Question: How to deal with a short-tempered person?
Acharya Prashant: Why are you only asking about how to deal with those who are very short tempered? There are different people in the world, some are short-tempered and some are long-tempered (laughs).
People have different natures. If you’re aware, attentive, your response will always be right. If I’m filled with love then I’ll know how to deal with a lazy man and how to deal with a skilful person. If I’m intelligent, I know how to deal with a person who is laughing and how to deal with a person who is crying. Both are opposites, but my intelligence can give solution to both, right?
A person may be short-tempered or something else, but the right action can’t be planned beforehand. It can be decided on the very moment by being attentive. But the question is: why has the questioner talked about short-tempered persons? You didn’t ask, ‘Sir if I get to meet an intelligent person or a Buddha, how I should behave?’ You asked if you get to meet a short-tempered person, how should you deal with him. It is because when you meet a short-tempered person, it hurts your ego. So, essentially, you are asking how to secure, protect your ego. You have asked me how to deal with short-tempered persons because a short-tempered person gives pain. He pierces your ego, hits your ego. Somebody abuses you and you feel your self-esteem being shattered into pieces. Hence, you ask how to deal with these kinds of people.
L: But he is able to hurt me.
