There Are Three Types Of People in the World

Buddah Close UpThere are three types of people in the world. What three?

One who is like carving on a rock, one who is like scratching on the ground, and one who is like writing on the water.

What sort of person is like carving on a rock? Imagine a certain person who is always getting angry and his anger lasts long, just as carving on a rock is not soon worn off by wind, water or lapse of time.

What sort of person is like scratching on the ground? Imagine a certain person who is always getting angry but his anger does not last long, just as scratching on the ground is soon worn off by the wind, water and lapse of time.

And what sort of person is like writing on the water? Imagine a certain person who, even though spoken to harshly, sharply, roughly, is easily reconciled and becomes agreeable and friendly, just as writing on the water soon disappears.

Anguttara Nikaya

There are three types of people – which are you?

Does your anger get the better of you? Or have you mastered your anger?

Time Magazine asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama 10 Questions, one of which was “Do you ever feel angry or outraged?” (starts at 1:27 if you click the link to the video)

His answer:

Oh, yes, of course. I’m a human being. Generally speaking, if a human being never shows anger, then I think something’s wrong. He’s not right in the brain. [Laughs.]

You’ll never fully get rid of your anger. But you don’t have to be controlled by it, either. Another analogy is throwing a rock in the water. Initially, there is a large disturbance. But it soon passes, with a few ripples, and then the water is still and calm again.

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