The Angry Guy

Once a Zen master was listening to a student complain about his uncontrollable temper. The student said, “I’m a very angry person. Please help me to change.”

“Sounds like a big problem. Let’s see this terrible anger of yours,” the master demanded of the student.

“I can’t show it to you. I’m not angry right now.”

“Then when can you demonstrate it for me?” the master asked.

“I don’t know. It takes me by surprise.”

“This anger must not be your true nature. If it were, your anger would be available for display anytime. If it’s not there all the time, and you can’t even summon it when you want to, you are not an angry person.”

This story illustrates a vitally important point. Seeing characteristics as permanent parts of ourselves makes them unworkable, unchangeable. Seeing almost everything we do as a habit or combination of habits means that there is always the possibility of change.

©2002 Dr. Joseph Parent (P)2016 Audible, Inc.