Spiritual Warriorship: Śāntideva on the Inner Journey of Transforming Anger

abstract :

Chapter 6 of Shantideva's Guide warns of the dangers of anger for the practicing Buddhist, suggesting that a moment of anger destroys the merit of many lifetimes. How is the social activist to read this warning? This essay traces the distinction between anger (dveśa ) and hatred (pratighā) in the text. It goes on to argue for a protreptic rather than ethical or philosophic reading of the Guide, tracing the way to read the text as a genuine guide for reexamining anger, discovering the pain it causes, and opening to the ground of care at the heart of anger. From this point of view, anger provides the valuable doorway for spiritual growth. From a protreptic perspective, Śāntideva offers a powerful inner journey of transformation that can radically open the heart and prepare the activist for deeper, more resilient, and effective personal and social change.