Zen Stor-y About Heaven & Hell

© 2010 by Doug Remington

A Zen Master (Don't remember his name) sat on the side of a road meditating.

A samurai warrior was walking down the middle of the road. When he was directly in front of the sage, he said, “Old man! Teach me about Heaven and Hell.”

The Zen Master sat quietly, apparently deep in meditation.

The Samurai waits impatiently for a reply. And as the seconds pass, he becomes more and more distressed. The Samurai leans close into the face of the holy man. This time shouting his request, “Holy man! Tell me about heaven and hell!”

A second or two go by and the Zen Masters eyes open. And staring into the fighter's eyes, he says calmly, “You want me to teach... you?” The tone of his voice is sarcastic. “Your, breath smells! Your sword is rusty and your mother dresses you funny! Go away!” Then the Zen master resumed his meditation.

An obvious insult.

The insult cuts deep into the Samurai. His face gets red at first. Then his throat swells The veins stand out in bold, RED relief. His sword zings with a high pitch sound as he pulls it from its sheath – all too familiar warning of impending destruction.

The Zen master sits soundless – continuing his meditation.
“I will cut your head off, you filthy peasant!” The samurai lifts his sword in combat readiness.

The eyes of the master open a fraction and he says, “That, Samurai, is Hell!”

The warrior freezes! The obvious teaching is understood. Then the man of war sinks to one knee. Perhaps it's in reverence for the old teacher. Perhaps it's in common courtesy to the old man – coming down to his level.

As he kneels speechless, a tear rolls down the samurai 's cheek.

“That,” says the Zen Master is, “Heaven!”

Buddha said, “Being angry is like being shot by a poisoned arrow. Not only does it hurt now, but unless it comes out immediately, it will cause bad karma sometime in the future. (don't have source)

Nagarjuna's Garland #15 quotes Buddha as saying, “Get rid of anger alone is all that's necessary.” The implication is, nothing more is required.

The following verses are not actually considered Conventional Dharma Jewels, but they do provide a way of sublimating anger: that is, getting rid of the anger by changing our thinking.

The Bodhisattva's Way
by Shantideva

Chapter 6

The Perfection of Patience:

1. In less than one second of one angry rage, I could destroy the hard labor in meticulously accumulating merit for thousands of eons.

2. Resentment is the number one offender! There is no better cure than patience. Therefore, the practice of patience offers the greatest protection.

3. When the thorn of anger has pierced the heart, peace, happiness, sleep, and fortitude are nowhere to be found. And one stands dangerously vulnerable to fatal attack from above, from below, and from all four sides.

4. Even close friends and relatives may become dangerously hostile toward a family benefactor, who may even be their only means of support, when the benefactor is angrily repugnant and insulting with his gifts.

5. Even friends and relatives fear the angry. Not only is the person vulnerable to attack, but even though feared and appeased in every imaginable way, there is nothing that can make an angry person happy.

6. One who realizes that no problems exist in the outside world, and who sees ANGER of the mind as the real enemy, and who understands how and why it causes misery, and who persistently overcomes it, ends suffering in this life and finds happiness in the after-life. Such a Teacher alone is the real Teacher.

7. Anger has only one fuel: SELFISH DESIRE. It takes many other forms, like self-seeking, self-will, and self-esteem. Anger is caused in two ways: When something I don’t want to happen, happens, it causes anger. And when I want something to happen, but it doesn’t happen, this makes me angry, too. Both ways I become inflamed and destroyed.

8. Therefore, I shall destroy this fuel of SELFISH DESIRE. I will no longer insist everything be my way. I will remove myself from any harm whenever possible. Otherwise, when I try to prevent a certain event from happening, but it happens anyway, I’ll immediately grant permission. I offer the world unconditional permission to do whatever it has already done. And for those events I try to make happen, but they don’t happen, I, too, immediately grant permission. When I do this, the enemy of anger has no other way to harm me.

9. Should extreme adversity come, I give my permission. This will not make me unhappy. Where there is adversity, for the uneducated person there is also frustration, and when there is frustration, all virtue is abandoned. I will not lose my virtue.

