Repentance, forgiveness, and redemption in Buddhism?

[Ryushi]

If you're following the news in the US, you may have seen the trial of a white policewoman who shot and killed an African-American man sitting eating ice cream in his own home. She was put on trial and found guilty of murder. After the verdict, both the victim's brother and, oddly, the judge hugged the perpetrator and told her they forgave her.

This has raised a HUGE ruckus in the US, particularly the act of the judge. And it has brought up a lot of discussion about forgiveness, which is a good thing to talk about.

I come from a Christian background, so the concept of forgiveness is central to my religious upbringing. This twitter thread from a Jewish rabbi was illuminating about how that tradition considers repentance vs forgiveness. As I read it, I realized I don't really know how these concepts fit in with Buddhism, if they fit at all.

Can someone "enlighten" me, so to speak?

Sat today.

[Kokuu]

Hi Ryushi

That certainly was a powerful image of the victim hugging the policewoman who had killed his brother. I imagine there must have been both repentance and forgiveness.

In Judaism, it is coming up for Yom Kippur which is the traditional festival for atonement and brings these issues to the forefront in the Jewish community.

I cannot answer your question completely a it relates to Buddhism but will say a couple of things.

In Buddhism, no single action is viewed alone, but recognised as arising based on causes and conditions. Those who commit wrongdoing are rarely happy and free of suffering and it is well known that our prisons are full of people from lower social standing, poor mental health, less education, military veterans and other causes that tend to lead to crime. Understanding that, we can see that they are acting from a place of greed, ignorance and/or anger (the three poisons) that affect us all to differing degrees.

However, although circumstances can tip you towards crime or wrongdoing there is still personal responsibility to observe the law and not harm others but we can forgive people for their actions and send metta while still insisting that justice is served, seeing the perpetrator as the final act in a long chain of cause and effect leading to where we are now. But for chance the places could be reversed and who knows how our life would have turned out in similar circumstances?

For ourselves, we can atone for our own actions as well as offering metta and forgiveness for those who have acted against us. Both atonement and forgiveness are within our own power to give, if we feel them in our heart (and otherwise something we can work towards). However, atonement and forgiveness from anyone else is outside of our control.

The Verse of Atonement runs as follows and you will doubtless have heard it many times during the weekly and monthly zazenkai and on other occasions:

All harmful, words, thoughts and acts
ever committed by me since of old,
On account of beginningless greed, anger and ignorance
Born of my body, mouth and mind,
Now I atone for them all.


For forgiveness, we work with the metta verses for those who have wronged us:

1. May he(she) be free of suffering; may he(she) feel safe and still.
2. May he(she) be free of enmity; may he(she) be loving, grateful and kind.
3. May he(she) be healthy and at ease in all his(her) ills.
4. May he(she) be at peace, embracing all conditions of life


My brain is not firing on all cylinders today and I imagine others will do a better job of explaining.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Risho]

ok total side topic, but this drives me nuts. hahhhhaah it has for years

ok in our chant manual it's "All harmful, acts, words and thoughts" but it's always chanted as "All harmful words, thoughts and acts"; our chant manual makes sense structurally because

acts, words, thoughts is parallel to: body (which does action), mouth (which speaks words) and mind (Thoughts)

so which is it?!!!!

Please save my sanity. lol

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[Kokuu]

ok in our chant manual it's "All harmful, acts, words and thoughts" but it's always chanted as "All harmful words, thoughts and acts"; our chant manual makes sense structurally because

acts, words, thoughts is parallel to: body (which does action), mouth (which speaks words) and mind (Thoughts)

so which is it?!!!!

Yes, we were talking about this in the Training forum. I can't remember what the official outcome was.

However, it was generally accepted that 'acts, words and thoughts' is probably the correct order whereas 'words, thoughts and acts' sounds better when it is chanted.

Personally, I see the meaning as pretty much the same either way.

Jundo or someone else will have to save your sanity with the definitive answer (or we might just keep changing it to keep you on your toes! )

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Seishin]

It is what it is, simples.

