger, annoyance and harm. What are the so-called branch afflictions? They are the details of greed, hatred, ignorance arrogance and doubt. For example, wrath is a branch of hatred, which is a kind of hatred and belongs to one of the manifestations of hatred, and jealousy, anger, annoyance and harm, which all belong to the scope of anger and are all covered by anger, but they each manifest in different points. Among them, jealous and anger are internal, while harm, wrath and annoyance are external.
The analysis of the branch afflictions is very important, as it allows us to recognize precisely what kind of afflictions we belong to and in which category our own state is at every moment. That is, we have to analyze from where to where the afflictions are, what they are, how they are manifested specifically, what they are recreated from, we can observe them in detail, and then compare and study them one by one. If we pay attention to it, we will learn something from it, and have a clearer and more thorough understanding of hatred and its subtle afflictions that are branched out from hatred, so that we can fear the afflictions, and even dread the afflictions, so that we can lay a very solid foundation for the later subduing the afflictions.
As for the following the author will analyze and explore the specific appearance of the branch afflictions that are branched out from the main afflictions one by one, so that we can fully and thoroughly understand the afflictions, so as to subdue the afflictions as soon as possible, as the so-called: If you know yourself and your enemy, a hundred battles will not be dangerous.
1. Wrath: wrath has the meaning of fighting, even to hit, and even to kill. Since the means of disputing, fighting, hitting and killing are infinite, then the feeling and fruits of suffering are also infinite. Wrath is generally through anger before reaching wrath, wrath is an extreme anger. If anger is divided into the upper, middle and lower grades, the height of wrath is equivalent to the upper three grades.
Hatred is not necessarily extreme, but the degree of wrath reaches the extreme, and it can kill. For example, when someone goes to anger another person, it is not necessarily to kill that person, but if the anger towards that person reaches the level of wrath, it will kill. That is, wrath reaches the extreme, high level of anger.
2. Jealousy: Jealousy, is commonly referred to as green-eyed monster, is the affliction conduct of inferiority that one has understood that the other person is really high and one is really low, but refuses to acknowledge them or agree with them, thus showing inferiority afflictions behavior. Jealousy is a combination of greed and hatred, a variation of hate; it is a comprehensive habit of selfishness and self-interest; it only wants to get it for oneself, but never for others; it is because one recognizes all illusions as real, one is incompetent, powerless, inferior, inferior to others, not tolerating others, without kindness ,compassion ,joy and giving, and one sees one’s own people willingly respecting others, so jealousy arises; jealousy is a manifestation of inferiority and witlessness, which will make Jealousy is a manifestation of lowliness and unintelligence, which makes people look ugly. In reality, all jealousy is based on what sentient beings like, and one will not be jealous of what one does not like. Once people establish what they like, they want to have it, but we must clearly know that only by rejoice with the merit and virtue generated by this event and making offerings can we actually have and get it ourselves.
This jealousy is very evil. Why do it say so? Jealousy must be based on a relationship with the other person, and it must be related to the relationship. The more intimate the relationship is, the more jealousy will come out to make trouble. This jealousy is so evil , and it is very harmful.For example, nowadays, there are more people who become officials and rich, but we are not jealous of them; there are more people who become famous and specialists , but we are not jealous of them in most cases, but for those close to ourselves, intimate，if they are good, if they become officials, rich, famous, specialists, or if they are used by their superiors or kind mentors , we cannot stand it and we must be jealous. So, this jealousy is too evil! It is also too terrible!
Why do we want to be jealous when people around us, who are related to us, become officials, get rich, or get well? It is because they are related to us, and we are not jealous of those who are not related to us, and there is no jealousy yet. So jealousy is to destroy and corrupt the merits of each and every one of us. Why in actuality? Jealousy annoyance is just trying to satisfy itself, that’s all. It knows that this person is good and can be satisfied here, while the people on the street and those who are not related to oneself, that are even better, it can’t be satisfied. If people can’t get it, they won’t be jealous; if they can get it, they will be greedy and their greed will expand infinitely, so they will start to be afraid and jealous. If you give him good things and don’t give me good things, I will have less good things, and those good things should be given to me, and I should have them all. It’s because I’m not given the benefits because I’ve been given the benefits.
There is also a more evil and incredible jealousy. For example, Mrs. Ma in “The Eight Dragons of Heaven” was jealous even when she got it, and she was jealous even when she didn’t get it, and she even killed the other party. Why are people jealous when they get it, and jealous when they don’t? For example, Mrs. Ma, Qiao Feng she could not get, but she was jealous of Ah Zhu was held by Qiao Feng. Duan Wangji she got, to be jealous of Duan Wangji followed by other women, they can not be the king consort. Owned, she was also jealous, Ma Dayuan completely got, or was she dealt with. Because he did not obey her, so they killed him.
3 hate: is to put unhappiness in the heart. There is a stalk in the heart, the stalk is uncomfortable waiting for an opportunity to retaliate, the means and methods are infinite, suffering the bitter fruit is also naturally infinite. Hate, anger, and wrath are all within the same scope, but they each have different points of expression. Hate means that the mind is like the earth, and the root of hate is buried. What happens when the root of hatred is buried? When you have hatred for a person, you can’t end it at once, not even for a year, or even bury it deeply and hate it for a lifetime. Sometimes people take an evil vow, saying that they will hate you for 10,000 years and forever, and as a result, they will plant a root of hatred in their heart. But when you hate, are you happy? In fact, when you hate others, you are suffering yourself first. Why do sentient beings need to cultivate a cause of unhappiness for 10,000 years or even forever? It is the annoyance of hatred that is at work. If a sentient being hates others, it is okay for them to be unhappy, but this is not the case. After he hates others, they are still happy and happy, but he himself is in pain. So if he hates someone for 10,000 years, he won’t have to be happy for at least 10,000 years.
The reason why hate, anger and cynicism are separated is that they are different in terms of the point of expression and their degree. In actuality they are all within the scope of one anger worry.
4 annoyance: annoyance, being uncovered to things that do not want people to know or not coveted, will be on fire, annoyed, angry, anger, what to fall, hit anything may be, are created with the annoyance, with the feelings created, with the karma created, indulge me as wrong. Annoyance, first of all, is aversion, and the real annoyance is being provoked. If we analyze it, we will know that the annoyance is caused by people, but what is the annoyance that is caused? In fact, it is different from hatred and anger. Although it is within the scope of hatred, it is different in degree and taste.
The reason why hate, anger and cynicism are separated is that they are different in terms of the point of expression and their degree. In actuality they are all within the scope of one anger worry.
4 annoyance: being uncovered to things that do not want people to know or not coveted, one will feel terribly hot, bristle with anger, throw anything, hit or strike anything, which are created with the annoyance, created with the feelings, created with the karma, indulge me as wrong. Annoyance, first of all, is aversion, and the real annoyance is being provoked. If we analyze it, we will know that the annoyance is caused by people, but what is the annoyance that is caused? In fact, it is different from the state of hatred and anger. Although they are within the scope of hatred, they are different in degree and taste.