10. Where there is a remedy, what is the use of worry? But if there is no remedy, still what use is worry?

11. I want only pleasant things for my friends and relatives. But when it comes to enemies, I want just the opposite. I want them to be miserable. Where is the merit?

12. But we make more spiritual growth from suffering than we ever do from happiness. So why don’t I want my relatives and friends to be miserable? And why don’t I want my enemies to be happy? Here, too, where is the merit?

13. But is pain really something to be avoided? There are those who practice severe austerities, like eating only cow dung, cutting themselves, and even burning themselves for the sake of spiritual growth.

14. But a middle path is so easy. Whatever pain or inconvenience, one can easily endure it. In this way, one can learn to overcome even greater pain, if it arises unsought and inadvertently in daily life.

15. One can not entirely avoid the pain and inconvenience of mosquitoes, hunger, thirst, headache, rash, etc. Complaining makes all these worse. Therefore, endure them bravely, and they will never become overpowering. Don’t be timid.

16. And, too, there is cold, heat, traveling sickness, wind, rain, beatings, captivity, and so forth. Be strong! Thinking about the body’s frailty only makes suffering worse. Endure hardship bravely, and there will only be minimal inconvenience. Don’t be timid.

17. Some faint at the sight of their own blood; where is there any strength? Don’t be timid.

18. Fortitude is a necessary advantage, as once it’s developed, one becomes invincible to suffering.

19. When hardship comes, an intelligent person will not lose the composure of a serene mind.

20. There is one great advantage to suffering: that is, suffering can only be conquered while one is suffering.

21. And there are other advantages to suffering. Compassion arises. Higher understanding makes it easier to control anger. Fear of hardship disappears.

22. I am not angered at the sight of a fatal disease that causes great suffering. Then why should I be angered by sentient beings who,
like myself, are also made angry by conditions?

23. Sharp pain and anger have one thing in common. They both forcibly arise spontaneously, even though one does not desire it.

24. No person has to think, “I will be angry.” Even anger itself doesn’t arise, thinking, “I will arise.”

25. Anger arises out of conditions. Anger does not arise independently.

26. Conditions exist because of actions and reactions. There is no personal intention. Conditions arise like a bouncing ball. For every action, there is a corresponding and opposite reaction. (This is Newton’s third law of motion, which applies to physics and metaphysics alike.) Each reaction is dependent on the previous action. Nothing is independent or personal.

27. Therefore, sentient beings do not arise with a personal intention, “I shall arise into being.”

28. Although the beginning of the process can not be known, the ending is scientifically observed and comes through personal effort. And when one controls the mind, ceasing to re-act simply because a previous action occurs, the ending comes with a personal intention: “I shall not react. I shall end suffering.”

29. And since the permanent Self is not physical or sentient, how can one end suffering by taking action? The immutable can take no action, and it’s not affected by any action. It’s immutable. The real Me is subject to change but can never be destroyed. Commentary: There is an illusory self and a true Self. When the illusion of the false ego-self is destroyed through wisdom, the real Self appears automatically. This is called: Enlightenment.

30. What good is action to the Real Self, since it’s the same always: that is, before and after all action. If that’s true, then how can any actions cause rise to the Real Self? And if that’s true, how can any action injure the Real Self?

31. Thus, the physical world gives rise to everything else by onslaught of action and reaction. But the True Self is never affected. Hence, why should I get angry at conditions that arise by themselves and over which I have little or no control. And since these conditions have little or no Reality because of the constant change, why should I be disturbed by them? They are like apparitions with no Reality, like harmless shadows moving across my Real Self.

32. If that’s the case, why should I control anger? Who controls what? And why?
Answer: Controlling anger is appropriate, since it’s a dependent reaction. And controlling this dependent reaction is believed to cause the end of suffering.

33. Therefore, no need to anguish at the sight of a friend or even an enemy reacting improperly according to Dharma. I can reflect, such are his conditions, and be at ease.

34. No one would be unhappy if everyone could easily fulfill SELFISH DESIRE. Instead of being unhappy, he or she would simply fulfill their wishes and change suffering into happiness. Everyone would do this, since no one wants unhappiness.

