In the english language we don't really have adequate terminologies for expressing our emotions, and in fact, we don't really have adequate psychological science for understanding them.
In the system of psychology that we call Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism more specifically, the system handed down for understanding the nature of mind and how emotions are created is quite simple, and not short of profound. Essentially it looks some thing like this:
Mental aversion creates anger
Mental attachment creates saddness
Subconscious unknowing (sometimes called 'ignorance') of what it is that you have attachment or aversion to will also cause sadness or anger, but you will not be able to consciously know what thoughts are creating those emotions.
There is also the idea that if someone is angry they are sharing that with everyone. Those of us with less aversion will just rest in that anger as it dissapates. Those with aversion to it may create more anger. The same would go for sadness and attachment. We might call this "creating suffering from suffering".
These three mechanisms of the mind; Attachment, Aversion, and Ignorance are known as "The 3 Poisons." Different combinations of Anger, Sadness, and ignorance will create many other "afflictive" emotions. The Tibetan system has loosely defined many and specifically defined 52 emotions.
When we notice anger or sadness as it arises, we can notice our thoughts. We can notice what it is that we have attachment to if we are feeling sadness, and we can notice what it is that we have aversion to if we are experiencing anger. This simple exercise can lead directly to "enlightenment" so to speak. Sometimes called the Metta prayer, or 'the 4 Immeasurables' states simply::
May all being have happiness and the cause of happiness
May all beings be free from suffering and the cause of suffering
May all beings dwell in bliss, free from suffering
May all beings dwell in equanimity, free from aversion, and free from attachment
The cause of happiness of course is equanimity, that is to say, to not have attachment or aversion. The cause of suffering is to have attachment or aversion. Not easy, but simple! If we can remain in equanimity long enough, bliss will naturally arise.
The Four Immesurables in Tibetan Script
The Pareto principle of Buddhism might say that if first we understand The Two Truths, and then rest in equanimity, without attachment or aversion, this is 80% of Buddhism. The other 20% is a nearly bottomless rabbit hole of profound wisdom. Dig deep!
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