Virtual Dhamma-Vinaya Vihara
Vihara => Open Vihara - [Offenes Vihara] => Topic started by: Dhammañāṇa on July 28, 2019, 09:50:14 AM
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[Q&A] How is forgiveness defined in Buddhism?
Once answered on different palce, outside:
Householder, interested,
the question seems to mix up two aspects, one of the actor having done harm, and one of the receiver of harm from another.
As for the actor who had done harm it's important to recognize such and ask for forgiveness from the victim of his deed if such is possible. Even if not, what might be often the case, one should confess a wrong doing by speech or bodily deeds toward a good friend on the path (teacher, preceptor) and resolve to not doing again. Depended on the case and relation one also accepts a certain punishment for good rehabilitation if in an community. When this is done, one counts as clean again and has been "lift up from the transgression". Of course such would not make the deed undone and effect will nevertheless fall back on one, but one is able to progress one way upward and on the path. Such is not possible if not seeing a fault or not willing to confess it.
As for forgiveness, being one who was touched by a faulty deed, one aspect is to bear much as possible, which is called "metta (http://accesstoinsight.eu/en/dictionary/metta)" and "khanti (http://accesstoinsight.eu/en/dictionary/khanti)" and look that no ill-will on such is nourished. Further, the second fool next one not seeing and confessing ones own faults is a person who does not except (even) a pardon. Such bearing of ill-will is a fault as well and also hinders one to progress.
If one holds wrong views and thinks in manners of rights, one will be always either the first or the second foolish person.
It's a huge and important topic, focusing not only on harmony but also on the prerequisite for the practice: Right view (http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than_en.html#mind).
Some further aspects and sources are mentioned here (http://forum.sangham.net/index.php/topic,9374.msg19312.html#msg19312), on similar question.
See also:
- Reconciliation, Right & Wrong, (http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/reconciliation_en.html) by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu
- Wisdom over Justice (http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/wisdomoverjustice_en.html)
- Justice vs. Skillfulness (http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/justicevsskill_en.html)
- Verdrängen ist nicht Verzeihen (http://forum.sangham.net/index.php/topic,805.msg2491.html#msg2491) (German language)