35. But because of unfulfilled SELFISH DESIRE, people hurt themselves. This may be done inadvertently through negligence, like pricking the finger with a thorn while tending to a beautiful garden. Or it may be done with excessive fasting and praying, to curse an enemy because of resentment. Or sometimes it’s done to obtain desirable objects, like money, jewels, women, etc.

36. Some even give up and kill themselves, seeking happiness in death, by jumping from cliffs, eating poison, and so forth.

37. So, if people kill themselves in the pursuit of SELFISH DESIRE, how is it even possible to ever believe they will not hurt me and others?

38. And if one doesn’t have compassion for those who kill themselves because of insane mental afflictions, why should I become angry with them for hurting me?

39. And if hurting others is the foolish, ignorant desire of those in misery, why should I ever get angry with them? It would be like getting angry with fire because it has the nature to burn.

40. And if the Real Self of all sentient beings, the Buddha, Rabbi Jesus, Krishna etc. Nature, is good, why should I get angry with them? It would be like getting angry at smoke because it rose in the sky.

41. If I am angry because someone hit me with a stick, this is inappropriate. This is because the person is controlled and wielded by anger. Like a puppeteer, the anger has pulled the strings of the wielder. I should logically be angry with the puppeteer, anger. So why should I be angry with the wielder of the stick?

42. I, too, injured sentient beings in ignorance. I deserve every harm inflicted on me. That’s the law. Whatever I put out comes back to me. To whom should I complain if I jumped from a high wall and injured my leg?

43. Both his weapon and my body are causes of suffering. He has been ignorantly driven by his selfish actions and reaction, which have produced his weapon. Why should I be angry with him for having produced the weapon?
I have been ignorantly driven by my own selfish actions and reactions, which has produced my body. Why shouldn’t I be angry with myself for having produced this body?

44. Ignorantly motivated by selfish desire, I have obtained this filthy, unsanitary, and festering abscess of a body. If I had not brought forth this body, how could the stick have struck me? Therefore, with whom shall I be angry?

45. I don’t want misery. Yet, I seek revenge. And although I love this revenge, it’s really nothing more than a simple selfish desire, which is the cause of the body arising. Therefore, this body has arisen by my own fault. Why should I be angry with anyone else?

46. All the thorn-thick forests and the razor-sharp leaves are all brought into being by my own actions. In the same way, I bring the wielder of stick into my life. It’s my fault. Why should I be angry with him?

47. And why should I seek revenge, when my actions have caused the wielder of the stick to act improperly against the Dharma? He will just as surely go to unfortunate realms, and it is I alone who have ruined him. Why should I angrily seek revenge?

48. Because of the wielder of the stick, my vices are lessened through forbearance. But because of me, the wielder of the stick enters infernos of long-lasting misery.

49. I am the one harming him. He is my benefactor. Stupid mind! How can you be so stupid? How can you misunderstand and seek angry revenge?

50. But if my intentions are according to Dharma, and I wish him happiness, too, I will not go to unfortunate realms with him. I am, therefore, protected, but what will be his fate? Why don’t I properly find compassion for his impending suffering?

51. If I retaliate and punish him now, he will escape the darkest hells, wherein spiritual growth takes place. And if he escapes these hells, he may miss a chance at ending all suffering and remain forever lost to finding Enlightenment.

52. The mind is not physical. It’s described as metaphysical. And because it’s metaphysical, it can not be harmed. But by getting attached to the body, the mind is tormented by the many miseries of material life.

53. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Then why, Mind, do you get angry?

54. Will unkindness in this life hurt me? Why am I so adverse to it?

55. There is no permanent gain or loss from unkindness. If unkindness causes me to lose some money now, I will lose it anyway when I’m stolen away at death. But by reacting angrily, I will carry this demerit with me.

56. It’s better to live a short life full of virtue than live a long and corrupt life of many years. There is no protection from suffering in long life. Only merit is the antidote and protection against suffering.

57. Two people have dreams. One dreams they experienced 100 years of happiness. The other dreams they experienced only a moment of happiness.

58. Both dreams have one thing in common. They are both gone. In the same way, a person who lives 100 years dies. The life is gone. And the person who experienced only a short life, that life is gone, too. Both lives are similar. They are both gone.

