Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 45-minute commentary on the patience chapter of the Bodhisattva Deeds text, Geshe Pema Tsering works through a series of situations that typically provoke anger — harm done to the Buddha, to one’s guru, to loved ones, and even favors shown to one’s enemy — and argues in each case why anger is both useless and self-defeating. A recurring analogy drives the teaching: just as no one gets angry at the stick that causes pain, we should not get angry at the person, who is equally driven by disturbing emotions beyond their control. Geshe-la grounds this in karma — the harm we receive is ripening of our own past actions. A lively Q&A applies the principle to anger-free protest against Australian refugee detention policy, and ends with a practitioner’s question connecting anger to the false belief in an inherent self.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 52 BD 2002 08 08.mp3
UUID: d6912497-4c6a-4b02-b809-ffcda8935ab5
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Deeds (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002-08-08
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.9 minutes
Words: ~2,953
Buddhas and so forth. Yep. And so forth. Yeah, who the person does so, and it is okay to she still should not get angry to the person because because the the the Triple Gem, the Buddhas, they are free of harms, and they will no matter what person does to the stupa or to the Buddhism — to the Buddhas, they are free of harm. Since they are free from harms, they can’t be harmed at all.
Instead, so instead, those people who who demolish the stupas, monasteries and criticize, you know, disrespect the Buddhas. Instead of getting angry to those person, one should develop a compassion to the person because they are cultivating numbers of non virtuous and which will bring harm to the person. So therefore, and those people, no matter how much they cause destructions and harm or trying to harm the Buddhists and so forth, but those people are the object of compassion for the Buddhas. They never be angry and disturbed by the person and instead they will they have huge compassion to the person. So therefore, one, you should not be angry to the we should not be angry and instead feel pity for the person that that they that they are cultivating numbers of non virtuous actions.
And and if you get disturbed and angry but because of their actions, then it will not harm the person. What happens is you it will harm you. Yeah. So likewise, also when others harm one’s guru, one’s one’s the family members, brothers and sisters, relatives, or one’s dear ones, or one’s loved ones, yep, partners, so forth. So when they receive the harm from others, you should not get angry to the person who is causing harm, because by doing so, it will harm you by collecting numbers of non virtuous actions.
So should develop compassion to the person who is bringing harm, as well as recall the the teachings of the karma, thinking that the relatives, one’s guru and so forth, they received harm from the person, and and and and those harms they received are the result of their actions in the past and the result of their karma. It’s ripening. So therefore should not be angry because by getting angry, it won’t bring any help to both self and others. So so therefore, should not get angry because because just just just by just by seeing one relative receives the harms, one dear one, one close ones receives the harm. Because as for the harm, there are two types, you know, the the person and the and and the weapons.
So both are the same, which brings harm to your relative ones or to the dear ones. Because so you don’t get angry towards the weapons or sticks and so forth, even though they bring harm and by the stick brings the pain and so forth. And you don’t get angry to the sticks or the weapon, instead you and so likewise, if you don’t get to the stick which brings the harm, why why should you get angry to the person? Because the person has no choice. That person has been influenced or controlled by the disturbing emotions which makes person to do it.
Eventually it’s not the person, it’s the disturbing emotions. So therefore you should not get angry to the person as well like you don’t get angry or hate the weapons. And so so instead, you should think that the feel pity for the person who is cultivating lots of non virtuous actions of karma, and and and and and see that the one’s relatives are receiving the results of their karma. So therefore, should not get angry and hate the person who brings harms because because because the the the people harm, it is because of the other, the lacking the understanding of the law of karma or or ignorance towards the karma and have huge cravings and attachment. And some person, because of the anger which makes them to harm others.
So therefore, if you were to get angry and get angry towards the person’s, the anger or the attachment, like disturbing emotions and not to the person just by saying that — because if it is okay to get angry, then you should be getting angry to both the person and the weapons which bring harms. Because since you can’t get angry to the weapon or a stick, so likewise should be angry to the person just by saying the person brings harm because the person is helpless and either has huge ignorance or lack of understanding or law of karma or be influenced by the disturbing emotions like anger and so forth. So therefore, you know, should not get angry at all. Should not get angry. And yeah.