Under what circumstances do people become annoyed? How can someone annoy you? For example, sometimes when you say something good about a person, he is also annoyed, and when you say something bad about him, he is also annoyed, why? It’s that you’re not in line with what he means at the moment. Therefore, sometimes people are very strange, because sometimes, today you have to say this, she will be happy, but the next day, if you still say that, she will not be happy.
For example, a man and his wife say things to each other that she likes to hear, and she likes them very much. Suddenly he meets a woman on the street, to say the same thing to her, may be looking to be beaten up. There is a problem here, why his wife will like it, the street people will smack him, beat him up? Because he pissed her off. We should know what annoyance means, that is, he triggered her, pissed her off, made her annoyed.
In reality, we can now know that real annoyance is caused by ourselves to others. For example, people on the street, who have no reason to hate themselves, can’t be hated yet, because it is the point that people like, or covet that triggers hate. So this annoyance can only be described as aversion. For example, if you meet a demented person on the street, and your clothes were clean, if he accidentally soiled your clothes, you will be disgusted and annoyed with him, but you will not necessarily hate him.
5 harm: generally there are four kinds of harm: 1. foolish harm: for example, when studying at school, put the bucket and blackboard eraser on the door to tease the teacher; 2 harm caused by greed: be greedy for their own bodies, do not let mosquitoes and flies bite, so they kill mosquitoes and flies; 3 harm caused by anger: because anger arises, I hate the partner, I have to put him to death, I have to get the partner killed. This is mainly reflected in the harm of those who obey me, being prosperous, and those who disobey me, dying. I am so strong and firm that I will be annoyed and I want to harm the other person if the other person is not obedient to me. 4 The harm of being arrogant: I am high and others are now going to surpass me, so I want to harm them and destroy them.
No matter what kind of mind one gives rise to, as long as it produces a loss to others, especially it makes others sad, it belongs to a harm. If one wants to take revenge or retaliate, one will give rise to the mind of harm; or if one wants to protect oneself ,one will give rise to the mind of harm, such as hitting a mosquito or stabbing a car tire, one will do harm in revenge. The point is that the mind is the root, and because one’s mind is different, the harm produced is also similar, such as wanting to destroy others, or at least making others suffer losses, always harming them a little.
No matter what one’s words or actions are, as long as one does them intentionally, they all belong to harm, only the tricks are different. For example, some people use sleep to harm people, deliberately ignore people, that is also a kind of harm. The result is that after half a day, you make yourself miserable, others do not feel it, and even others do not know that she has been in pain for years. Some people ask how sleep can harm people. Sleep can harm people. For example, I sleep for a few days and nights ignoring the other side, so that the other side has no choice, so that the other side will beg me, so that the other side will beg me on their knees, I am the emperor, the other side must beg me, which is the right thing to do.
In reality, calculate up and down is to calculate themselves, harm up and down is to harm themselves, not to harm others. You are in pain there, and you are dying of pain, and others don’t know you are in pain there, and think you are sleeping there. If so, we let ourselves die of pain, which is very ridiculous, and shameful. After a long time, others are not angry, but as a result we make ourselves half dead.
As the analogy of spitting from the sky in the Sutra on the Forty-two Chapters Preached by the Buddha is the same: “A wicked person who harms the wise is like spitting from the sky, but the spittle does not reach the sky, but falls down to oneself. When the dust is raised against the wind, the dust does not reach the others, but also brings into his own body.”
Chapter 2: The Effects, Hazards, and Sufferings of hatred
The characteristic of hatred is that it is like a bomb or an atomic bomb that destroys the object of one’s rejection that is not to one’s liking. In fact, before one destroys the object one hates, the first to be corrupted is oneself, because hatred not only brings bad effects and endless mischief to the body and mind at the moment, but also triggers the consequences of falling into the evil paths in the future.
What anger brings to sentient beings is the appearance of corruption, self-harm, and future bad luck. The two sentences mentioned in the Sutra of the Great Square Wide and Perfect Enlightenment and Ultimate Clear Meanings: “When the kind mentor approaches you , you should have no pride or arrogance, when the kind mentor stays away from you, you should have no hatred or anger.” It specifically mentions that one must not be angered when the kind mentor is far away from oneself, that is to let us know that anger can corrupt all the good of sentient beings, it can cause sentient beings to mutilate themselves, and it can cause sentient beings to be in a mess in the future. Anger, too, can go deeper vertically in the form of delusion, in the form of feeling, and in the form of impulsiveness. The deeper sentient beings go into hatred, the more difficult it is for them to extricate themselves from it. It has such a corrupting and destroying effect on sentient beings, and even all kinds of bad luck in the future are shaped by it. When one is truly enlightened, no one will dare to move hatred.
That is why the Surangama Sutra mentions the ten habits of the Bodhisattva, which also include the hatred habit. The bodhisattva has to overcome even if the hatred and other annoying habits are very strong, and he will be scared to death because he has powerful wisdom: “When a Bodhisattva sees hatred, it is like avoiding execution” . Otherwise, he would not have entered the Dharma side at all, he would just be a person on the demonic path, not related to Buddhism. Therefore, if sentient beings want to leave suffering and achieve happiness , practice the Bodhisattva path, and subdue demons to achieve the path to Bodhi, they must know that hatred and other afflictions have corrupting properties, are self-inflicted, and are to let the fate of his lifetimes all in the bad luck, and can always keep in mind the horror of greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, doubt and false thinking, feeling and impulses, and be as afraid of the causes of the ten habits including hatred as bodhisattvas are, and try to overcome hatred and other habits of afflictions, no matter how powerful they are!
In the following, I will analyze how hatred and its branch afflictions are created and the destructive power they produce.
Section 1: How hatred and its branch afflictions are created and the sufferings and harm they produce
In the seventh section of the Sutra Expounded by the Great Sazeniganzi, “If the king does evil deeds and has his hatred, he does not see the reality of things, then he makes all sentient beings get terrible and even his parents awe-stricken, not to mention the rest of his non-relatives, but should he have love? The king should know that a wise man gives up his hatred.”
From this, we can see that if one carries the mind of hatred, even if one cultivates to the position of king, in the end, his parents are afraid, the relatives around him are afraid, no one will love and miss him, and he will only become a miserable loner.
It is said in the Sutra of the Summary Teachings on Nirvana Preached by the Buddha: “The harm of hatred can destroy all good dharma and good reputation, and the people will not be pleased to see it in this life and the future life. You should know that hatred is more than a fierce fire, always guard against it, and do not let it enter. The robber of merit and virtue is not more than the hatred.” From the quotation, it can be seen that hatred is a great danger to the cultivation of the Buddha’s path of out-of-worldly virtue, is more than the destructive power of fierce fire and the robber that robs the merit and virtue.
