It is no weakness for the wisest man to learn when he is wrong.
SophoclesRead
The Buddha compared anger with picking up hot coals with one's bare hands and trying to throw them at the person with whom one is angry. Who gets burned first? The one who is angry of course.
Interpretation
Anger harms the angry person more than anyone else.
This quote by Ayya Khema illustrates the self-destructive nature of anger. It highlights that when we harbor anger, we are often the ones who suffer the most, akin to picking up hot coals; it is an act of self-harm more than an offense to the target of our rage.
In practice
During a workshop on emotional health, a speaker shared this quote to illustrate the dangers of holding onto anger.
It is no weakness for the wisest man to learn when he is wrong.
Spiritual people should not be ashamed of being wealthy.
The lamp of genius burns quicker than the lamp of life.
How could I have been so stupid to ignore everything I’d had in my life? The color red alone was worth kingdoms.
If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.
The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, an almost fanatical love of justice and the desire for personal independence -- these are the features of the Jewish tradition which make me thank my stars that I belong to it.
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