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This part of the Sutra always makes me laugh a great belly laugh, like some big santa listening to a great wisdom uttered from a precocious child.
The spiritual pranks this most wonderful 8 year old minx plays in the face of spiritual beings considered more mature, is almost like a divine comedy (looks at Dante …sorry no pun intended) assuring good laughs during long nights under a single candle light.
Dear Tozen,
On a slightly different topic, I have been looking deeply into the nature of forgiveness, as revealed by this passage of the sutra. Particularly how Devadatta’s actions were seemingly worthy of Shakyamuni’s forgiveness and even praise upon his ascention to Buddhahood, and yet are undeniably of the greatest offense.
I am not particularly puzzled by this in itself, because clearly the wisdom practice is to see in such people as Devadatta the jewel of enlightenment, and an opportunity to practice forebearance, but I am somewhat perplexed by how this might be put into practice when the hurt is very great and difficult to release.
It seems so many people, myself included in this to some degree, but really almost everyone perhaps to some degree, have a tendency to hold to hurt and resentment as a means to protect themselves, all the while pouring acid on their hearts and destroying their happiness because of this. And yet knowing this, and accepting this practice of forgiveness as valid and true, is not the same as being able to achieve the perfection of wisdom and cessation of these sorrows provoked by hurt and resentment.
I have read many commentaries on this topic, and have looked deeply into it both personally and through the various teachings, but remain entangled by this to some degree. I would hope to extinguish this poison of resentment in my lifetime.
I was curious how one would approach the topic of forgiveness from a Ch’an perspective, and would be very grateful if you might share some of your insight on this topic, if you are moved to do so, because I feel it is one of the great questions, not only for me, but for all of humanity in our dark age.