So what are the specific manifestations of hatred in life? For example, some people like to frown in life. In fact, this frown is hatred, and it is a manifestation of the darkness in the heart, and at the same time, the face is also very ugly, and no one wants to see a person frowning all day long. But some people frown all day long, including when studying, he also frowns, why does he frown? It is because he wants to learn this knowledge very much, and he is very concentrated there, sometimes with hatred ,with anger. In reality, if a person learns with anger and hatred about any point of knowledge, he will not get what he wants, will be poles apart, and he will not get the knowledge because he uses the opposite method.
Hatred is bound to eventually bring very serious harm, corruption and even death to oneself. Hatred is like fire burning oneself and then letting it spread to burn others. In fact, burning others is burning oneself, and tormenting others is tormenting oneself; The Sutra of the Path of Ten Good Karma mentions the rewards of staying away from hatred: “If you stay away from hatred, you will get eight kinds of joyful mind”, which, on the contrary, are the eight kinds of painful mentalities incurred by hatred:
Firstly, it increases of annoyance. Secondly, it increases anger. Thirdly it increases the quarreling and lawsuit mind. Fourthly, it causes hardening and bending of the mind. Fifthly,
it incurs the feeling of constant suffering. Sixthly, it causes uneasiness in all people. Seventhly, it incurs ugliness of the body. Eighthly, it incurs the hell, the hungry ghosts and beasts . In later life, if he is born as a human being, the external retribution one incurs is: the fruit of which is bitterness and constant suffering (always immersing oneself in suffering).
In the Flower Adornment Sutra, it is said, “The sin of hatred also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil paths. If he is born as a human being, he will receive two kinds of retributions: one is always sought by others for his advantages and disadvantages, and the other is always annoyed by others.
Hatred is a bomb, an explosion, destruction, capable of blowing up all the good things such as gold, silver and jewelry next to you; it is even an atomic bomb, capable of completely destroying all the good; hatred is more terrible than shooting yourself, with it, all the good immediately goes bye-bye, all the bad immediately cashes in; anger is much more terrible than the devil, the king of hell, they forever haunt your wisdom life, and the devil, the king of hell is able to smash your body to pieces!
In life and work, how does one’s hatred specifically create and manifest itself? Often, the best of a happy event, because of anger, but also makes each other unhappy, into embarrassment, sad state; things that should be successful did not succeed, such as transferring the most desirable job, it was lost because of a temper, an inappropriate word, and then into a lost step into the painful state;
A good friend that should be gained was not gained, an ugly expression, a sad word, a rude action generated because of hatred made the cooked duck fly away, and lived in pain for about six months, leaving endless sadness and regret, becoming a lifelong regret and joke. In fact, it is only because of the anger of that year! At that time, I thought it was good. In fact, I was already sold out by hatred, sold to hell in the future, but I was still shouting “Hooray” and counting money for it. It is really pitiable, sad and saddening, foolish, evil and perverse, causing the relatives painful and the enemies pleased !
This hatred can sometimes make one do anything and say anything, it does not count the serious consequences, but hatred will certainly bring very serious harm and corruption to oneself in the end, and even both sides of the hatred will lose their lives.
Example: detained and fined for hatred
Once saw such a piece of news: married man in the subway begging to add friends can not be successful, irritated swinging fist to storm the beauty
On April 15, 2019, Wuhan, Hubei metro 2 online, the man Huang felt a female passenger next to him looked beautiful, and hit on to ask for contact information. After being rejected several times, Huang felt humiliated in public, annoyed, and punched her twice towards the female passenger’s face very violently, and then turned around and ran off the train. It is understood that Huang had been warned by the leader for asking for the contact information of pretty girls, his wife also had a fight with him. At present, Huang is under administrative detention for 10 days and fined 200 yuan for assault.
We have already realized how our hatred is created and manifested in our life and work and the horrible problems, hazards and sufferings they bring. Then, the wrath, jealousy, anger, annoyance and harm that are branched out because of hatred, how are they created specifically and what horrible faults, hazards and pains do they bring in history, in daily life and work ?
1 Wrath.
In life and work, how does one’s wrath create and manifest itself specifically?
For example, in the past, when I played Go, Xiangqi, and Mahjong, I racked my brains , and even bought a lot of professional books to study and understand them, and I wanted to be a professional killer in these fields, and I wanted to become a master of the world by playing Go, so that everyone would obey me. The mind, language, and actions had been used to fight against opponent by me, and the opponent must be killed and defeated, and the opponent had been encircled, chased, obstructed and intercepted, and I was not be satisfied until the opponent had been destroyed, and I resorted to extreme measures, even on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, I did not stop, so I could be considered the evilest vigor.
I was not filial to my parents, and I did not respect my parents and sisters, and often had a fighting heart, and fought with my parents and sisters, and then I carried on such bad karma and vicious habits, and fought with anyone who messed with me, regardless of lowliness or nobleness, male or female, old or young.
The problems, hazards and sufferings brought by wrath: relation of tension with colleagues, leaders and family members, causing everyone to stay away; not making a few close friends, often being sad there alone, feeling lonely and helpless.
2 Jealousy:
In the long history, how do beings’ jealousy create and manifest in a concrete way?
For example, in The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhou Yu, the great general of Wu, who was able to destroy Cao Cao’s army of a million ashes in a matter of minutes, vomited blood and died because he was jealous of the talent of Zhuge Liang, with whom he had collaborated in battle, the eternal tragedy has been left behind that since Zhou Yu was born, why Zhuge Liang was also born.
What happens to people who are jealous? They will definitely squeeze each other away. Just like a piece of tofu in your hand, if you take good care of it, this very complete piece of tofu, it will be in your hand forever. But some people are afraid of dropping it, afraid that others will grab it, so they push it hard and end up squeezing it out, squeezing out with their own hands what they like and care about, and even giving it to others.
For example, some men squeeze their women away, some women squeeze their men away, originally grabbing in the hands is so good, not being anxious and not be jealous is just very good, as the result she is anxious and jealous so that she squeezes away the man , and is also in that self-talk: how did you run away? In fact, it is her own hands to squeeze away! But she does not know, and blames the man, and even angers at others, angers at parental incompetence, is angry with the heaven and earth not working, angers the Three Jewels not being compassionate.
This jealousy is the opposite, upside down, so not only will you get it, you will lose it. Why do sentient beings always want to harm themselves with jealousy ? In reality, the wisdom of cause and effect is not yet penetrated, and those who have penetrated the wisdom of cause and effect will look at cause and effect according to their wisdom. He will let others be good first, rejoice with something and praise them. In reality, it seems to be that he lets others gain, but in the end, he gains by himself. When he gains apparently, he actually loses. The actual law of cause and effect is that you lose what you envy, and you gain what you rejoice with.
Then, in life and work, how does one’s jealousy create?
I was once jealous of the kind mentor for giving others small meals, giving blessings and more care, so that I felt the kind mentor often avoided myself to benefit sentient beings; I was jealous of my parents for being partial to my sisters, even if they gave them a little bit of good, my jealousy moved and I was unhappy; I got my own salary, but I went to be jealous of others with high salaries and bonuses, why should he get so much? If I don’t have an official position, I am jealous of those colleagues who know how to be able to achieve success one way or another and know how to advance and retreat, and I am jealous of them for having everything including eating,drinking,playing and amusing.
