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42 Kshamapana
"जं दुक्कडं ति मिच्छा, ते भुज्जो कारणं अपूरतो, तिविहेण पडिहंतो, तस्स खलु दुक्कड मिच्छा." [The worshipper who performs pratikra. mana with thoughts, speech and body, who asks forgiveness for his offences and does not commit more sins has his sins made futile. When you become aware of sins, confess them frankly and take a vow not to commit the sins again, you approach forgiveness.
May my misdeeds be forgiven !' means that we should take a firm vow always to refrain from the mistake which we have once confessed, the fault for which we have practised penitence and the sin for which we have atoned.
In Avashyak Niryukti, Acharyashree clearly says, "Having once asked forgiveness for an offence, if someone again commits the sin, he evidently tells lies and weaves the net of hypocrisy."
This is how forgiveness should be given and asked. Both these activities and their effects are different. Asking forgiveness is a bit easier than forgiving. While asking forgiveness, egotism is melted. Whether the other person forgives or not, he who asks forgiveness purifies his soul. But it does not suffice to ask forgiveness, to be tranquilized after asking forgiveness. One has to
Kshamapana 43 tranquilize oneself. Asking forgiveness is difficult because the desire to retaliate, the waves of revenge, keep on rising in man's heart. When a man becomes a victim to injustices inflicted on him, he is more wounded.
A noteworthy element of the conception of forgiveness in the Jain religion is that while other religions teach to ask god's forgiveness, the Jain religion talks of asking forgiveness of all souls. It is easy to ask forgiveness of God in a corner in a temple but when a man asks forgiveness of small and big living beings around him, his dealings in life change, he is reminded of his direct dealings with the whole living world; there is a reference to a person's dealings with the whole universe.
Bhava Kshamapana
(Experiencing Forgiveness) Jain philosophy classifies forgiveness into two categories : (1) Dravya kshamapana and (2) Bhava kshamapana. Dravya kshamapana is only formal. The person knows that he is not asking forgiveness from his heart. The forgiveness that is asked from one's heart is bhava kshamapana. Only the person with discretion (samyakdrishti) can ask bhava kshamapana. Bhava kshamapana expresses
