(Clearwisdom.net) Once a person asked Confucius if there was a word that benefits one throughout one’s lifetime. Confucius answered: “It must be ‘forgiveness’.” To be able to forgive is a virtue. It is to understand others with good intention and tolerate others’ mistakes. It is a realm in which one shows that one can let go without any grief.
In Chinese history, the story of Bao Shuya forgiving and understanding Guan Zhong is classic. Guan Zhong once said: “When I was poor, I partnered with Bao in business. I always took more than my share of the profit, but Bao did not feel I was greedy, rather he sympathized with my being poor. I worked for him on some business and made a big mistake, but he did not think me as stupid but rather that I was just unlucky. While I ran away three times in three fights, he did not think me cowardly, rather he believed that I needed to stay alive to take care of my elderly mother. Zhaohuo died for Prince Jiu when Jiu lost the battle and died, but I did not. Bao did not think that I was disloyal, but believed that I did not care that much about trifling moral behaviors and had bigger ambitions in the world. My parents gave me life, but Bao Shuya is the person who truly understands me.” In Bao’s eyes, Guang Zhong was not a greedy, stupid, and shameless coward, but rather he was a poor but intelligent, smart, and respectful gentleman. Bao appreciated Guang Zhong’s situation and tolerated his mistakes and in the end helped him to accomplish a great deed. Bao is very forgiving.
In today’s China, the moral standard is deteriorating fast. People fight and kill for minuscule profits. The virtue of forgiveness disappears bit by bit. But Falun Gong practitioners are different. They follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance; they put others before themselves.
Since 1999 when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began suppressing Falun Gong, the persecution has been ruthless and barbaric. Thousands have died in the persecution: some have been beaten to death, some tortured to death, and some had their organs extracted for sale. Yet while thousands have died, tens of millions of practitioners have stood strong and worked hard to tell the Chinese people the facts about Falun Gong.
They're telling people the facts purely for the benefit of others. They want to let the Chinese people be able to objectively judge the matter from the truth and not be part of the crimes of persecution. Buddha Fa is both benevolent and serious. Anyone that slanders Buddha Fa, even if under coercion or trickery, will meet with karmic retribution for having done so. The practice emphasizes benevolence, hoping that human beings can all tell right from wrong and do the right thing. Therefore Falun Gong practitioners risk their lives to awaken the Chinese people.
I know of one practitioner who was arrested and taken to a forced labor camp. He was persecuted and disabled as a result. When he was released, he found that his wife had left him, and his family was broken, but he was not resentful because the benevolence of Falun Dafa had already taken root in his heart. When he learned that a policeman who had persecuted him before suffered from cancer, he went to visit him and kindly explained to him the principle of the Buddha Fa that good meets with good, and evil meets with retribution. The policeman wept and asked if the practitioner hated him for having whipped him with a leather belt. He said calmly: “Practitioners have no enemies and do not resent anyone. We cultivate Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and we will be true and kind to people under all circumstances. You beat me when you did not know the facts. Now that you do, and you will certainly choose to be good.” The policeman said sincerely at the end: “I know the facts about Falun Gong, and I will also try to let more people know about it.”
There is only benevolence, not hatred, in a Falun Gong practitioner’s heart. Practitioners are unselfish and put others before themselves. No matter who has persecuted them, they strive to maintain their benevolent hearts. When a life has no hatred, but only compassion, its heart will be like the sky that contains everything or the earth that supports all.
The story of Bao Shuya and Guan Zhong has fascinated people for thousands of years. Today's deeds of millions of Falun Gong practitioners forgiving and saving people will be even more everlasting.