The disadvantages, hazards and sufferings brought about by jealousy: getting further and further away from others and from all the true merits and virtues of others; good conditions will gradually leave and bad conditions will come. Jealousy will make me lose everything I like the most forever. Jealousy will make me reach the madness and ferocity of King Jiali in Volume 2 of the the Sutra of Sages and Fools, and I will lose a lot of things at once, making all his family members and men there feel bitterly disappointed.
Those who have jealousy must be angry; the more jealous they are, the less their own merit, virtue and ability are; jealous when they see others who are officials, jealous when they see others who are rich, jealous when they see others eat, drink, play and amuse, jealous when they see others who learn Buddhism well and learn it highly and learn it quickly, jealous when they see others who are dashing and beautiful, jealous when they see others have strong business ability and do good work, jealous when they see the kind mentor treating others well and giving others opportunities for achievement;
When I see or hear that others, especially my own disciples, approach, respect, offer and serve the Good Advisor, I am also jealous. When I see that others believe in and like the Good Advisor, listen to the Good Advisor, pay great respect , praise and offering to the Good Advisor,and that the latter is on top, I feel very bad, or I am jealous and resentful, or I am unhappy, or I do not rejoice with it, or I reject, or I am arrogant, or I am having a maggot in my head, creating a terrible bad karma that distances me from the Good Advisor, and the sad thing is that I sometimes do not know that I have created such bad karma; if I walk with jealousy, it is a fixed karma and I cannot change my destiny; jealousy is sulfuric acid, it can corrupt all good conditions and destroy my ultimate wish;
and it only cuts off good conditions, disintegrates good conditions, and destroys good conditions; jealousy is like cow dung when it appears, it gives others a bad feeling; when others get a little good, I start to be jealous, start to feel sad and uncomfortable in my heart. When I see someone gain a few benefits, it is like an arrow in my heart; when I hear someone gain happiness, it is like a nail entering in my eye. The evil karma is driven by the fierce jealousy, finding fault with people, picking on them, giving them a bad face, talking about their faults, destroy others’ good things, or even creating something out of nothing, slighting ,destroying slandering them, annoying and obstructing them. I am ashamed to face those good relatives and friends I was jealous of, and I am uncomfortable everywhere.
3 anger:
In life and work, how is my own anger specifically made?
For example, no matter who it is, as long as it does not go my way, there is a trace of unhappiness in the heart, gathering conditions and shaking them within , put them in the heart shaking, the more I shake, the more uncomfortable I am, and even develop to harm, to take revenge on the people who make me unhappy; when losing love once, I feel ill and ill in my heart, and I want to give some bad feelings to her one day , so that it makes her also not want to live so beautifully; When I hear the continuous sound of firecrackers or other noise, affecting my communication with others, I feel unbearable and blocking, and I think: “Does this firecracker have nothing to do? What’s wrong with you doing something, how can you disrupt my conversation!
The faults, hazards and sufferings brought by anger: anger is strong, hard and curved mind, rigid and difficult to be transformed, the fruit is bitter and one receives constant suffering from it; it is like a bomb that blows away all the good, etc.; anger is often born with high frequency, living in the whirlpool of hatred, it is as if the body and mind are all distorted; regrets often arise endlessly, but the power of the anger habit often drags me along, and I simply cannot correct myself; In the present moment I cannot become one with the people, things, objects and places where I am.
4 Annoyance:
In life and work, and how is my own annoyance specifically created and manifested?
For example, when my father revealed my own scars, saying that I was useless, useless at work, useless in dealing with people and business and useless in dealing with girls, I was particularly annoyed with him and hated him, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I became. Several times I thought: such a father is really annoying, what is the use of being by my side, he does not understand me too much, and I had better go away from him, so that I can not see him for a long time, and no longer need to deal with him. I don’t know how unlucky I will be in the future if I follow my own annoyance to disobey and hurt my parents’ great blessing field!
The danger ,harm and suffering caused by annoyance: I will be completely separated from the other person, and I will have no peace in my mind and body; when I think of this person, thing or object, I will only hate, get tired and complain, and I will not be able to control myself; I will feel terribly hot sometimes, and I will even be ashamed into anger , bristle with anger.
5 harm:
In life and work, and how is my harm specifically made and manifested?
For example: the harmful mind triggered by ignorance, throwing pen water at others, putting some words on the back of classmates: so-and-so is a tortoise. When I was a child, I did this kind of harm to others. This harm was really the harm of ignorance, the harm of being uneducated, but at that time I felt just funny at that time. How is it fun? I went to throw the pen water on others, in fact others did not offend me, I did not hate others, was nor greedy, was just fun, but this caused great harm to others, because the pen water thrown to others’ clothes of cloth can not be washed off, and was also very ugly. Also, at classmates’ parties, taking cakes and smashing them in people’s faces, trying to liven up the atmosphere, just like flinging pen water to classmates, is also harming others.
I used to secretly put lard into the pot used for cooking by my mother who is a vegetarian, and I laughed when I saw how disgusted she looked after eating it; I amused myself by fishing for lobsters as a pastime; I pretended to be a ghost, made strange faces, and suddenly rushed out from a dark corner to trick and scare my sisters, classmates, and buddies, making them panic and even unable to sleep at night, so I was comfortable; I ostensibly invited others to sit down, but jerked off the chair, causing others to tumble and fall to the ground, while secretly making fun of themselves, which was really young and inexperienced.When I was in junior high school, I was very curious about everything about my teacher when I was looking after his room for him who trusted me, so I peeked at her love letters and rummaged through the books in his room.
The danger, harm and suffering brought by the harm: I feel that in this life, there are few people who sincerely help me, and so many people who harm me; love, marriage, family, work, and practice are almost always calculated, broken and even corrupted; the feeling of being harmed by others cannot be eliminated for a long time, and I cannot calm down, and even reach a nervous trance, so I must take revenge on the other party to relieve my hatred, and create evil karma one after another, and it was like the vicious cycle .
Section 2: The characteristics and harm of anger
The nature of anger can be discussed and analyzed from the parables of hatred in the classics. It is one of the common ways for the Buddha to expound Dharma, and it is a skillful way to let beings penetrate into the mystery of Buddha’s doctrine, so many sutras also contain many parables about hatred. In this section, I will analyze the nature of hatred metaphors and summarize them, so as to discuss the relevance of the words quoted in the metaphors to hatred.
After analysis, the nature of anger can be summarized into four points: first, destructive; second, intimidating; third, difficult to get rid of stubbornness; fourth, untrue and false. From these four points, we can see the nature of hatred, hatred has the power to destroy the good dharma, hatred is fearful and dare not approach, and the habit of hatred is difficult to cure, but in fact, hatred and its original cause are false and unreal.
1. Destructive
In the sutras, sharp knives, big axes, wild horses and hurricanes are used to describe the powerful destructive power of hatred. The destructive power is mainly directed at the destruction of remembering good dharma.
