[Buddha-l] Persecution in modern Colorado?

[Piya Tan]

>
>
> Like a lot of people, I was really inspired to read about the Amish people
> in
> Pennsylvania raising money to support the wife and family of the gunman
> who
> shot several Amish students dead before killing himself. Now that is both
> good Buddhism and good Christianity. Would that more Americans would
> follow
> that example rather than sending cluster bombs to any government who
> promises
> to fight terrorists by blowing off their children's legs.


Forgiving those who have harmed or hurt us is a great way of practising
spirituality, whatever it is called. In a sense, the "bad" deeds done to us
help us clear away some of our own past bad karma. More importantly, to
return an eye for an eye, we become hate itself, but surely hate does not
become us; for it is a virulent poison that can only destroy us as it is
inside us.

Then there is rebirh: we will return, and be together again. Our common
links with others are not only through love and liking, but also through
unloving and disliking. Through dissipating hatred and violence in this
life, we are laying the grounds for less hatred, less violence, even
extirpating them, in the future lives.

Compassion is giving others a hand even when they do not deserve it. May I
find practising even half as easy as writing this. No wonder we have only
one Buddha in a world system.

Happy Pavarana (invitation to point of misdeeds) Day (7th Oct).

Piya
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