59. Even though I lived a successful business life and acquired great wealth, when I die, I can not take any of it with me. So I depart in the same condition as the monk wearing a robe.

60. But what if I go after wealth for support of others, but devote myself full-time to killing vice and acquiring virtue? Can this be? Do vice and the destruction of virtue happen over money matters? Yes! Maybe no!

61. If the meaning of life is lost, I will only live it acquiring vice and destroying virtue.

62. If you are driven away, and if your hatred takes the form of self-righteous indignation because your tormenter violates the Law of Dharma, driving away all sentient beings, where is your logic? You are never angry when you see other sentient beings being driven away.

63. You easily have patience when someone torments other sentient beings. Then why don’t you have patience when you are tormented?

64. And why does your hatred arise for those who blaspheme the Great Religions and deface holy shrines? The Buddha is never distressed over this.

65. So, seeing conditions arise against spiritual mentors, friends, and relatives, one should make an effort at forbearance. And while making this effort at forbearance, realize that anger arises only from conditions only.

66. Pain is certainly inflicted by sentient beings and by non-sentient beings. All sentient beings are at first distressed by pain. So, unless the pain can be avoided, endure it bravely.

67. Some sentient beings are deluded and angrily inflict pain on others. Some of the deluded only get angry. Both are guilty! Why should we call one innocent and the other guilty?

68. My previous actions—doing harm to others—has now led me to this point: that is, being harmed by others. The Law is the Law. To whom shall I complain?

69. But I can do something to change matters. I can acquire virtue by putting out loving thoughts to all. That way, only loving thoughts will come back to me.

70. When a fire starts, it must be stamped out immediately, and unless the straw and other kindling are cleared from between the houses, a static spark might rekindle the flame and consume everything.

71. Similarly, when the flame of anger ignites the mind, it must be stamped out immediately, and unless the kindling of SELFISH DESIRE is removed, even the most infinitesimal spark may explode and destroy a great wealth of merit.

72. If one who is condemned to death is released after having his hand amputated, this is not fortunate. Similarly, if one is freed from suffering by the miseries of hell, this, too, is unfortunate.

73. If I can’t bear the suffering of material life, then why don’t I control my anger? It’s the driving force, condemning me to hells that are billions of times more painful.

74. And solely because of anger, I have experienced these hells with no benefit to myself or any others.

75. Suffering because of anger only helps me. It doesn’t help anyone else. But there is a kind of suffering that brings good to the rest of the world: that is, there is suffering in helping all sentient beings. Only this kind of suffering helps others.

76. If any find joy in praising the good qualities of others, why mind? Do you not join in the praise, too?

77. Praising others is a fast and easy way to find happiness. It’s not prohibited by the Great Ones. And it’s a way to attract friends.

78. It’s a sure killer of selfish desire. So, the benefit is to the praiser, and the one praised enjoys it also.

79. When your own good qualities are being praised, you want others to know about it. But when someone else is being praised, you don’t care if they are happy or anyone else knows about it.

80. But when the spirit of awakening arises from the desire for all sentient beings to be happy, one rejoices equally when one is being praised or when others are being praised, too.

81. But if you are angry or jealous when others are praised, and you think you practice the Dharma, you are sadly mistaken.

82. If a rich philanthropist gives a large gift to someone in your family, you are delighted. But if this same gift is given to another family, you are either jealous or unconcerned. Why shouldn’t you be delighted the same way as with your own family?

83. One who wishes the power of spiritual awakening for all sentient beings wishes infinite blessing, including health, wealth, long life, and prosperity. But if one is angry or jealous because of another’s prosperity, how can that person have the power of spiritual awakening themselves?

84. If there is a present from the holiday season that was not claimed by the recipient, and it’s still wrapped nicely in the benefactor’s house, it doesn’t belong to you. So why should you care if it’s given away or not?

85. The one who gives a gift is blessed, and the one who receives the gift is blessed. But by refusing, the receiver wards off not only the gift but also the blessing. And if the receiver of the gift wards off his or her own merit, why should you be angry?

