Question: How do you harm yourself through hatred?

Answer: At those moments there is agitation and recklessness. When people become angry they are inclined to do something they may regret later on. In traffic jams people get out of their cars and start beating up other people. Then you can see that there is recklessness and no calm.

Question: In history you can read that kings had rightful anger. Is there rightful anger?

Answer: Anger is always unwholesome, no matter what the cause is. It harms yourself and others. This does not mean that you cannot be firm with others when it is necessary for people’s benefit, but hatred and anger are always unwholesome. At such moments you have no balance of mind, you are not sane. You cannot judge whether your actions are good or bad because you are in turmoil. When you are angry you are irrational.

Question: Are there other defilements besides anger?

Answer: There are many kinds of defilements. Three defilements are roots for unwholesome states of mind, namely attachment, anger or aversion, and ignorance.