The Anger-Eating Demon

 A problem with anger is that we enjoy being angry.   There is an addictive and powerful pleasure associated with the expression of anger.  And we don’t want to let go of what we enjoy.  However, there is also a danger in anger, a consequence that outweighs any pleasure.  If we only realized the fruit of anger, and remembered the connection, then we would be willing to let anger go.

In a palace a long time ago, a demon walked in while the King was away.  The demon was so ugly, he smelled so bad and what he said was so disgusting that the guards and palace workers froze in horror.  This allowed the demon to stride right through the outer rooms, into the royal audience hall, and then sit himself on the king’s throne.  Seeing the demon on the king’s throne, the guards and the others came to their senses.

“Get out of here!” they shouted, “You don’t belong there!”  At these few angry words, the demon grew a few inches bigger, his face grew uglier, the smell got worse and his language became even more obscene.  Swords were brandished, daggers pulled out, threats made.  At every angry word or angry deed, even at every angry thought. That demon grew an inch bigger, more ugly in appearance, more smelly and more foul in his language.

The confrontation had been going on for quite a while when the King returned.  He saw on his own throne this gigantic demon.  He had never seen anything so repulsively ugly before, not even in the movies.  The King was wise, that was why he was King.  He knew what to do.

“Welcome,” said the King warmly.  “Welcome to my palace.  Has anyone got you anything to drink yet” Or to eat?”  At those few kind gestures, the demon grew a few inches smaller, les ugly, less smelly and less offensive.

The palace personnel caught on very quickly.  One asked the demon whether he would like a cup of tea.  Another phoned out for pizza while others made sandwiches: devilled-ham of course.  One soldier gave the demon a foot massage, while another massaged the scales on his back.

At every kind word, deed or thought, the demon became smaller and less ugly, smelly and offensive.  Before the pizza boy arrived with his delivery, the demon had already shrunk to the size he was when he first sat on the throne.  But they never stopped being kind.  Soon the demon was so small that he could hardly be seen.  Then after one more word of kindness, he vanished completely away.

We call such monsters “anger-eating demons”.

Some cancers are “anger-eating demons”, ugly and repugnant monsters sitting in our body, our “throne”.  It is natural to say “Get out of here, you don’t belong!”  When all else fails, or maybe even earlier, perhaps we can say “Welcome”.  Some feed on stress – that’s why they are “anger-eating demons”.  Those kinds of cancer respond well when the King courageously says:  “Cancer, the door of my heart is fully open to you, whatever you do.  Come in!”

 From the book: “Opening the Door of your Heart” by Ajahn Brahm.  This story evolved from Samyutta Nikaya, Sakka Samyutta Sutta No. 22.