It is written in Volume 4 of the Sutra of Special Translation of the Miscellaneous Ahan that “hatred is like a wild horse; a wild horse must be stopped by a bridle”, but this is not the strongest restraint, if you can subdue your own mind, only then can it be considered solid. In Volume 9 of the Sutra on Ornament of the Mahayana , it is mentioned that “hatred is like a sharp sword that cuts off and separates deep love and righteousness without regard for human feelings and righteousness.” Even practitioners who follow the Dharma and rite and the precepts as they should, can be killed by the sword of anger if they are not careful. Hatred is like a hurricane sweeping through everything, and those who lose their senses in anger are followed by bad-mouthing.
Volume 1 of The Sutra of the Mind Place of Right Dharma says: “Hatred is like a great axe that can cut off the bridge of the Dharma.” The bridge has the function of connecting this shore and the other shore, meaning that through the bridge of Dharma, one can go from this shore of afflictions to the other shore of purity. But on the other hand, hatred is like a big sharp axe that cuts off the bridge of Dharma and therefore cannot reach the other shore of liberation from afflictions.
2. Fearfulness
The mind of a slaughtering yoke, an evil sore, a tiger, a poisonous snake, a fire, and a poisonous dragon is used to illustrate that the angry mind has the characteristic of being too fearful to approach.
3. Difficult to get rid of stubbornness
In the Sutras, the contrast between drawing stones and drawing water, and the contrast between a great fire and an electric light, as well as the contrast between making a cocoon and binding oneself, are used to describe the stubborn nature of hatred that is difficult to remove and difficult to cure.
The Mahaparinirvana Sutra compares hatred to drawing a stone and goodness to drawing water; hatred is like the gathering of great fire, and goodness is like the bright of the lightning. In terms of the profundity of dwelling hatred and goodness, hatred is like carving words into stone, deep and obvious; but goodness is only like words written on water, fading quickly and elusive.Through the illustration of these two analogies, the average person lets hatred develop as it pleases, concentrating on faithfully following hatred and anger, and thus the force of the attack is stronger and deeper, while the force of goodness appears so weak.
When hatred arises while listening to the Dharma, it is like a silkworm that binds itself with the silk it spits out. In Volume 2 of the Contemplating Dharma of Pure Mind Precepts, it is said, “Hearing the Dharma and becoming angry is like a silkworm spitting out silk cocoons, and the sinful karma is tied up in itself.” The hatred that arises within oneself binds one’s body and mind and prevents one from following the teachings of the Buddha to free oneself from afflictions. This is a cocoon of self-bondage.
4. Insubstantiality and delusion
Hatred is like smoke, cloud, flame and shadow, just like a mirage that is illusory and evanescent, and has no real entity, The nature of transformation, acting and changing is highly evolutive. In Volume 5 of the Sutra of Special Translation of the Miscellaneous Ahan: “The poison of hatred is like smoke, and like oil cast into fire.” And vol. 29 of Quotes of Passing on the Dharma lights of Jingde says: “Greed and anger are like flames and shadows”. The metaphor of hatred is just an unrealistic illusion, and one should not hold on to it separately.
Hatred is also like the moon. The moon’s external appearance is indefinite, sometimes full and sometimes lossy, with constant changes in profit and loss, perfect and lack. At the same time, if the three poisons cannot be removed, the goodness in the mind will gradually diminish, just like the moon that gradually becomes full and lossy.
Another example is the Song of the Way of Enlightenment written by Zen Master Yong Jia, which says: “The five floating clouds of the five skandhas are empty to go and come, the three poisonous bubbles are illusory to appear and disappear.” It also clarifies the illusory nature of hatred, which is like a water bubble that is born and dies, but is just an illusion of birth and death.
In summary, we can better understand and realize the four great characteristics of hatred, namely, destructive, fearful, difficult to get rid of, and unreal and delusive.
Section 3: Once one thought of hatred arises, gates with millions of barriers will open
The Avatamsaka Sutra says:
I do not see any dharma has such great fault, such as all Bodhisattvas have anger at other Bodhisattvas. What is the reason for this? Buddha! If all Bodhisattvas have anger at another Bodhisattva, they will accomplish gates with a million obstacles. What are a million obstacles? They are: the obstacle of not seeing Bodhi, the obstacle of not hearing the right Dharma……
From this, we can see that the harm of hatred is too great, that is, Once one thought of hatred arises, gates with millions of barriers will open ! Fire of hatred burns the forest of merit and virtue! As long as this Bodhisattva has a single thought of hatred or anger toward another Bodhisattva, no evil karma can be greater than this evil karma, and all the gates to achieving all good and even supreme Bodhi are henceforth closed, and all the gates to achieving all bad and even to the inability to practice precepts, concentrations and wisdom are henceforth opened.
Hatred is a little more terrible than that arrogance. Arrogance , at best, is not soft, is cold, hard, and high, but it can only speak of self-obstruction. But hatred is an obstacle everywhere, and that’s a problem , gates with millions of barriers will open. In addition to the millions of obstacles, plus the difficult and dull three karma , it is difficult to break out of the ambush circle of afflictions in that area, and after that, it is even more difficult to put several mountains of karma on one’s back.
Some may ask: I haven’t understood this principle, if he only has one thought of hatred towards one Bodhisattva, why would all his good, benefits ,merits and virtues be obstructed? I only create karma against one Bodhisattva, how is it possible that I have created karma with all those Dharmas and I have not committed to the Dharma?
Because this Bodhisattva has to learn all the Dharmas, Buddha’s insights, Buddha’s wisdom, Buddha’s realm, Buddha’s merits and virtues, Buddha’s ability, that now you create bad karma with hatred towards him is the same as creating bad karma against all the Dharma, Buddha’s insights, Buddha’s wisdom, Buddha’s realm, Buddha’s merits and virtues , Buddha’s ability; the Bodhisattva has to learn and perfect all the Dharma, the Bodhisattva has Buddhas in his heart, has Dharma in his heart, and Buddhas represent infinite merits ,virtues and abilities; Dharma also represents infinite Dharma , and the Bodhisattva has to vow to learn the unlimited Dharma doors.
Therefore, if one creates karma against the Bodhisattva with hatred, all the goodness, merits, virtues and benefits are wiped out.
The hatred towards the Bodhisattva will form the millions of obstacles mentioned above, but that one does not exclude the good conditions that sentient beings originally have with the dharma, good conditions are still there, they like it, but they just can’t cultivate it within, and they can’t cultivate it through.
Just like the 500 Bodhisattvas led by Sakyamuni Buddha and left behind by the ancient Buddhas in the Sutra of Great Jewel Accumulated, they wanted to practice, but could not do so, and often did what they should not do because of forgetting the right thoughts, which is the state of being obstructed and not practicing on. This is what the Sutra of Great Jewel Accumulated records:
Section 4: Incurring deep suffering in the three evil paths of hell, animals and hungry ghosts
Firstly, in the Sutra Expounded by the Great Sazeniqianzi, it is said: “The sin of anger also causes sentient beings to fall into hell, animals and hungry ghosts. If one is born in the realm of human beings and attains two kinds of retributions, firstly, having no mind of peace, secondly ,always thinking of harm and no mind of giving happiness.
