"Monks, these are the five methods for completely allaying resentment when it arises in a monk. What five?

  1. Monks, in whom resentment arises towards any person, loving-kindness should be cultivated towards that person; thus, resentment towards that person should be removed.
  2. Monks, in whom resentment arises towards any person, compassion should be cultivated towards that person; thus, resentment towards that person should be removed.
  3. Monks, in whom resentment arises towards any person, equanimity should be cultivated towards that person; thus, resentment towards that person should be removed.
  4. Monks, in whom resentment arises towards any person, one should not pay attention to that person; thus, resentment towards that person should be removed.
  5. Monks, in whom resentment arises towards any person, one should establish the perception of ownership of kamma towards that person: ‘This venerable one is the owner of their actions, heir to their actions, born of their actions, related through their actions, and has their actions as their refuge. Whatever actions they do, whether good or bad, they will be the heir to them’; thus, resentment towards that person should be removed.

These, monks, are the five methods for completely allaying resentment when it arises."


A practice of loving-kindness, when gradually cultivated leads to uprooting of the fetter of ill-will from the mind.

Suppose a carpenter or their apprentice sees the marks of his fingers and thumb on the handle of his adze. They don’t know how much of the handle was worn away today, how much yesterday, and how much previously. They just know what has been worn away.

-- SN 22.101

The Buddha shares that one may not know how much of a fetter is remaining to be uprooted from the mind, it is only by its complete disappearance can one know this. The way of progress may be observed as a gradual one by observing for the gradual improvements in the condition of the mind and in one’s personal and professional relationships.

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