This Buddhist wisdom tale, author unknown but hosted on Unitarian Universalist Kat Liu’s page, Wizduum.net, helps us understand one piece of healing that is within our control, and that is our response. Suffering ends, and healing begins, when we stop letting our emotions control us.

Share the story with your household, and answer some of the questions together. If you like, you can also take a stab at making an origami samurai sword! (link to instructions below.)

What was the lesson that the samurai learned through the monk’s actions?

What did the monk mean when he said that the samurai had experienced heaven when he let go of his rage and instead made room for gratitude?

Some people image hell as a place full of fire. In a similar way, the story invites us to think of anger as a fiery feeling. Is that how it feels to you? If so, what’s your favorite way of “cooling down”?

Do you think anger is something that happens to you or that you choose?

What does it feel like for you when you lose your temper? What does it feel like when you don’t lose your temper?