Next, in the Avatamsaka Sutra, it is said : “The sin of hatred also causes sentient beings to fall into the three evil paths.”
Chapter 3: Effects, benefits ，peace and happiness brought by not being angry
Section 1: A Wheel-Turning Sage King attains the Seven Jewels by staying away from hatred
The king said, “Master, by what cause did the Wheel-Turning Sage King attain the First Lady’s Treasure, and how did he attain it? The answer was: “Great King, the Wheel-Turning Sage King has attained the First Lady’s Jewel by virtue of being free from the bad karma of hatred…and has obtained the second muni jewel on the basis of staying away from the bad karma of hatred…and has obtained the seventh main collecting jewel by virtue of being free from the bad karma of hatred.
According to the scriptures, it is not difficult for us to find that the seven treasures of the Wheel-turning Holy King are all obtained by keeping away from hatred; if he does not keep away from hatred, the Wheel-turning Holy King cannot obtain the seven treasures. In other words, with hatred present, all the treasures will be far away.
Section 2: The Eight Joyful States of Mind by Keeping Away from hatred
The Sutra of Ten Good Paths of Karma mentions that:
Moreover , Dragon King, if one is free from hatred, one attains the eight kinds dharma of joyful mind. What are the eight? First , a mind free of distress and vexation, second, a mind free of hatred, third, a mind free of contention, fourth, a mind of gentleness and straightforwardness, fifth, a mind of compassion for the saints, sixth, a mind of constant benefit and making them peaceful for all sentient beings, seven ,he has a dignified appearance and is respected by all, and eighth, he will be born in the Brahma world quickly because of his soft and realization.
These are the eight kinds dharma of joyful mind. If one can return to Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, when he becomes a Buddha later on, he will have mind with no hindrance, and his viewers will not be bored.
In a word, if one keeps away from hatred, one can obtain eight kinds of extraordinary heart-pleasing virtues and merits. If one can further return to the supreme right equivalence and enlightenment, when one becomes a Buddha in the future, one will be able to attain a hindrance-free mind and no one who sees it will get bored.
Section 3: Freedom from anger will attain “Freedom from arrogance, dignified appearance ” and many other extraordinary virtues and merits
The Sutra of Mahayana Great Rally Ten Wheels of Earth Store
mentions that:
They are free from arrogance, dignified in appearance, free from defects in all roots, and always still in mind, such sentient beings are born in their kingdoms, and their merits and virtues of kindness and compassion are perfected and majestic .
In summary, if you stay away from hatred, you will obtain many excellent benefits, merits and virtues: wherever you are born, your mind is pure, free from all dust and defilements, regular, wise, peaceful and happy, and you will often meet all good advisors and follow them accordingly; often see all Buddhas and listen to the Buddha dharma from them.
Chapter 4: How to subdue hatred as a Bodhisattva practitioner
Now that we know how terrible, fearful, and destructive hatred is, how should a Bodhisattva practitioner think and cultivate correctly to subdue hatred?
If a Bodhisattva practitioner wants to subdue hatred, he should be wise and enlightened as his first guide, that is, he should first understand when people are angry and why they are angry. According to the author’s long-term observation and investigation in daily life, these are the times when people become angry and bored: when others do not give them face; when others ignore them and fail to satisfy their desires; when they have feelings and love for each other but the other party abandons them; when selfish greed is so strong that they would rather have their own bad luck than let others get bad, or even burn the Jade Stone. From this, it can be seen that hatred, which is nothing but the instant need to play out and give vent to one’s heart’s dissatisfaction because the opponent has disobeyed one’s covetousness, eventually makes oneself stink, everything that he does is nothing but sin and offenses and nothing but karma.
Then, as a Bodhisattva, one should not forget the great Bodhi mind that one has developed to become the Buddha path upwards and transform all sentient beings downwards, think and practice according to the Buddha’s wisdom and the iron law of cause and effect; play the heart of kindness, compassion joy and giving, joyfully, and actively to relieve all suffering sentient beings whose hearts are full of hatred ,and obstinate and hard to be transformed, and should not be like the troublesome worldly beings to calculate every cent with all sentient beings, to count every drop, to return like for like, to return hatred for hatred, to repay hitting with hitting, to repay killing with killing .In this way, one’s own hatred will be naturally subdued and all sentient beings will be relieved, and one will truly practice the Bodhisattva practice of self-benefit and altruism.
So, what are the specific ways to subdue hatred?
Section 1: Subduing hatred according to the Buddha’s precepts
As the Brahma Net Sutra, says:
Disciples of Buddha! You must not repay anger with anger or beatings with beatings. If one kills one’s parents, brothers, or six relatives, one must not retaliate. If a lord of a kingdom is killed by others, no retribution shall be given.
And the Bodhisattva is asked:
If the disciples of the Buddha, self-hatred, teaching others to anger, cause of hatred, condition of hatred, method of hatred, and karma of hatred, but the Bodhisattva should give rise to the root of goodness and no quarrelling in all living beings; always give rise to the mind of kindness and compassion.
But in all sentient beings, and even in non-sentient beings, the Bodhisattva insults and abuses with his harsh speech, beats with his hands, and uses a sword and a staff, and the mind of hatred still does not cease. If a person who has asked for repentance and kindly confessed, but the Bodhisattva is still angry and does not understand him, that is the Bodhisattva’s massive offense.
If a Bodhisattva practitioner, in his daily life, work, and practice, does not have the interests of all sentient beings as center, and repays anger with anger and beating with beating, he has violated the Bodhisattva precepts and lost the kindness and compassion he should have as a Bodhisattva. However, as long as the Bodhisattva practitioner keeps these precepts in his mind and strictly observes them, knowing that the Bodhisattva precepts are to ensure liberation, that the Bodhisattva precepts are to prevent wrongdoing and stop evil, and that the Bodhisattva precepts are centered on the interests of all sentient beings, he will naturally refrain from following the hatred. Once he doesn’t follow the hatred, the hatred is rested and being rested is bodhi, and the hatred is naturally subdued.
The second section According to the Buddha’s wisdom to subdue hatred
1. According to the ten methods to subdue hatred
The Avatamsaka Sutra says:
Therefore, all Bodhisattvas , Mahasattvas should diligently practice ten kinds of methods if they want to satisfy all Bodhisattva practices quickly. What are the ten? They are: not to abandon all sentient beings, to give rise to thinking all Bodhisattvas as the Buddhas, never to slander all Buddhadharma, to know that all lands are infinite, to have deep faith and happiness in Bodhisattva practice, not to give up the Bodhi mind of equality like emptiness and dharma realm, to observe the bodhi to enter into the power of the Buddhas, to diligently practice unhindered eloquence, to teach all sentient beings without fatigue and tirelessness, and to live in all worlds without any attachment.
From the above, it is clear that as long as the Bodhisattva practitioner does well in these ten points and follows these ten methods to practice, he can not only subdue hatred, but also quickly and completely fulfill all kinds of Bodhisattva practices.