Should not get angry to the the person who causes harm. And sometime by thinking that, you know, there is no reason for the person to harm me because I haven’t done anything. One may think that way, but it is it is not the case because they should that you have it is you have done something that have done something that makes person to harm you, that it is even though you you think you haven’t you can’t acknowledge what you have done and think you haven’t done anything for the person to harm you, but they these are the results. Every anything happens to you, they are the results of karma which you have cultivated. And since you have cultivated the karma and therefore all these harms and so forth, the results rise on you and therefore should recall the understanding of the law of karma and should not get angry to the person just by saying person causes harm because if you were to get angry to the person then you should get angry on yourself as well because you are the one who cultivate the karma and as a result of the karma you go through the suffering.
So therefore, instead of getting angry and so forth, should have developed a great compassion and love and friendly with the person who causes harm. And by doing by by developing compassion, thinking person is going through cultivating a bad karma. And by thinking so, then then by doing and developing great compassion and, bodhicitta and then, yep, and being friendly and harmonious, to live harmony with the person, then you cultivate the lot of virtues and which will help one to complete the complete the, yep, the accumulation of merits. So now to the fourth division, that is should maintain patience when somebody do a favor to yours your enemy. Right?
And which is explained in the next eleven verses. So I think that is from seventy seven to eighty eight, isn’t it? One, two, three, four, one, seven, ten. Sorry. Eighty seven.
So and the yep. The meaning is that when somebody admires what your enemy or making offerings and say yep. Praise your enemies. And by saying the person, your enemy has great qualities and very qualified masters, etcetera and etcetera. So when somebody does it, should not get angry to the person who is making offerings and making praise because of your enemy.
Because by doing so, that will not harm your that your anger will not harm the person at all. So whatever still person will still make an appraisal of your enemy who who for them, who for the person is very great quality and has huge knowledge and so forth. So instead of getting angry for his or his or her offerings, you know, we should rejoice the person’s good work, good work, as well as by thinking, you know, well, you know, and also along with the person join in, you know, and make prayers for the person’s great qualities or qualifications and attitude. And by doing so, then you will receive collective numbers of good karma or positive actions. And and and and result of those, you will have lots of benefits.
Just and by getting angry will bring nothing except harm. So therefore, you know, you should not be angry to the person. Instead, rejoice for the person’s good work and and and admire his qualities and and develop a compassion and love to to your enemy. And by doing so, you you collect numbers of virtuous merit or positive actions. And also your actions been because your actions been very virtuous or positive, and and you become you will be admired or admired by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for your they received congratulations from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for your good work.
The so yeah. So it’s yeah. So so you you should not be angry to the person who help or admire your enemy just because a person is doing a favor for your enemy. Because because because if so should not be angry by saying the person is doing a favor for your enemy and, because your enemy and yourself are same, still a person wishing happiness to not want suffering. So so when somebody helps the person, your enemy, you should rejoice to the person’s hard work and be happy for it.
Because if you say it’s okay to is okay get angry to the person who brings favor, then you should be angry to your your servant or your your servant because your servant is doing a favor for you or your employees, you know, they’re doing a favor for you, for your happiness and so forth. So likewise, you know, because you wish happiness and likewise your enemy wish happiness. So both needs a happiness that is the same. So so if you were to get angry to the person who brings favor, then you should be angry to the person, to your employee or your servant because they’re doing I mean, they’ll you and they admire you. So, and but which you won’t do it because if you so you stop paying, you know, the wages for your employee or your servant and so forth, then they stop working for you.
And as a result, you don’t receive benefits in this life as well as in future. So likewise, if you hurt the person, then that will not bring any If you get angry to the person who brings favor to the enemy, it’s the same like not paying wages to the servant or employee because by developing anger, you will receive nothing. Nothing happiness or a pleasant will come in this life as well as in future. Instead, you’ll receive the suffering. So should not be angry to the person.
And now to the second main subdivisions, I think we have to go back back back again. Of course, you might think, you know, we just finished the fourth subdivision. And now this is the second one, you know, backwards, the second division, one of the second main division that is maintaining patience through the obstacles towards one’s wishes, which means is that that that you’re that you yeah. The person caused harms or obstacles to to to to obstructs you to achieve your wish or object of your desire. Right?
So making it not to get it. Geshe-la said, just said that you were to go to Adelaide and you really wanted to go. You’re about to go and somebody, you know, cuts it like, you know, and makes you not able to go there. So it should, of course, harm and obstructs you to going there. So, yeah, to maintaining patience to the obstacles, for example.
So Yeah. So and which has two divisions now. So which has two divisions? The first one is maintaining patience when you’re maintaining patience when when your enemy receives the obstacles. Right?
