Starving Anger, Feeding Joy

This is from Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, as transcribed by the Asian Classics Institute.

Anger feeds on the food
Of feeling upset, then strengthened
Turns to smash me.

And so then I will smash
The sustenance that feeds
This enemy of mine.

My foe knows no other
Kind of work at all
Except to cause me pain.

No matter what happens
I will never allow
My joy to be disturbed.
Feeling upset cannot accomplish
My hopes, and only makes me lose
The goodness that I have.

If there is something
You can do about it,
Why should you feel upset?

If there is nothing
You can do about it,
What use is being upset?

LESSONS:

1 – getting upset does you no good, it’s useless.
2 – if you can fix it, go do it! If you can’t, what’s the use still being upset? Give it up! Return to your JOY!