<p>Buddhists don't do nothing do they? Cultivate compassion and Metta for them instead of anger like they are cultivating anger or ignorance and you will be doing something as a good person :)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-12T08:40:13.563Z
2016-12-12T08:40:13.563Z
Lowbrow
<p><strong>But at the time when someone insulting Buddhism what to do ?</strong></p>

<p>I think you're supposed to remember that people are heir to their own karma.</p>

<p>If people insult Buddhism instead of respecting and learning from it, instead of benefiting from it, then you might feel pity for them (or preferably <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9997/254">compassion</a>).</p>

<p>I'm not sure you or I should see a need for forgiveness (i.e. a need for us to forgive them) because I (hypothetically) don't see their disrespect as hurtful towards "you" or "me". Perhaps you're identifying with Buddhism in some way (thinking that their disrespect is hurts others or hurts you, and needs forgiveness)?</p>

<p><strong>I get really really angry.</strong></p>

<p>See for example the Dhammapada, which 
<a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">begins with</a>,</p>

<blockquote>
  <ol start="3">
  <li><p>"He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.</p></li>
  <li><p>"He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.</p></li>
  <li><p>Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.</p></li>
  <li><p>There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.</p></li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>Getting really angry doesn't seem to me appropriate. I think of replying with anger as being like "putting out fire with gasoline", i.e. it may fuel disrespect and further anger, rather than putting it out.</p>

<p>I realize many people feel that they shouldn't usually get angry, but might feel that sometimes anger is excusable, normal, necessary, even praise-worthy, and inevitable (e.g. "if I get angry that their fault for being disrespectful, not my fault"); for example:</p>

<ul>
<li>I don't usually get angry; but if you insult my <em>mother</em> then I'll punch you!</li>
<li>I wouldn't usually fight; if you attack my <em>country</em> then of course I will!</li>
<li>I'm usually a nice guy; but if you attack my <em>religion</em> then I can't stand it!</li>
</ul>

<p>I also realize that some countries/societies criminalize disrespect, which might make it see normal to try to punish disrespect (e.g. by meeting it with anger), and/or to be averse to (and unaccustomed to) disrespect.</p>

<p>But ignoring what society does and looking at the scripture, remember the <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">parable of the saw</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with them, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>because of the silence of the good people</strong></p>

<p>If you think it might help, maybe you can disagree without getting angry.</p>

<p>If someone tells a lie about Buddhism, for example, maybe you can say what the truth is; or if it's not an appropriate place and time for a lecture, maybe say something short like "I disagree" or "I don't think so" ... enough so that if someone is interested then they can ask for more.</p>

<p><strong>The world suffers a lot. Not because the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people.</strong></p>

<p>I think that Buddhism teaches that causes of suffering are ignorance, craving and attachment and so on.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-15T14:42:54.260Z
See also [Akkosa Sutta: Insult](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.002.than.html)
ChrisW
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-11T14:51:24.953Z
2016-12-11T14:51:24.953Z
2017-04-13T12:51:06.400Z
ChrisW
<p><strong>Just don't get attached to Buddhism</strong> </p>

<p><em>Example :</em></p>

<p>In school , if a teacher scolded you , you get really upset and humiliated, but that does not happen if your teacher scolded someone you don't know . Let's ask why ,  because you are attached to yourself and not to a some  person who you don't know. 
This applies to everything. If you take something as yours , you will make a bond with it, thus all the sadness and anger will come along eventually because of that bond you made. 
So if you take Buddhism as your religion, the best religion(we all know it is the best ) and try to make attachments with it, you will be sad and angry if someone insulted it.</p>

<p><strong>Religions can make terrorists</strong> </p>

<p>Yes above statement is true. We have seen on news , people becoming terrorists because of some religions. 
Basically it happens when someone doesn't know what that religion really taught , but when trying to make bonds with it. So those people think the only religion in the world is their religion. </p>

<p><strong>Conclusion</strong> </p>

<p>We should not make attachments with anything. At least we should try not to. When following the path to nirvana, you have to give up everything, if you gave everything up and still stuck without achieving nirvana, that's the time you should give up the desire to achieve nirvana. Then only you can achieve nirvana. It is a very complex point, think about it more. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-15T07:34:23.493Z
According to Buddhism you should tolerate it.
lasan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-15T07:44:41.267Z
Should i accept it even unreasonably and except it's false ?
Swapnil
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-15T07:50:23.717Z
Basically It's not yours to accept, so just let it go , follow the path to nirvana , people can say anything, if u stopped to hit a dog which barks at you when you are going somewhere, you will never get there.
lasan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-15T07:54:35.677Z
Ok Thank You so much @-}-- It means don't let nothing distracted us from path of nirvana. Thank you
Swapnil
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-15T07:55:59.283Z
Yes , exactly ! you are welcome:-)
lasan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-14T20:54:23.230Z
2016-12-14T20:54:23.230Z
lasan
<p>I first apologize to ask like this, I'm so sorry but I found people who don't respect other religions by my one older question I had to ask almost like this one that one I'm asking. As this religion is secular and against violence. Teaching kindness, forgiveness and beyond the concept of god and religion. But at the time when someone insulting Buddhism what to do ? In Buddha's time he was en lighted he could make them feel what they are doing, there were so many incidents he changed them but when I seen someone insulting Buddhism I feel like I must break first precept; all the time I tolerate because I'm not violent and it's not what I learn, but I get really really angry.
Also bad people look at us as beneficial sake and annoying that we are non-violence and so can't do nothing. There's quote of Napoleon Bonaparte “The world suffers a lot. Not because the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people."
I don't expecting war and violence but peace. Thank you.</p>

