Golden Steps To Salvation

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 64

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अपकारिषु कोपश्चेत् कोपे कोपः कथं न ते ? Apakārișu Kopaschet
Kope Kopah Katham na te? (If you get angry with those people who harm you, then why don't you get angry with your anger and give it up?)
The implication is that anger is the greatest cause of harm. The meaning of the statement that we should get angry with anger is that we should discard anger. In, Sthananga Sutra there is a discussion regarding the question; how anger arises ?
“Anger arises on account of four causes : (1) Place, (2) Home (home, shelter, shop, building etc.). (3) The body and (4) the articles which we use."
According to the present-day philosophers there are the following five causes for anger:
1. Abusive Language : Anger appears when somebody uses abusive language or strong language.
2. Selfish Pursuits : When somcone thwarts our selfish pursuits we get angry with him.
3. If our self-importance is offended by some improper activities or behaviour our anger bursts out.
4. Misunderstanding : Anger arises when we think that something is true when it is not true. (A husband mistaking his wife and suspecting her character when he sees her conversing with some other man or a woman suspecting her husband's character when she sees him conversing with some other woman, are misunderstandings.)
5. Differences of Opinion : Anger appears as a result of a misunderstanding between father and son, motherin-law and daughter-in-law, brother and brother etc.
The nature of anger differs from person to person in accordance with their nature,
"The anger of a noble person is momentary. It disappears soon. The anger of a man of average moral spiritual strength lasts two praharas (a day has 8 praharas). There