And and and and second one is maintaining patience when yourself and and the relatives or dear ones receive obstacles. So in general, what it means is the second one is quite easy. The first one is, you know, generally, you do not wish your do not wish your enemy to achieve, you know, be successful and so forth. And and wanting person to receive all the obstacles and so forth, hindrances. So here, which is maintaining patience that that which is to the enemy, is wishing enemy should not have any obstacles and so forth.
Right. Right. Right. Right. So and the second one, the first subdivision, which is maintaining patience when your enemy receives the obstacles, that’s been explained by the next third to just the next three verses.
Three verses. No. Anyway, so I’m not quite sure. Yeah. Which I it doesn’t look like at all because it’s really hard to follow the yeah.
If your enemy is made out to be happy, that’s eighty seven, I guess. Eighty seven, Eighty eight. Eighty nine. Yep. Six eighty seven.
Eighty eight. Is it eighty six? Eighty six. Eighty seven. Eighty six.
Seven. Eight. Is it eighty six? I think, thanks for the question. I’ll check.
I’m sorry. I I have to just say agree with you, Venerable. I think it starts from eighty seven, eighty eight, and eighty nine. Eighty Yeah. And and so what then the meaning is And the design.
The meaning is that the one Oh, yeah. And the meaning is once you should not be be happy when when when somebody cause harm or or hurt your enemy because because because there is no reason of doing it, reason for for for for reason to rejoice or be happy when self when enemy goes to the suffering because you will gain nothing from rejoicing or being happy of seeing once your enemy goes to the suffering. Therefore, Right. Right. That that it.
And okay. Got it. So should not so if somebody, you know, should not be happy, you know, when you’re so when somebody cause harm to your enemy because by doing so or being happy when your enemy receives suffering from others, and you won’t gain nothing, you will get nothing. If your enemy goes through the suffering, you won’t be happy because you receive nothing. And if your enemy is happy, you are you receive you receive nothing.
So should not be angry to the person who is who is either harming or or or bringing help to your enemy. So she also maintain the patience to the person, feel pity. The person is bringing, collecting huge negative deeds and non virtuous actions. A couple of questions. And and he’s had a bit of headache at the moment.
So he thinks he ate too much momo today. I think Geshe-la said that I might have put lots of butter or oil in the momo here. And . I just Is it okay to get angry at the government hierarchies? Sure.
Sure. Sure. Do it without anger. Yep. And personalizing.
Mhmm. Okay. Yeah. It is so true that, you know, you should not be still and you should not be angry to the person’s non virtuous actions and so forth. And terms of the detention center, and there are lots of Australians and people against the system, which they were about the refugees or the detention center where the immigrants illegal immigrants kept and lots of disagreements.
It probably they might need to change certain policies, government policies. And you can protest and you can against it, but that does not mean that you have to be angry to protest them. You know, you can be, you know, discuss the issues without getting disturbed or angry. And and and you have your right to put up your suggestions so and so, and you can protest the disagreement towards the government policy and which needs to be changed, but you can do. You you should and you can do it without angry because by with with angry, you know, you it it is you who gets angry and not just develop disturbing emotions and you who cultivate the negative actions.
So in a mutual agreement and with discussions without holding any grudge on anger, you can discuss or protest. So if you can resolve the problem with a calm attitude and with the attitude, you know, without anger and so forth, you know, with a peaceful atmosphere with the yeah. If you can’t resolve the problem within a peaceful and non violence discussion, talk, suggestion, then that’s the limit. And then by anger, it’s even worse. It won’t resolve at all.
If we have a false notion that there is an inherent self, when we get angry, it seems to reinforce that notion. Whereas when we exercise patience, we are reinforcing that belief in this non-existence of the self? When you’re angry When I get angry. When I get angry Do you get angry? Or not.
I haven’t. Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah. So when you get angry When I get angry Yeah.
What is it that is actually getting angry? Uh-huh. Yeah. When you are happy, you said something. Well, if I’m patient Yeah.
I’m not talking about that normal suffering masochistic. So Yeah. When you have patience. Yeah. Yeah.
And I’m not that sure I get it or not.
Yeah. Yeah. And so I think I’ll check with you before I tell Geshe-la. So when you say when say, for example, when you’re angry, you say you reinforce that existence of Yes. Angry and disturbed and angry.
So which means it means there is a I, something like that. It’s reinforcing the belief in that. Believe in believe in what? Believe in the the self or I. And okay.