ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 192

1.6.b
K mv i Parva. Festival of seeking and giving forgiveness
Dr. Shugan C. Jain
Fed up of hearing and experiencing the ills of terrorism, war, anger and hatred in your world. Welcome to the world of forgiveness and join us in understanding and expressing the same on Km v i Parva, celebration of seeking and giving forgiveness. Just imagine if Bush and Osama or Bush and Saddam could forgive each other and start a new life. Or take a look at your own life. How much time and energy do you spend in taking revenge from someone who has done some (or perceived to do some) harm to you? We shall be amazed to see how forgiveness adversely affects the anger and ego, and even eliminates them. Anger and ego consume all our energy and deprive us from enjoying our nature i.e. being happy. The well known saying "To err is human and to forgive is divine if practiced sincerely can solve all such problems and bring peace and harmony in life.
Wilkepedia defines forgiveness as the mental, emotional and/or spiritual process of ceasing to feel resentment, indignation or anger against another person for a perceived offence, difference or mistake, or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution. This definition, however, is considered simply in terms of the person who forgives, in terms of the person forgiven and/or in terms of the relationship between the forgiver and the person forgiven. Jain religious texts take a holistic view of the life, goes a step further whereby they say that forgiveness is not only an attribute but the very nature of our pure soul (Uttam k am m rdva......brhamacarya dharma i.e. supreme forgiveness etc is the religion). Thus they say that forgiveness can be a gift (you give to others and yourself) or can be earned (by seeking forgiveness and observing some sort of penance) and it is in fact just our nature, which asks us to observe equanimity in all our mental, vocal or physical actions towards all living beings.
Literal meaning of the word k am consists of k a meaning to destroy and m meaning to protect i.e. k am means to protect from destroying the nature /virtues of soul. Similarly one of the meanings of k am is mother earth. Earth tolerates all hardships that we give to her by digging, burning etc but the earth still gives us all the means to live.
Thus we can delineate forgiveness as being: i. gifted (by the one who forgives), ii. Earned (by the one seeking it) and iii. natural as a part of our nature (defined by Jains) and as being divine. During the month of Bhadra, the entire world of Jains resounds with the words 'Micch me dukkadam' i.e. we ask forgiveness for any harm we may have caused you, by thoughts, words or actions, knowingly or unknowingly. Khamemi savve j va (I grant forgiveness to all living beings), savvej va khamanatu me (May all living beings grant me forgiveness), metti me savve bhuyesu (My friendship is with all living beings) and vairam majham na kenai (My enemy is totally non-existent), especially it is the grand finale to the holy period of religious activities.
Forgiveness to be earned would be considered only properly exercised if forgiveness is requested or earned through means such as pratikrama a (confessions of wrongs done and seeking forgiveness in the form of prayers) and promise not to repeat again and pr ya cita (repentance in the form accepting some punishment and promise not to do again). Forgiveness as a gift makes to let go of resentment held in the forgiver's mind of a perceived wrong or difference, either actual or imagined and frees their respective minds of resentment and guilt. Such forgiveness does not require repentance. Natural forgiveness does not require any effort and is automatic and without any effort as in the first two types. As a gift or earned, forgiveness allows both the person giving the gift and its recipient, an opportunity to overcome some hurt or emotional turmoil and ability to move on from the perceived situation of unease.
As the nature of pure soul, it is motivated by virtues of compassion, equanimity to all living beings, and motivated by love, philosophy, appreciation for the forgiveness of others and so considered divine. This is supreme forgiveness and is its nature and virtue. Pure soul or the state of param tm is devoid of anger or any bondage. The statement K am virasya bhu a am or 'to err is human and to forgive is divine' are synonymous. Only the brave or the most powerful can forgive.
Mah vira said that we should forgive our own soul. Forgiveness is a great metaphysical concept. To forgive others is a practical application of forgiveness but the main and supreme forgiveness is to forgive your own soul. It is the nature of soul and is like pure water, which removes all types of karmika and other dirt, which shroud the soul.
Forgiveness benefits the one who forgives first and than the one who is forgiven. It is the basis of all spiritual purification activities. Mah vira in His sermons to Gautam in yaro says 'the one whom you hurt or kill is you. All souls are equal and similar and have the same nature and qualities.' It goes on further to talk of the six
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0