Anger is the outcome of man’s internal weakness. There are seven causes of anger. Once you know the cause, the effects can be controlled and even eliminated.
The first cause : The habit of desireDesire in itself is not the cause of anger. The habit of desire is the cause of anger. The tendency to create another desire the moment one desire is fulfilled is the root cause. Instead of sitting peacefully, as soon as man gets some free time, he thinks, “What do I get now?” This habit is the block in his spiritual progress.
A very rich man was showing off his property to his friends. He proudly displayed three swimming pools in his mansion. “The first pool always contains hot water, I bathe in this pool in the winters. The second pool always contains cold water, I bathe in this pool in the summers ”, he proudly announced.The on-looker asked,“Why the third pool? It doesn’t even have any water.” The rich man replied,“On some days, when I don’t feel like bathing, then I go and sit in this pool.” The mind has developed the habit of desires. Man begins with small things. He wants to become something. But even after becoming something, he wants many things. Now giving rise to desires has become a tendency with him. If somebody gets in the way of his desires, then he will get angry. Because of this habit, he will continue getting miserable and will continue getting angry.
The second cause : Hurdle in desiresEvery man has some desires. Some desires are strong and some are subtle. Everybody can understand strong desires such as getting success, getting a job, passing an exam, and so on. But subtle desires can be understood only after something happens. If the power (electricity) goes off and you get angry, that means you had a subtle desire that there should be power. You get angry on the people working at the power station.You curse them. Thus even hurdles cause anger. But that too is nothing other than the tendency to desire. Things are going on fine, you don’t think you are angry. When something is obstructed or goes wrong, then subtle desires manifest and cause anger.
The third cause : Attachment to sensesBecause of attachment with senses, desires arise. Because of unfulfilled desires, anger arises. The desire to accumulate wealth also arises because of attachment to senses. Wealth can provide something for the senses.We can buy a TV with money and TV can show beautiful sights to our eyes. Money can buy a music system so that our ears can listen to music. Desire to collect wealth beyond our needs arises as a result of our attachment to senses. Every desire is connected to the senses.
Guru Nanak did not ever keep money with him. It was not because he had renounced money. The fact is that he did not have any desire or wish to satisfy his senses.
The point is not that one should not want money.The point is that everything you want is for the senses. Just become aware of this. You can desire for all the money you want as long as you do not forget the treasure within yourself. In spite of all the money in the world, can you lead a simple life? The more you get habituated to the comforts that amenities provide, the more will be the possibility for inconvenience if you don't get those amenities. And inconvenience becomes the cause of anger. When an object is taken away from us, we get angry.That is why very often wealthy people suffer from the disease of anger. They get angry at every little thing. Often they get angry on their servants. They get angry on their wife and children. Understand and know that objects can give convenience, not contentment.There is a difference between convenience and contentment. Know that there is no permanent happiness in satisfying the senses. This will be possible only when you realize and understand with experience that, “I am not the senses.” Then attachment to senses can break.
All the people in the world know that anger is bad. Everybody is distraught with the outcomes of anger. Nobody likes to get angry. Yet they get angry some time or the other in their lives. Everybody wants to get rid of anger, but are not able to relinquish it because they get something from it. A person feels alive with anger and gets freedom from boredom. Nobody wants to get bored; nobody wants to feel lifeless. But you get bored. So now you want some energy, some thrill, some excitement. Anger provides all of these. That is why you think it’s a good bargain. Remember that, in fact, it’s a very bad bargain. Anger gives only temporary excitement. But it will cause pain to other people as well as yourself. And by making a habit out of this, you will be troubled by it all your life.
A car is filled with fuel. It starts running. Similarly, when a person gets the petrol of anger, his body gets vibrations of excitement. He feels alive for some time. This is the reason that in spite of knowing that anger is bad, you don’t relinquish it.
The fifth cause : Hurt egoWhen the ego is hurt, anger arises instantly. When it seems that someone has insulted you or hasn’t given you respect, you burst out into anger. Ego is the feeling of ‘I’and ‘Mine’. It’s due to ego that a person feels that he is separate from others. Due to ego, he is never able to love anybody. He constantly fears that somebody may snatch ‘mine’ from me. That’s why he doesn’t allow anybody to come close to him. There are many who till the end of their lives believe that ‘I am better than others. Others are inferior to me and I am entitled to be respected.’ If he gets insulted, his ego is hurt and he gets angry.
Some people have a fragile ego due to which they get enraged very easily. Fragile ego means that ego which gets hurt with every little thing, every undesirable word and every wish that is not fulfilled. To protect his ego, he takes the help of anger. Instead of bending down to a fragile ego, break it completely. (You don’t need any weapon to break your ego. Bright Understanding or Tejgyan can dissolve it completely).
In fact, ego is the root cause of anger. We feel hurt because of ego, which gives rise to malice. Malice gives rise to hatred. Hatred gives rise to anger. Anger leads to wrong deeds, and wrong deeds give rise to guilt.
The sixth cause : GuiltMan is filled with guilt and because of guilt he hates himself and denies himself. A person filled with guilt will also hate others. The one who doesn’t love himself cannot love others. Only a person filled with inferiority complex searches for ‘status’ (position, acquisitions, etc.) since he doesn’t know the ‘Ultimate Status’. If such a person achieves some status in life, he will only make others miserable. He will exploit people, harass people, trouble and torture people and will constantly keep getting angry.
The seventh cause : Formula made in ignoranceChildren are weak in their childhood. As such, to get their own way, they develop a formula, which they feel is a success formula. To get something done from others, they will get agitated, stamp their feet, injure themselves or others and trouble themselves. They create a formula of being angry and getting things done.The child feels that everybody will get scared and fulfill my wish. The parents and other family members don’t want to see their child in such a state. Therefore they agree with everything he wants. And this becomes a success formula for the child. Now the child has grown up.There is no need to use the formula.But in ignorance, the formula continues.