In order to control anger, we must reflect well on its shortcomings; how anger is extremely dangerous. The flame which comes from a match stick is so small, but it can burn a whole mountain, it can destroy all the bushes, all the trees on the mountain. One small fire spark touching a wire and burning it can destroy a whole building, it can burn the whole city. Like that, even if the anger is small, even if it has arisen for one second, the danger it can cause is unbelievable. However much incredible merit there is gets destroyed by anger arising—even the small anger that is arising for one second. It puts off generating the realizations of the path to enlightenment for many eons, so, like this, anger is so harmful to achieving the happiness, the perfection of our future life—nirvana and enlightenment.
When we are in danger of anger, we should remember especially the shortcomings of anger. When we are in danger of anger which is about to arise—when somebody is creating a situation or starting to talk in a way which makes our anger arise—when somebody is making preparation for our anger, so also we should make preparation from our own side to control the anger. If another person is making preparation to arise anger within their own mind, from our own side we should make preparation to control the anger, not to let anger arise. That is a very brave person who is able to do this; who is able to take care of his own mind, who is able to control his own disturbing unsubdued mind, who doesn’t let himself go under the control of the disturbing unsubdued mind. That is the real hero; that is the real brave person who can control his mind, who doesn’t let his mind go under the control of the disturbing unsubdued mind.