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Dear Roshi Sama. How can we know our inner heart has not been defiled by a wrongdoing? Do we have the right to be confident in any situation? And if we do not even know we have done something wrong when can we know we have backtracked?
December 12, 2020, 9:32 am
In zen there are these words:
Crouch under the high heavens, tiptoe over the deep earth
These are important words. Even while we believe we are doing our best,
it may end up being a big mistake. In Japan there was a famous professor of law,
who would always repent and tell his students, whenever he noticed himself stepping
on an ant. He had a statue of Avalokiteshvara at his home, he would place his
hands in gassho in front of her before leaving and when returning home. His students
would tell him that anyone could step on an ant without noticing. Even if we
tell ourselves to be careful, it may happen. The professor of law wanted to
point out, that if we look at a criminal from the point of view of the victim, this
person is just aweful. Yet if you see the criminal you will see that he is also
a victim of his circumstances.He said that when deciding about the penalty, one
has to look with the love that embraces all living beings, and that we
ourselves also can be like this criminal. Yet there are chances when we can
teach others to open their eyes. Take these chances, that was the professors
prayer.