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?

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.