Reply To: Humility & Apology

#52960
Lal
Keymaster

Yes, this is a common problem. Although it may be a bit more pervasive in Nepal and Tibet, following rituals or having ingrained wrong views can be seen everywhere. 

  • We must be careful when handling such situations, especially those with magga phala, who must be cautious. Putting too much pressure on those with wrong views could make them angry with you, which could trigger bad vipaka for them (Ariya upavāda.) 
  • A good example is Cundasukara’s account. He was a butcher who killed pigs every day. He lived next to Jetavanaramaya, and the bhikkhus could hear the painful yelping of pigs being killed. They asked the Buddha why he would not try to teach Dhamma to Cundasukara. The Buddha explained as follows: Cundasukara is destined to be reborn in a bad realm, but if the Buddha tried to explain Dhamma and he got angry with the Buddha, he would be reborn in an even worse realm.
  • This is why I stopped engaging in debates in online forums a few years ago. I could do more harm than good if I “trigger” anger in some people. 
  • So, we need to try to balance the two aspects. Of course, we must help others learn, but we must also be mindful of specific situations.
  • Here is a related post: “Right Speech – How to avoid Accumulating Bad Kamma

P.S. Good comment by Dawson.

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