The Fire of Anger: Teachings from Venerable Yongning

Venerable Yongning, a monastic who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and now resides within the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, shared these profound reflections on the nature of anger. This interview was recorded on August 18, 2019, and transcribed by the disciple Shi Faxin.

Venerable Yongning speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Venerable Yongning. Within the vast expanse of the universe, there are countless sentient beings still waiting for deliverance. So many of them have fallen into the depths of samsara simply because of a momentary lapse in their personality—a failure to endure a single breath of frustration. Because they did not want to be misunderstood, they reacted with intense, volatile energy. These reactions were not merely attempts to stand their ground or protect themselves; they were like sharp, jagged thorns thrust toward others. In an instant, the recipient of that anger feels the sting, becoming wounded themselves, or perhaps they retaliate with even greater force. In the end, the one who suffers the most is the person who initiated the anger in the first place."

The Internal Conflagration

"Think about it—when you are consumed by rage, your entire body, every single cell, begins to vibrate with the intensity of a roaring flame. Whether this fire is expressed outwardly through shouting and aggression, or hidden inwardly as resentment and bitterness, it spreads across your being like a wildfire. This is not just a psychological state; it is a physical and spiritual destruction. Anger, inequality, and the turbulent waves of negative emotions are all forms of self-sabotage. How many sentient beings have entered the fires of the hells, the volcanic landscapes of suffering, the cold, unyielding stone, or even the dark reaches of the Demon Realm simply because of this volatile temperament? The fire of anger is a relentless force that consumes the very essence of one's being."

The Trap of the Ego

"That explosive nature—the moment something does not go your way, you flare up in anger, completely indifferent to the people around you—is a fire that consumes you from within. You cannot stop this sudden eruption, and so you find yourself engulfed in flames. Ultimately, you are forced to endure the punishment of fire itself. Anger is a clear sign that the ego is too heavy. You only feel anger when someone has stepped on your 'landmine'—your pride, your expectations, your sense of self. When you are in the midst of that suffering, you feel regret, but as soon as you are triggered again, you forget everything. This is the stubborn, difficult-to-transform nature of the ego. It exists within everyone; that part of us that refuses to be swayed or corrected is where the subtle seeds of anger are sown. It is a deep-seated attachment to the self that blinds us to the truth of the Dharma."

Cultivating Mind-Capacity

"Even when this physical body does not want to be provoked, or when we hear something unpleasant, if we feel a flicker of displeasure in our heart, we must immediately examine ourselves. We must ask: 'Is this the beginning of anger?' Anger arises in the most subtle, fleeting moments. To overcome this, we must learn to expand our mind-capacity. We must learn to transcend the sensations of the body and learn to truly empathise with others. Through repeated practice, we learn to remain calm and composed, handling situations with a cool head. Anger never makes a situation whole; instead, it destroys the harmony between people and requires far more time to soothe the heart and repair the relationship. Anger has absolutely no benefit. It is a poison that corrodes the soul and prevents the light of wisdom from shining through."

A Foundation for Practice

"Anger is something hidden deep within everyone. We must understand the truth of cause and effect to practise and refine ourselves, gradually smoothing out these rough edges. This is not something that happens overnight, but it is one of the fundamental pillars of changing personality traits. It is not a question of asking 'Why should I change?' or 'Must I change?' out of a sense of forced pride. It is a matter of survival—if you do not change, the one who suffers is you, this body, and this spirit that must endure the karmic retribution. I encourage everyone to work together on this, to avoid the six roots of the hells. We must strive to cultivate a heart that is as vast as the universe, free from the constraints of the ego. Namo Amituofo."