There are many people who have some awareness and insight into their anger. They say that they do not like the anger that develops within them. Many on the other hand, believe that unless they get angry, they will not accomplish anything.

Anger, attachment, pride and greed always harm the owner. People do not understand this. If you were to starve these weaknesses within you, for three years, they would run away. What is the nourishment for these weaknesses? How can you starve them if you do not know what they thrive on? It is your lack of understanding that provides sustenance for them. How do they survive and carry on life after life? Stop feeding them. People do not think along these lines and instead forcefully try to subdue them. These four weaknesses will not go away easily.

An acharya (spiritual head) scolds his disciple with anger. If a person asks the acharya why he is scolding his disciple, and he replies that the disciple needed to be told off. By making such a statement, he has fed his anger. His support for his anger is the food on which his anger thrives.

If anger, pride, attachment and greed are not fed for three years, they will leave. This is because each has its specific diet, which people provide everyday and so they grow healthy and strong.

When a man smacks his child in anger, his wife will rebuke him for doing so. If he tells her that the child deserved it, then he would be feeding his anger. In making such statements, people support their weaknesses.

I have never given protection to anger, pride, attachment and greed. If I happen to get angry and someone asks me why, I would tell them that it is wrong to get angry and that it occurred because of my weakness. In this way, I do not protect it. But other people do.

If a sadhu (an ascetic) happens to be using snuff and we ask him why a man of his status should have such an addiction, he will strengthen his addiction when he says that there is no harm in using snuff.

Of the four weaknesses: anger, pride, attachment and greed, a person may favor one over the other and will therefore strengthen it by siding with it.