Hatred, Animosity, Jealousy

Revenge, tit for tat: our literature, movies are full of stories where these feelings are not only highlighted but also shown as heroic feelings. Whether it is Shakespeare, or the Sidney Sheldon, the best sellers are ones where the revenge is the main theme. A child has to avenge the killing of his father, if some one behaves badly with you it is ok to give him/her back piece of his/her own cake. It seems that teaching other a lesson is our favorite pastime.

Let us explore what Buddha says about this. In Dhammapada, Yamakvagga verse3-6, Lord Buddha tells his disciples:

Akkocchi mam avadhi mam ajini mam ahasi me

ye ca tam upanayhanti veram tesam na sammati.

Akkocchi: abused, scolded; mam: me; avadhi: hurt, bound, limit; ajini: conquered; ahasi: taken something by force; me: me; ye: they; ca: and; tam: that; upanayhanti: grumbles at; veram:hatred, jealousy; tesam: their; na: not; sammati: cease, is appeased.

"(He/She/They) abused me, hurt me, conquered me, stole things from me", those who keep harboring such thoughts, the enmity inside them will never cease.

Akkocchi mam avadhi mam ajini mam ahasi me
ye ca tam nupanayhanti veram tesupasammati.

nupanayhanti: na+upanayhanti; tesupasammati: tesam+sammati;

"(He/She/They) abused me, hurt me, conquered me, stole things from me", those do not harbor such thoughts, the enmity inside them will ceases.

Most of us interact with others not as the first experience, but based on our previous experiences with them, and so harbor the feeling of hatred, jealousy etc. Remembering all this again and again will not cease hatred. It is only when we forget and forgive can we ourselves be truly free from the feeling of hatred and jealousy.

Na hi verena verani sammantidha kudacanam
averena ca sammanti esa dhammo sanantano.

Kudacannam: at no time; averana:a+verana; esa: this; sanatano: ageless

The enmity does never end with enmity, instead only through not harboring ill-feelings can we be free from them. And this is an oldest dhamma.

Pare ca na vijananti mayamettha yamamase
ye ca tattha vijananti tato sammanti medhaga.

Pare: others; vijjananti: Know; mayametha: mayam+ettha: we+in this place; yamamase: die; tattha: here; tato: due to that; medhaga: conflicts and disputes.

(Most people) others not knowing that life is short, and they will die, continue to quarrel and harbor hatred. But wise man knowing the fact of death, realize the folly of fight and cease all disputes and conflicts inside them.

Thus from these we can see that Lord Buddha, tells us to forego the feeling of revenge. When we act from the feeling of revenge with others, the feeling of enmity persists. We react, and our reaction furthers the others reaction, bounded by this we carry own these animosity with us. The only way out is forget, forego the animosity, only then can we be really free from hatred!!

Those who do not understand the impermanent nature of things and life, in their ignorance give importance to feelings of pride and hatred, and harbor ill-feelings against those who have in any way harmed them or hurt them. The wise on other hand, understanding the impermanence of things and life, forego all quarrels and live in peace.

This is the eternal dharma! _/\_