Sunday, June 21, 2009

To forgive or to scold?


(Picture from CK Hon)


Question:(Unedited)
I heard that if I forgive a person who has wronged me, that person will receive more bad karma then if I had scolded that person. Is this true? How does Karma work?


My comment:

Hi,

Thank you for asking me.

Whether you have forgiven or scolded that person, he is the sole heir of his actions. If you had forgiven him, that doesn't change things for him too. If you had scolded that person, you would be the recipient of the bad result.

Kamma in Buddhist teaching means volition action; action that is done on purpose. It can be verbal, physical and even mental. This universal law does not favour anyone, it is neither moral nor immoral; but amoral. It goes according to volition action. This means that if your volition action is unwholesome, then unwholesome reaction will be the result, sooner or later.

Although kamma plays a big part in our lives, this does not mean that we should surrender ourselves to it. We are the result of what we were; and will be the result of what we are. What we are experiencing now would have a lot to do with our past kamma. But at this present moment, we can chart our path, the way we want because we have control of our lives. This is in accordance with the law of kamma. We mistakenly think that we are only the victims of our past kamma. We must realize that we are also masters of our present kamma because we have the power to choose and act. So act wisely and live a harmless life.

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