You Will Never Get Angry After This | A Powerful Zen story On Anger |

Once, there was a well-known Zen master named Rinzai. He welcomed visitors at his home. One day, a man came to see him, but the man was in a bad mood. As he entered the room, he angrily pushed the door, making it slam loudly. He then took off his shoes and threw them aside. Just as he was about to step inside, Rinzai stopped him and said, Wait, don't come in. The man, surprised, asked, Why not? Rinzai calmly replied, First, go and apologize to the door and to your shoes. The man was confused and said, What are you talking about? I've heard people say that Zen followers are crazy, but I didn't believe it. Now I see it's true. Why should I apologize to a door and shoes? That sounds so silly. Rinzai replied, Leave now and don't come back unless you can understand this. If you can get angry at your shoes, why can't you apologize when you're angry? You think it's foolish to be angry at shoes, but that's exactly what you did. If you can show anger, why not show love? When you slammed the door, you were angry at it, but the door didn't do anything wrong to you. If you can slam the door with anger, then why can't you apologize to it? Anger is a way of relating, and so is love. If you can't apologize, then don't come in. The man's anger started to fade as he listened to Rinzai's calm voice. He began to understand the point. If he could be angry, he could also choose to be kind and loving. The man walked over to the door and gently touched it, tears filling his eyes. He then bent down and bowed to his shoes. This realization changed him deeply. After that, he returned to Rinzai, who welcomed him with open arms and embraced him. The story of Zen Master Rinzai and the man who entered his room angrily teaches us a powerful lesson about how we choose to respond to situations. When the man came in upset, he slammed the door and threw his shoes in anger. Rinzai told him to apologize to the door and his shoes, which the man found silly. But Rinzai explained that if we can show anger towards things that have done nothing wrong, we should also be able to show love and apologize when we make mistakes. This is because how we react to things shapes our experiences in the world around us. The moral of the story is that we always have a choice in how we respond to what happens in our lives. When we respond with anger, we create more anger and negativity. This only makes the situation worse and can harm our relationships and peace of mind. On the other hand, when we respond with love, kindness, and forgiveness, we calm the situation down, create understanding, and bring peace. Anger takes a lot of energy and leaves us feeling tired and unhappy. But love and forgiveness make us feel better, more relaxed, and happier. This story reminds us that we can make a big difference in our lives and the lives of others by choosing love over anger. Instead of reacting with frustration or harshness, try to be patient and understanding. Apologize when needed, even if it seems small or silly. These small acts of kindness can change the atmosphere around us, turning negative situations into positive ones. By doing this, we can help create a more peaceful and happy world, one where people treat each other with respect and compassion.