The correct translation is, “Thinking: ‘They did wrong to me, but that is only a result of a previous (unavoidable) kamma, you get rid of resentment.”
I had a life experience that can relate to Lal’s translation.
In 2019 while working at a job, I was already learning and practicing dhamma. Although far from perfect in practice, I did my best. I felt I fulfilled my duties and responsibilities and beyond as a worker and colleague. Never missed a day of work. Did my best to avoid akusala kamma especially vaci, such as not talking bad or behind people’s back, etc . . .
I felt I was in good relations with my co-workers or so it seems . . . Long story short, one day at the end of my shift, my manager told me that I was being demoted (lesser paid). I was so surprised, I truly felt “what did I ever do while working here to deserve something like this?”. I felt my work performance was excellent, never done wrong to anyone at the work place and the demotion was unjustified and unfair.
I don’t remember if I ever asked why I was being demoted. I was pretty upset at that time and knew that I shouldn’t say more because I might get even more upset. Thought it was a good idea to get out of there asap.
My suspicious was that one or more of my colleague “influenced” my manager, making my manager believing and being influenced, leading to my demotion. What was most upsetting was that I never talked and minimized any bad thought that would harm my colleagues in any way. In fact, I felt I did more positive things for them than any wrongdoings.
At that time I had two choices, either quit or choose to work there with lower pay, with people that I felt backstabbed me and being labeled as someone that got demoted (bruised ego).
I think I just said something just like “okay” to my manager and got out of there as soon as I could to cool down. After removing myself from the contact, some time later, I thought of “what if that was from some current or previous lives’ vipaka?” After thinking like that for some time, I was mostly able to stop the wheeling of dukkha, although there were traces / remnants left.
In the end I decided to stay at the workplace (only for a month and half longer). One of the two major reason’s why I chose not to quit at that time was because I believed that it was a really great opportunity for me to practice the dhamma, I really felt that.
Imagine working / being in constant contact with the people who you felt had betrayed / backstabbed you and not giving into hate towards them and trying to forgive them. It was difficult at the beginning, but as time went on, I was able to slowly forgive others. At the time of quitting from the job, I held minimal to almost no resentment towards others and bitterness towards the situation that occurred.
It was really thinking along the lines of “They did wrong to me, but that is only a result of a previous (unavoidable) kamma”, that helped me forgive others and to move on from the situation.
When I reflect back on my life from the last 10 plus years, mostly whenever some kind of event / situation / circumstance that seemed negative, unpleasant, undesirable, unwelcomed, etc., was happening at that time. At a later time, it turned out those events and experiences was actually beneficial and favorable for me. As I was placed in better conditions / situations (like work environment and other things) and the experiences helped with my dhamma practice in the long term.