<lay-buddhism><eight-precepts>
How to tolerate if someone insulting Buddhism?
# How to tolerate if someone insulting Buddhism?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-12-11)

I first apologize to ask like this, I'm so sorry but I found people who don't respect other religions by my one older question I had to ask almost like this one that one I'm asking. As this religion is secular and against violence. Teaching kindness, forgiveness and beyond the concept of god and religion. But at the time when someone insulting Buddhism what to do ? In Buddha's time he was en lighted he could make them feel what they are doing, there were so many incidents he changed them but when I seen someone insulting Buddhism I feel like I must break first precept; all the time I tolerate because I'm not violent and it's not what I learn, but I get really really angry.
Also bad people look at us as beneficial sake and annoying that we are non-violence and so can't do nothing. There's quote of Napoleon Bonaparte “The world suffers a lot. Not because the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people."
I don't expecting war and violence but peace. Thank you.

**Tags:** lay-buddhism, eight-precepts


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-12-11. Score: 7

**But at the time when someone insulting Buddhism what to do ?**

I think you're supposed to remember that people are heir to their own karma.

If people insult Buddhism instead of respecting and learning from it, instead of benefiting from it, then you might feel pity for them (or preferably [compassion](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/9997/254)).

I'm not sure you or I should see a need for forgiveness (i.e. a need for us to forgive them) because I (hypothetically) don't see their disrespect as hurtful towards "you" or "me". Perhaps you're identifying with Buddhism in some way (thinking that their disrespect is hurts others or hurts you, and needs forgiveness)?

**I get really really angry.**

See for example the Dhammapada, which
[begins with](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.01.budd.html),

> 3. "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.
> 4. "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.
> 5. Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.
> 6. There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.

Getting really angry doesn't seem to me appropriate. I think of replying with anger as being like "putting out fire with gasoline", i.e. it may fuel disrespect and further anger, rather than putting it out.

I realize many people feel that they shouldn't usually get angry, but might feel that sometimes anger is excusable, normal, necessary, even praise-worthy, and inevitable (e.g. "if I get angry that their fault for being disrespectful, not my fault"); for example:

* I don't usually get angry; but if you insult my *mother* then I'll punch you!
* I wouldn't usually fight; if you attack my *country* then of course I will!
* I'm usually a nice guy; but if you attack my *religion* then I can't stand it!

I also realize that some countries/societies criminalize disrespect, which might make it see normal to try to punish disrespect (e.g. by meeting it with anger), and/or to be averse to (and unaccustomed to) disrespect.

But ignoring what society does and looking at the scripture, remember the [parable of the saw](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.021x.than.html):

> Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with them, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.

**because of the silence of the good people**

If you think it might help, maybe you can disagree without getting angry.

If someone tells a lie about Buddhism, for example, maybe you can say what the truth is; or if it's not an appropriate place and time for a lecture, maybe say something short like "I disagree" or "I don't think so" ... enough so that if someone is interested then they can ask for more.

**The world suffers a lot. Not because the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people.**

I think that Buddhism teaches that causes of suffering are ignorance, craving and attachment and so on.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: See also [Akkosa Sutta: Insult](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.002.than.html)  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-12-14. Score: 4

**Just don't get attached to Buddhism**

*Example :*

In school , if a teacher scolded you , you get really upset and humiliated, but that does not happen if your teacher scolded someone you don't know . Let's ask why , because you are attached to yourself and not to a some person who you don't know.
This applies to everything. If you take something as yours , you will make a bond with it, thus all the sadness and anger will come along eventually because of that bond you made.
So if you take Buddhism as your religion, the best religion(we all know it is the best ) and try to make attachments with it, you will be sad and angry if someone insulted it.

**Religions can make terrorists**

Yes above statement is true. We have seen on news , people becoming terrorists because of some religions.
Basically it happens when someone doesn't know what that religion really taught , but when trying to make bonds with it. So those people think the only religion in the world is their religion.

**Conclusion**

We should not make attachments with anything. At least we should try not to. When following the path to nirvana, you have to give up everything, if you gave everything up and still stuck without achieving nirvana, that's the time you should give up the desire to achieve nirvana. Then only you can achieve nirvana. It is a very complex point, think about it more.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: According to Buddhism you should tolerate it.  
> **username_0**: Should i accept it even unreasonably and except it's false ?  
> **username_3**: Basically It's not yours to accept, so just let it go , follow the path to nirvana , people can say anything, if u stopped to hit a dog which barks at you when you are going somewhere, you will never get there.  
> **username_0**: Ok Thank You so much @-}-- It means don't let nothing distracted us from path of nirvana. Thank you  
> **username_3**: Yes , exactly ! you are welcome:-)  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-12-12. Score: 0

Buddhists don't do nothing do they? Cultivate compassion and Metta for them instead of anger like they are cultivating anger or ignorance and you will be doing something as a good person :)


---

