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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 45

DISCOURSE ON THE FIVE

WAYS OF PUTTING AN END

TO ANGER

(Madhyama Agama No. 25 [1])

By Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh

Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi is the founder and chairman of Buddhist Global Relief. He
has been a Theravāda monk since 1972. A translator of the Pāli Nikāyas, he lives
and teaches at Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, New York. Excerpts from his
translations of the Pāli Canon are available at wisdompubs.org under ‘Teachings
of the Buddha’ in the Wisdom Academics collection. This article was originally
published in Inquiring Mind, Vol. 31, #2, Spring 2015.

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is a global spiritual leader, of thousands of lay students, apply his teachings on
poet and peace activist, revered throughout the world mindfulness, peace-making and community-building in
for his powerful teachings and bestselling writings on schools, workplaces, businesses – and even prisons –
mindfulness and peace. throughout the world.

His key teaching is that, through mindfulness, we can I heard these words of the Buddha one time when he
learn to live happily in the present moment—the only was staying in the Anathapindika Monastery in the Jeta
way to truly develop peace, both in one’s self and in the Grove near the town of Shravasti.
world. Thich Nhat Hanh has published over 100 titles
on meditation, mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism, as One day the Venerable Shariputra said to the monks,
well as poems, children’s stories, and commentaries on “Friends, today I want to share with you five ways of
ancient Buddhist texts. He has sold over three million putting an end to anger. Please listen carefully and put
books in America alone, some of the best-known into practice what I teach.”
include Being Peace, Peace Is Every Step, The Miracle of
Mindfulness, The Art of Power, True Love and Anger. The bhikshus agreed and listened carefully.

Thich Nhat Hanh has been a pioneer in bringing The Venerable Shariputra then said, “What are these
Buddhism to the West, founding six monasteries and five ways of putting an end to anger?
dozens of practice centers in America and Europe,
as well as over 1,000 local mindfulness practice “This is the first way. My friends, if there is someone
communities, known as ‘sanghas’. whose bodily actions are not kind but whose words are
kind, if you feel anger toward that person but you are
He has built a thriving community of over 600 monks wise, you will know how to meditate in order to put an
and nuns worldwide, who, together with his tens end to your anger.