恕（じょ）
Forgiveness
2024-09-15 18:00:00
A Buddhist practitioner must be someone who forgives others without exception.
This is because, without such a forgiving heart, it is difficult to reveal the true essence of the truth.
Incidentally, the following principle can be found in Shakyamuni Buddha's early Buddhist scriptures:
12 A person who acts for the benefit of both oneself and others is considered 'weak' by a fool – without reflecting on the truth.
13 A fool, while speaking harsh words, thinks, 'I am victorious.' However, it is the person who endures slander that truly holds victory at all times.
14 People forgive the words of a superior out of fear. People forgive the words of a peer because they do not wish to quarrel. But if there is someone who forgives the words of one inferior to them, that, the sages call 'the supreme patience' in this world." (Words of Uplift, Udānavarga, Chapter 20: Anger, translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami-Bunko)
In this context, it is not exaggerate to consider the term 'fool' generally refers to sentient beings.
Therefore, in this principle, the idea of 'thinking oneself victorious' corresponds to anyone who believes 'I am superior,' or 'My opinion is absolutely correct,' among other such thoughts.
In short, sentient beings who do not know their true nature, do not seek to see it, and lack introspection are exceedingly foolish. Because of their foolishness, they are incapable of understanding their own ignorance.
Here, a practitioner who forgives sentient beings will gradually come to know and discern their true essence.
And when they truly understand the real nature of sentient beings, they will encounter the decisive condition for enlightenment (= Nirvana).
It should be noted that to 'forgive' here does not simply mean to listen to what the other person says in silence.
At times, it may be necessary to admonish or offer critical advice to them.
What is important is that, at the core, there exists a heart of forgiveness.
Without this, there is a risk of merely looking down on others while assuming that one is being forgiving.
In other words, to forgive is nothing other than 'dedicating oneself to be a black mirror.'
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