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Victim of Anger


Portrait of Lao Tzu who is believed to be a founder of Taoism.

A teacher and his student were passing near a village, whereas a few people were quarreling for a piece of land. Teacher asked his disciple, "What is the source of conflict"?


Student answered, "It must have origin in some misunderstanding".


"Misunderstanding of what, asked the teacher?


Student answered, "It has its genesis in ego. Especially, when a person feels he is too important a subject that the whole universe must serve his ends".


And this sense of self-importance must have its origin, asked the teacher?


Student replied, "Ego-centric life is a part of human's culture, which is nurtured and cultivated like a truth. As if, individuation is a quintessential necessity for life and freedom". 


Teacher was interested to go further in that interesting dialogue. He asked further, "What happens in a quarrel like this? Should one avoid indulgence in a duet like this when a person is abusing wholeheartedly to another one"?


Student was a genuine devotee of wisdom. He thought for a few seconds and answered, "I think, anger is like a self-inflicting cruelty. One gets angry at the cost of losing his peace and happiness of mind, while other persons suffer as well but accidentally. The main victim of anger is a person who gets angry. For example, look at the fire and trace its origin. A piece of wood is burning. Now, a person who comes in contact of fire may be affected by its flames, but actually it is wood which is burning. Now tell me sir, who suffers more? A piece of wood or a person who comes in contact to it, accidentally?"


Teacher replied, "of course, the ashes of wood are telling a story of immense suffering of a piece of wood, whereas other person has just a minor wound to heal". 


And what should be the response of a person if another one is abusing him, asked the teacher?


Student responded, "What exactly you would like to do when you find a burning forest? Do you like to enter into to it see the beauty of fire"?


Teacher answered, "I know, you are wiser enough to guide the path of many more who are wandering in a path of sorrow and anguish. Lao Tzu rightly said that a teacher appears when students are ready and a teacher disappears when students are truly ready. It's your time to be a Buddha and become a light for many wanderers".


Student got the blessings of his teacher and started his solitary journey into the lowest path of river like moving water, soft but transparent.

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