86. You don’t repent of your past wrongs, hurting yourself. And you wish to compete with others by acquiring the most virtue, thus hurting yourself in a second way.

87. If some calamity happens to your enemy, would you like to see it happen a second time? Could it happen a second time because of your desires? Some say yes, and others say no.

88. Supposing you could make the same calamity happen a second time because of your desires. Would you really find any happiness in his or her sufferings? And even if there was some advantage to you financially or some other way, think of all the disadvantages!

89. Like a fish, you have been caught on the hook of mental afflictions. And be rest assured, like a fish, you will be sold. The demons from hell will purchase you for practically nothing, and you will be taken to the darkest dungeons, where you will be fried in oil and eaten.

90. There is no merit in praise, money, property, prestige, and long life. The intelligent person will use these well.

91. But none leads to lasting happiness. And if they are lost, they all cause misery.

92. Seeking fame, many ruin themselves financially. What is the advantage to fame? Can it be eaten? And at death, what good is fame then?

93. And if large sums of money or property are lost, adults act just like children who have just lost their sand castles, lamenting loudly, throwing themselves to the ground, kicking and screaming in a tantrum of wretchedness.

94. And since praise is metaphysical, it does me no earthly good: that is, I can’t eat it, can’t sell it, it can’t make me warm or cozy, etc. So why does praise make me feel good?

95. Where there is praise, there is also affection. And like praise, there is no earthly good in affection: that is, can’t eat it, sell it, etc. I don’t even own this affection. It belongs to the affectionate. Not even a tiny fraction belongs to me. So why, Mind, does this affection make me feel so good?

96. I take pleasure when my friends find pleasure. Then why don’t I take pleasure when others whom I don’t know find pleasure? And even more perplexing is why I become angry when my enemies find pleasure?

97. I take pleasure in praise. This is absurd. I’m acting like a child. I discard the pleasure from praise immediately.

98. This is because praise actually causes suffering. It stirs up jealousy toward anyone more gifted than myself, and it creates anger that arises because of their success.

99. Therefore, my greatest protection comes from my enemies. They destroy my reputation. No one gives me praise, and this protects me from falling into hells.

100. The acquisition of all these useless sand castles, like praise, is unfitting for one seeking liberation, for it nullifies the power of spiritual awakening.

101. So, how can I hate those who destroy my reputation and keep me from praise? They act like God’s blessing, blocking the gate that only leads to suffering.

102. It is wrong to be angry! And when I can’t cure my anger, I blame those who make me angry for destroying my power for spiritual awakening. But this is not so. This is because patience is the best practice for activating the power of spiritual awakening. Therefore, forbearance is an even better state of mind than not getting angry in the first place.

103. So, if I don’t practice forbearance, I miss the greatest of opportunities for merit. In that case, it’s me blocking my own path to the power of spiritual awakening. The person with whom I am angry doesn’t block my path at all.

104. The person who has made me angry and I do not exist independently. We both depend on each other. Then how can the person who made me angry be a hindrance?

105. I depend on the person who has made me angry for enlightenment. In the same way, I depend on the person who gives me alms. If the person who gives me alms is not a hindrance, then the person who gives me anger can not be a hindrance either.

106. Beggars are easy to find in the world. But it’s impossible to find a person who does wrong just for the sake of doing wrong. For every wrong going out, there is an equal and opposite reaction of wrong coming back.

107. And when I get to the point of doing no wrong, no wrong will come back to me: that is, no one will wrong me.

108. Thus, I have obtained this fruit of patience. I offer it all to my enemy. This is because, if he hadn’t made me angry, I wouldn’t have practiced patience, and I wouldn’t have gotten the merit. Consequently, it all belongs to him.

109. But if my adversary’s intention is to cause me harm (not lead me to enlightenment) how is the Dharma being served? Answer: Dharma tells me how I should act regardless of how the other person acts. If we were only called to practice the Dharma in accordance with the other person’s actions or intentions, we would rarely ever practice Dharma. This is because the other person rarely practices the Dharma. Just because the other person lacks discrimination and does not seek liberation, does it mean I should not seek the end of my own suffering?

