I heard there's only one Buddha in this vast region? Then what about the other great Bodhisattvas who come to help? But why do I always encounter ill-mannered people who love to lose their temper?

It can be incredibly draining to constantly encounter anger and ill manners, especially when you are trying to approach life with mindfulness and a desire for peace. To understand your experience through the lens of Venerable Master Hsuan Hua's teachings, we have to look at how Buddhism views our daily encounters—not as random accidents, but as mirrors and profound spiritual lessons. Here is why you might be constantly encountering these difficult individuals:

1. They Are Your "Reverse Bodhisattvas"

Master Hsuan Hua often taught that the people who test us the most are actually sent to help us progress. In Buddhism, these are known as "Reverse Bodhisattvas" (逆行菩薩). A standard Bodhisattva helps you through kindness and compassion. A Reverse Bodhisattva helps you by acting as a villain, a nuisance, or an ill-mannered person to test your patience (Kshanti) and eliminate your arrogance. Without them, you would never truly know if you have overcome your own anger or if your peace is just an illusion. They are providing you with the exact "raw material" you need to practice endurance.

2. The Law of Mirroring and Resonance

Master Hsuan Hua emphasized the cultivation of the mind. Sometimes, what we constantly perceive in our environment is a reflection of our own inner state or past karma. If we carry latent irritation, anxiety, or a habit of judging others, we naturally become highly sensitive to those exact traits in the people around us. It can also be a matter of karmic affinity. People who lose their temper around you might be bringing debts from past lives to be settled. If you respond with anger, the cycle continues. If you respond with patience, the debt is paid, and the bond is dissolved.

3. Cultivating the "Unmoving Mind"

You mentioned the teaching about the "one Buddha" and the great Bodhisattvas who come to help. The ultimate goal of a Bodhisattva's help is to teach you how to remain unperturbed. Master Hsuan Hua famously wrote a short verse that perfectly addresses your situation:

"Everything is a test to see what you will do. If you don't recognize what's before your face, you'll have to start anew."

When someone loses their temper, they are showing you their own deep suffering and lack of self-control. They are trapped in their own ignorance.

How to Shift Your Experience

The next time you encounter someone ill-mannered, try to change your internal script:

Change "Why are they doing this to me?" to "Ah, here is my test."

Look at them as a strict teacher checking your spiritual homework. Practice silent compassion. Recognize that a person who easily loses their temper is mentally burning themselves up. They are unhappy, and their bad manners are a cry for help.

Guard your own mind.

Do not let their fire ignite your fire. If you stay calm, you win the test.The Bodhisattvas are helping you—but they might be doing it by wearing the mask of the angry, ill-mannered people you meet, giving you the perfect stage to achieve a truly unshakable mind.