2. When a Bodhisattva sees hatred, it is like avoiding execution. According to Volume 8 of the Shurangama Sutra, it is written that:
All the Buddhas in the ten directions have hatred as sharp swords in their eyes. When the Bodhisattva sees hatred, it is like avoiding execution.
Here: When a Bodhisattva sees hatred, it is like avoiding execution, which is the trick to subdue hatred. What is the appearance of hatred when sentient beings are angry? The first thing is to be disobedient , and the phenomenon of hatred and generating fire comes only when there is constant disobedience and disobedience. Why do sentient beings have to be disobedient? It is because after networking with hatred, they start to heat up within, and the hatred fire and heavy smoke comes out from the seven orifices, and even without reaching out to fight or beat, the hatred fire light and fierce light in the eyes will burn others.
Therefore, in the end, the hatred is bound to bring about the painful consequences or retributions. Since a wise and compassionate Bodhisattva knows the terrible consequences caused by hatred, how should he face the hatred? He will avoid the anger of himself and all sentient beings as if he were avoiding a murderer with a sharp killing weapon, he is very afraid and dreadful, and he will run away as soon as possible, knowing precisely that if he is one step slow, he will be killed by the hatred of all sentient beings, and also cause sentient beings to create deep and boundless great evil karma.
At the same time, as one develops kindness and compassion internally and actively defends the good roots and benefits of sentient beings, one can avoid the evil conditions of the angrily minded actions of sentient beings in time, and one can also make sentient beings stop successively creating great evil karma in oneself with the evil habit of angry mindedness, so that the degree of evil karma created by sentient beings is greatly reduced, and one also achieves the original intention and purpose of being a Bodhisattva practitioner with kindness and compassion and saving the world.
3. Recognizing one’s own stigma and gentleness are wonderful recipes. As Master Han Shan wrote in his Song of Awakening the World , “The red dust and the white waves are vast, but recognizing one’s own stigma and gentleness are wonderful remedies.” From this, we can see that when one is patient and gentle, one becomes stable and all sentient beings are peaceful and happy. So recognizing one’s own stigma and gentleness are wonderful remedies to subdue hatred.
In reality, one’s life in this Saha world, the evil world of the five turbidities, is like the red dust and the white waves , and the future is so uncertain that one really does not know what will happen tomorrow. How do we adapt to and face the complexities of society? Recognizing one’s own stigma and gentleness are wonderful ways. As a Bodhisattva practitioner, if you want to create a career and handle interpersonal relationships successfully, you must always be recognizing your own stigma patient and gentle, and provide excellent choicest conditions for all sentient beings, because there are so many bad conditions in this Saha world and in the evil worlds of turbidities, and they are almost everywhere , and they come without seeking. If you don’t pay attention, you will cause yourself and others to drift with your afflictions and create bad karma.
In all things, we should be patient and forbearing, not to be calculating with others, even if we are aggrieved, we have to bear it when we encounter a bad situation. As the saying goes, if you endure something for a while，the wind and waves will calm, and if take a step back, the sea and sky will be unrestrained and far-ranging, you can reach a harmonious and non-contentious state to which everyone aspires. In the past, the great monk Hanshan asked Shide：
“How to deal with the world that defames me, deceives me, humiliates me, laughs at me, belittles me, cheapens me, hates me, and cheats me?”
Shide said: “Just bear with him, let him, let him be, avoid him, be patient with him, respect him, ignore him, and wait for a few years, then watch him!”
There was also a monk named hop-pocket in the Fifth Dynasty who, after receiving an offering from a farmer, gave him the following advice: “When you put green rice seedlings full of the field, you can see the sky in the water when you lower your head and look down. Purifying the six roots is called the Tao or Path, and a step backward turn out to be a step forward!” It is also telling the world that humility and recognizing one’s own stigma can subdue afflictions and purify the six roots.
Secondly, it is the ability to be gentle. Gentleness can overcome strength. No matter how difficult, frustrating, and dangerous it is, as long as you face it gently and calmly, things will often turn around ，and you can turn swords into ploughshares. As Zhang Ying, the Chancellor of the Qing Dynasty said : “A letter from thousand miles is just for the wall. What is the harm of letting him have three more feet? The Great Wall of Ten Thousand Miles still exists today, but we have not seen the First Emperor of Qin of the past.”
Therefore, in order to subdue anger and benefit sentient beings, for Bodhisattva practitioners, recognizing one’s own stigma and gentleness is indeed a wonderful formula and a supreme magic weapon.
4. To subdue hatred by dedication of merits and virtues and transforming oneself and others according to the principle of the theory of Rubik’s cube.
So, how should we resolve hatred in our daily life? Some people think that they often enter the state of hatred and cannot get out, what should they do? One of the best ways is to dedicate all your merits, virtues and blessings to others immediately when you hate them the most. If you can’t do it, you can give him all your money. If you give it all, your hatred will be removed.
Also note an important point: you can’t regret that one’s offspring does not live up to one’s expectations, you have to transform him according to the principle of rubik’s cube. For example, some parents often say when they hate their children: “I really hope you will get better soon!” In other words, parents hate iron not being changed steel, hate the son who does not become a dragon, hate the daughter who does not become a phoenix. In other words, parents hate their sons and daughters for not becoming dragons and phoenixes. Hating their children in this way is useless and even counterproductive. Because these are corresponding with anger and hatred, then we simply do not hate iron not being changed steel.
We can find a way to reform him, we can figure out how to give him a makeover. We all know that the Rubik’s Cube was not even unified, messy. We go to figure out how to put these chaotic things together, into the same color, so that it is not chaotic. Just like playing with the Rubik’s Cube, we try to change the party, but also build cause and condition for the party from time to time, not to hate the iron that is not changed into the steel .
Then why can’t you hate the iron that is not changed into the steel ? Because hate doesn’t work, because the other person is not a steel, and if you hate him, you can hate him for 10,000 years, but he can’t become a steel. Instead of hating him, it would be better to transform him into steel, just to go to reform him.
So whether we hate others, or hate the iron that is not changed into the steel, we are corresponding with our afflictions, and we will end up suffering. Therefore, as a Mahayana Bodhisattva practitioner, not only should we not hate sentient beings, but also we should try to find ways to change them. As stated in the Bodhisattva’s Four Great Vows, “I vow to save boundless sentient beings, and I vow to cut off endless afflictions.”
5. To subdue hatred by not seeking statements and declarations when repressed.
It is said in the Theory of Samadhi of the King of Treasures: “If one is suppressed, one does not seek statements and declarations, but if one is suppressed and seeks statements and declarations, resentment and hatred will multiply. When a Bodhisattva practitioner is suppressed or repressed by others, not seeking statement is the magic weapon to subdue hatred because he understands deeply that as long as he wants to seek a statement in his mind, resentment and hatred will naturally arise.
