What is left for forgiveness?

02 April 2008

I refer to Wai Moe's article, A Monk's Tale, in Irrawaddy Magazine.

It seems almost unthinkable that the intelligent military officers, who are no doubt Buddhists, could bring themselves to torture, humiliate and imprison the monks, sons of the Buddha, in those manners. Our sacred grounds, such as monastries and pagodas, have been turned upside down into almost like battlefields with the presence of soldiers. Under this military regime, such things have sadly become reality in Burma, which is a country known for its rich culture and values in Buddhism.

One monk mentioned to me once that if they just wish to reflect upon the meanings of Buddha's scriptures and gain merit for themselves, they can simply retreat to a faraway place and detach themselves from the social issues of the people. However, like U Pyinnya Jota, he feels that he cannot bring himself to neglect the hardship of the people and sees the need to do his part to alleviate their sufferings. Many, including some monks, have raised concern over the conflicting nature of the monks' involvement in politic as Buddhism advocates loving-kindness and forgiveness.

However, as a Buddhist, I simply wonder how we can bring ourselves to forgive those dictators who possess such brutality and disregard against our most revered religion beyond our wildest imaginations.

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