110. And if the other person is required to practice Dharma before I am also required, I would never practice patience. There would be no need in it. For what other reason would I practice patience? But if the other person violates the Dharma, causing me harm, he inadvertently becomes like a skilled medical doctor who intently seeks my well-being.

111. And even though he doesn’t practice Dharma, I should give him all respect and reverence, like the Dharma and the Buddhas, who also care for my well-being.

112. I honor my adversaries, the Dharma, the Enlightened Ones, and the community of believers, by whom many have reached the Highest Fulfillment.

113. The greatness of sentient beings should not be measured by their worldly greatness. They should be measured by the practice of virtue. And since by their vice, I can be led to the Highest Realization, the result of these people and the results of the Gods, the Great Law of Justice and the community of believers are all equal. Measured in this way, sentient beings are as equally great as Rabbi Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, etc.

114. The greatness of sentient beings is their ability to develop a friendly disposition. The true greatness of the illumined teachers is their ability to have sentient beings develop faith in them.

115. Therefore, the greatness of these Teachers far exceeds the greatness of sentient beings.

116. And at the same time, sentient beings possess all of the same qualities of these Teachers. This is true because a saint is nothing more than an ordinary sentient being who has achieved Enlightenment: that is, has become Illumined.

117. And if an ordinary person could only discover a minute portion of the unique collection of good qualities to be found in themselves and others, nothing in any of the material universes could be found to honor even a fraction of this fraction.

118. A Bodhisattva has the best portion of that small fraction of total good qualities. Therefore, one should honor the Bodhisattvas and all sentient beings.

119. Other than honoring and respecting all sentient beings, what other form of repayment can be given in exchange for what is given us by God, the Spiritual Law (Dharma), and the community of believers?

120. Consequently, I must serve only the vilest and most deplorable of persons. These people harm themselves the most. So why don’t they deserve the kindest treatment?

121. But instead I generate pride. Although they appear to be injuring others, they really lack consideration for themselves.

122. The Sages have compassion because they’re aware of their pain and take delight in seeing their slightest happiness. So, to treat these vilest of persons with disrespect is to show disrespect to the Sages.

123. How can I take delight in any sensual pleasure if my whole body has caught fire? Likewise, how can the Holy and Compassionate Ones take pleasure when sentient beings are suffering the fires of hell?

124. Therefore, whatever pain I have brought to the Great Ones by injuring sentient beings, I now confess. Please, dear Sages, please forgive everything!

125. In order to please the Great Teachers, I make a vow to place myself at the service of all sentient beings. May all be happy, even if they kick me in the head and trample me many different ways. May the Great Ones be pleased.

126. Why have I committed wrongs against all sentient beings? And by doing so, why have I disrespected the Great Ones?

127. Serving all sentient beings pleases the saints. This alone is the accomplishment of one’s goal. This alone removes the suffering of the world. Therefore, this becomes my constitutional and solitary objective.

128. When one of the king’s men tyrannizes a village, there is no retaliation.

129. This is because he’s not alone. A fierce battalion of well-trained soldiers stands ready to avenge any wrong. In the same way, no one should condemn and tyrannize anyone who is weak for something he or she has done wrong.

130. Behind them are the demons of hell as well as the Compassionate Ones, standing ready to avenge any abuse or disrespect. Therefore, it is only common sense. One should be kind and loving to all sentient beings, just as a servant would be kind and loving toward a bad-tempered master, exploding with anger.

131. Even the cruelest of humans is unable to match the cruelty and suffering inflicted by a single demon. So, it’s not possible to even slightly imagine the suffering caused by a thousand of these demons. They stand ready to torture anyone who inflicts even slight mental suffering on a weak and defenseless sentient being.

132. It’s possible to imagine the pleasures that might be bestowed by a grateful king. But compare this to Enlightenment, which is unfathomable and impossible to comprehend.

133. Don’t you see, all can be accomplished by unselfish or altruistic service. Worldly fortune, fame, and happiness ensue, as well as spiritual emancipation.

134. And due to the process of birth, death, and rebirth, one who acquires merit also gets beauty, health, charisma, long life, and abundant joy.

The Terevada Method for dealing with anger is Meeta. Many take this as the primary practice for Daily Meditation. Highly recommended also.