6. Subdue hatred by producing the mind of Bodhi.
The Sutra of the Precepts for Upasaka says, “There are five things in giving rise to the mind of Bodhi: the first is to approach kind mentors, the second is to break the hatred, the third is to be accord with the teachings of teachers, the fourth is to produce pity and compassion, and the fifth is to diligently cultivate Advancing with Precision.
7.Subdue hatred by practicing the mind of thinking of Buddhas.
The Sutra of the Precepts for Upasaka says,“You should observe the seven supreme aspects of the Buddha: first, be supreme in the body; second, be supreme in dwelling as the Dharma; third, be supreme in wisdom……Good man, if one accept and hold the precepts for Upasaka and want to purify them, he or she should practice thinking of the minds of the Buddha like this. If one practices thinking of the minds of the Buddha, he or she will be free from all internal and external evils and impure causes and conditions, and he or she will grow in compassion and wisdom; he or she will cut off greed, hatred, and ignorance, and will be able to perfect and achieve all good dharmas.”
8. By deeply observing that hatred is the infinite cause and condition of the suffering of the evil path in the future ,one can subdue hatred.
The Sutra of the Precepts for Upasaka says,“ Observe the harmony of the five skandhas correctly. If they are made of harmony, why does anger arise? Deeply observing that hatred is the infinite cause and condition of the suffering of the evil path in the future. If anger arises for a while, then one will feel ashamed, afraid and repentant. When you see realization of others is supreme , you will not be jealous. Good man, if you have such an appearance, then you know that you are able to provide for achievement of realization.”
9. Subdue hatred by being happy to give. The Sutra of the Precepts for Upasaka says, “Good men, if you want to give alms gladly, you should destroy five things: the first is the mind of hatred, the second is the mind of stinginess , the third is the mind of jealousy, the fourth is cherishing one’s life, and the fifth is disbelief in cause and effect.” The general learners only know that giving can make good condition with others and cultivate blessings, but they do not know that being willing to give is also a wonderful way to subdue hatred.
10. Subdue hatred and other afflictions by repenting according to the Dharma. As mentioned in the Sutra on Mahayana Contemplation Generating From Heartland Originally:
“If one can repent in accordance with the dharma, all afflictions will be removed, just as a fire of the end of an eon destroys the world, burning up the Sumeru and the great sea. Repentance can burn the fuel wood of afflictions, repentance leads to the path to heaven, repentance leads to the happiness of the Fourth Zen, repentance rains precious muni pearls, repentance can prolong the life span of the Vajra, repentance can let one enter the Palace of Everlasting Bliss, repentance can let one leave the Hell of the Three Realms, repentance can open the Flower of Bodhisattva, repentance sees the Wisdom of the Buddha’s great perfect mirror, and repentance can lead one to the location of Treasure.”
The effects and benefits of confession are mentioned here, among them is the effect of destroying hatred and other afflictions: “If one can repent in accordance with the dharma, all afflictions will be removed, and repentance can burn the fuel wood of afflictions. ”
Chapter 5: How Bodhisattva Practitioners Can Actively Exercise Kindness and Compassion to Save and Protect All Sentient Beings
As a Bodhisattva practitioner, he not only should know the faults and evils of afflictions and try to subdue hatred and not to harm all sentient beings with hatred, but also at the same time, one should also actively save and protect all sentient beings with kindness and compassion.As the saying goes: “Great kindness without conditions, great compassion with one substance, and equally saving and protecting all sentient beings.”
As stated in the Avatamsaka Sutra says, “Being truly free from hatred, the Bodhisattva is always compassionate, beneficial, pityful, joyful, harmonious, and receptive to all sentient beings, always giving up hatred, resentment, and hot anger, and always thinking of practice of obedience and benevolence and benefit to all sentient beings.
Moreover, the Bodhisattva thinks like this: “I will stay away from the ten bad paths (which include hatred), take the ten good paths as a garden of the Buddha Dharma, love to dwell in them, and persuade others to dwell in them.”
That is to say, the Bodhisattva should be truly free from hatred and other afflictions and evil karma, and should always give rise to compassion, benefit, pity, joy, harmony and moistening, and absorbing and acceptance for all sentient beings, and should always give up hatred, resentment, and hot anger (even unhappiness, unhappiness, dislike, boring, grumble, blame, grudge, and complaint), and always think about practice of obedience , benevolence , protecting and benefiting.
By extension, the Bodhisattva should cultivate the habit of not being angry with any person ,thing and objects ,or even all sentient beings, and cultivate the good habits of kindness, compassion, benefit, pity, constant obedience to sentient beings, benevolent blessings and protecting , so that he or she can be purified and at ease as soon as possible, and subdue demons and achieve the Way of Buddha, and at the same time, he or she should also take the initiative to save and protect all sentient beings, and lead all sentient beings to cultivate the ten good habits of not being angry as soon as possible, to be purified and at ease, and even subdue demons and achieve the Way of Buddha!
Furthermore，the Bodhisattva should not only stay away from hatred and anger, but also actively practice almsgiving and realization of humiliation with all sentient beings, so as to naturally live up to the Bodhisattva’s mission of actively ,forwardly and compassionately saving and protecting all sentient beings appearing in the world, and thus making sentient beings happy will make all Buddhas happy.
In summary, we know that it is extremely important and imperative to recognize and subdue hatred. As a Bodhisattva practitioner, one should not only subdue hatred and purify one’s own body and mind, but also, with the wisdom, mind and ambition of “Independent aspiration having no companions “, should courageously enter the evil world with great kindness and compassion or mercy to actively rescue and protect all sentient beings ,and actively save them from suffering and misery, so that they can also subdue their hatred , and eventually subdue demons and achieve the Way of Buddha.
References
I. Ancient texts (in chronological order of dynasties).
1. The Later Han Dynasty, translated by Jiayemoneng and Falan: The Sutra of the Forty-two Chapters, vol. 17 of Dazhengzang.
2. Yao Qin, translated by Kumarajiva: Sutra of Brief Discipline When the Buddha Was Near Under Nirvana, vol. 12 of Dazhengzang.
3. Yao Qin, translated by Kumarajiva: the Sutra on Ornament of the Mahayana, vol. 4 of Da Zheng Zang.
4. Yao Qin, translated by Kumarajiva: the Brahma Net Sutra, vol. 4 of Da Zheng Zang.
5. Beiliang, translated by Tanwuchan: The Sutra on the Precepts of the Upasakas, vol. 24 of Dazhengzang.
6. Beiliang, translated by Tanwuchan: The Great Nirvana Sutra, vol. 12 of Dazhengzang .
7. Yuanwei, translated by Hui Jue and so on: the Sutra of Sages and Fools, vol. 4 of Da Zheng Zang,.
8. Yuanwei, translated by Gautama Prajna Liuzhi: The Sutra of the Mind Place of Right Dharma, vol. 17 of Daizheng Zang.
The Sutra of the Mind Place of Right Dharma
9. Tang, translated by Shikonanda, The Avatamsaka Sutra, vol. 10 of Dazheng Zang.
10. Tang, translated by Shikonanda: The Sutra of the Ten Good Deeds, vol. 15 of Dazhengzang.