Does an arahant not feel angry at all?

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
beeblebrox
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Re: Does an arahant not feel angry at all?

Post by beeblebrox »

hermitwin wrote:non-self. anatta.
an arahant has freed herself from the illusion
of self.
if there is no-self, how can you get angry
about your parents getting insulted???
I think this probably wasn't the intention but I think most people will read nihilism into that. ("My parents have no self... so, why should I be angry if they were insulted? I've freed myself from that nonsense already!!") It's inappropriate.

I think the better question is probably to ask whether an arahant would think that having anger is conducive to nibbana.

Also, if the person knew that it was the arahant's parents, I think it's unlikely that he's going to insult them. If he didn't know, then I think he's probably going to apologize profusely when he found out. Why would anyone be angry at that?

Even if the person had no idea what an arahant was, I think he will still feel guilty once he met the person. Can you imagine this happening with anyone who gets angry?

:anjali:
chownah
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Re: Does an arahant not feel angry at all?

Post by chownah »

I think an arahat would not consider if anger was conducive to nibbana or not because an arahamt has already achieved nibanna and once you attain it it doesn't require effort to maintain......I guess.......
chownah
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bodom
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Re: Does an arahant not feel angry at all?

Post by bodom »

"On the occasion when a monk, through the ending of the mental fermentations, enters & remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having known & verified them for himself right in the here & now...any aversion of his that is born of aversion is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
Those whose passion... aversion... delusion is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising: they, in this world, are well-gone.'"
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

An arahant who feels anger is no arahant at all.

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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Virgo
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Re: Does an arahant not feel angry at all?

Post by Virgo »

rainclear wrote:If an arahant's parents were harmed or insulted, would he feel angry?
No it's impossible because Arahants only have cittas of vipåkacitta or kiriyacitta jåti's, none of the akusala (which anger would fall into), nor of the kusala jåti.

Kevin
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retrofuturist
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Re: Does an arahant not feel angry at all?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
bodom wrote:
"On the occasion when a monk, through the ending of the mental fermentations, enters & remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having known & verified them for himself right in the here & now...any aversion of his that is born of aversion is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
Those whose passion... aversion... delusion is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising: they, in this world, are well-gone.'"
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

An arahant who feels anger is no arahant at all.

:anjali:
:goodpost:

Excellent. Thank you for sharing.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
dhammapal
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Re: Does an arahant not feel angry at all?

Post by dhammapal »

The Buddha did advise disgust (Bhikkhu Bodhi translation) for evil people. metta.lk's translation is "loathed":
Anguttara Nikaya 3.27 wrote:Bhikkhus, which person should be loathed and not associated. Here a certain person is unvirtuous, with evil thoughts like rubbish, with secret actions, with only a promise to recluseship, festering inside and filth oozing out. Bhikkhus, this kind of person should be loathed, should not be associated. What is the reason? In some way if this person is not imitated, ill fame spreads, 'this is an evil friend, an associate of evil'. Just as a serpent with excreta on its body would not sting anyone, for he smears excreta. In the same manner an unvirtuous person with evil thoughts similar to rubbish, with secret actions, with only a promise to recluseship, festering inside and filth oozing out should be loathed, should not be associated.
From: Jigucchitabbasutta: Should be loathed
With metta / dhammapal.
Varillon
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Re: Does an arahant not feel angry at all?

Post by Varillon »

Perhaps "disgust" isn't being treated as an emotion but a reaction instead. Say you walked in on a friend getting dressed. Though you aren't disgusted by their appearance, you may be reacting to thoughts. "I hope she/he doesn't think I wanted to betray her/his trust." "I hope their significant other doesn't get angry and want revenge." You hide your eyes and attempt to stumble back through the door.

Applied in this way, Buddha could have felt nothing but still projected a reaction of disgust. If he saw a murder and later ran into the murderer, I personally could see Buddha making a bit of a scene while backing away to inspire others that the murderer's deed can't be tolerated.

Namaste
daverupa
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Re: Does an arahant not feel angry at all?

Post by daverupa »

In that context, I'd have rendered "jigucchati" as 'shuns', rather than 'loathes', because it has a better correspondence with 'not associated (with)'.

It is, in short, an attempt to maximize the distance between oneself and unwholesome conditions, as I see it, and not a suggestion that loathing an individual is to be done.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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