Anger & Spiritual Progress
Once there was a teaching event organized and a Monk was invited. The Monk arrived in plain dirty clothes not looking anything like a wise learned person. He was not recognized and refused entry towards the stage. He tried to explain but no one listened.
With this treatment the Monk got angry and exclaimed “Don’t you know who I am? I am the one for whom you all have collected together. How dare you insult and not let me in to stage”. Some people recognized their mistake, apologized and welcome the wise one.
As people realized so did the Monk. He said he was leaving and could not attend the event. People asked where if he was going back to his place in wild on which he said No, I am going back into the world.
I have realized that living in solitude, there is no one to stop, push, bother me. Now I have found out that I still have lot of anger, arrogance. I have work to do!
How can we assess our progress? Going from theoretical spiritual knowledge to living the path. How easily we get angry when criticized or opposed. Mostly we can control ourselves and keep in check at work, in school, in a spiritual setting. Living at home with family we are tested daily.
A teaching from the wise, “Live life as you are dead!” Dead meaning as if you don’t exist in the world. If someone praises or criticizes you then it should not matter. That will be the sign of progress. How we can be tolerant, how we can forgive, accept and give Un-Conditional love.
A teaching from the wise, “Do not react adversely, Always be happy!”, “Give Love, Give Unconditional love”
Action – Reaction: If 5% is action of others and 95% is our reaction, how much we can control ourselves not to react. If we are positive, present we can respond or ignore, neutralized. If we are able to apply teachings and choose.
A monk or Sadhu can do penance all day. Living at home we can do meditation, worship and service. We can be with the world and outside the world. We can with our time or from what we earn we can help. In the end do good karma, get tested and progress.