Sat / lah

[Shinshi]

ok total side topic, but this drives me nuts. hahhhhaah it has for years

ok in our chant manual it's "All harmful, acts, words and thoughts" but it's always chanted as "All harmful words, thoughts and acts"; our chant manual makes sense structurally because

acts, words, thoughts is parallel to: body (which does action), mouth (which speaks words) and mind (Thoughts)

so which is it?!!!!

Please save my sanity. lol

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

We are having an internal discussion about this, I brought it up with Jundo and the other priests a few days ago.

And it gets even more confusing.

If you look at the RECOMMENDED 'At Home' Liturgy thread

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?8069-Recommended-at-home-liturgy

In the HTML "short version" on that page

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?7032-Weekly-Monthly-Zazenkai-Chant-Book-is-Here

You have

All harmful acts, words and thoughts, ever committed by me since of old,
On account of beginningless greed, anger and ignorance,
Born of my body, mouth and mind,
Now I atone for them all

But in the chant book linked on that page

http://www.treeleaf.org/treeleaf_zazenkai_chant_book.pdf

You have:

VERSE OF ATONEMENT
All evil karma ever created by me since of Old
On account of beginning-less greed, anger and ignorance
Born of my body, mouth and mind
Now I atone for them all.

And then the link to the chant book in the Weekly Zazenkai announcement changed to a different version at the beginning of Feb. 2017. But I am not sure why.

https://sites.google.com/site/jundotreeleaf/Weekly%20%26%20Monthly%20Zazenkai%20-%20Lay%20Version%20-%20Feb2017.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1

Which has

All harmful words thoughts and acts
Ever committed by me since of Old
On account of beginning-less greed, anger and ignorance
Born of my body, mouth and mind
Now I atone for them all

And in the Ordination Ceremony we used
All harmful acts, words and thoughts, ever committed by me since of old,

Anyway, as Kokuu said we have been talking about it in the training forum and it isn't 100% resolved. I am pretty sure Jundo has the final say.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[Risho]

ah this is excellent - I vote to keep the chant book as is; that way we know those who know the "secret" teachings. Also, I recommend an Oxford comma to really drive us even crazier :P

[Ishin]

If you're following the news in the US, you may have seen the trial of a white policewoman who shot and killed an African-American man sitting eating ice cream in his own home. She was put on trial and found guilty of murder. After the verdict, both the victim's brother and, oddly, the judge hugged the perpetrator and told her they forgave her.

This has raised a HUGE ruckus in the US, particularly the act of the judge. And it has brought up a lot of discussion about forgiveness, which is a good thing to talk about.

I come from a Christian background, so the concept of forgiveness is central to my religious upbringing. This twitter thread from a Jewish rabbi was illuminating about how that tradition considers repentance vs forgiveness. As I read it, I realized I don't really know how these concepts fit in with Buddhism, if they fit at all.

Can someone "enlighten" me, so to speak?

Sat today.

I think the people you are referring to, especially the brother, are a good example to us all, regardless of faith.

I am completely speaking from a novice layperson's perspective here. In Buddhism I believe we would encourage equanimity and certainly attempting to drop all feelings of anger and resentment to those we believe have wronged us. Also, trying to see that the victim and the one perpetrating the crime are one in suffering not two. And in some sense we are all part of that too. To be able to let go of suffering, to not let tragedy let us create even MORE suffering in the world, to live by right actions, and loving kindness and compassion is the Buddhist path.

Gassho
Ishin
Sat/lah

[Kyōsen]

I cannot speak for the Zen tradition as I'm still new to it and am learning.

All that I can offer is what I've learned from my time with my Tibetan teacher. On the topic of "repentence" there is an idea of "remedial action" which is one of the "Four Opponent Powers" called such because they "oppose" that which produces the karma that keeps us trapped in cyclic existence. The idea of "remedial action" is linked to the idea of "purification" which is the way in which karma is pacified or purified so it cannot ripen and cause us to be reborn in the lower realms. Remedial action can be directed towards the person or persons we've wronged by apologizing or by undoing what we did if possible, or it can be donating our time to charity or otherwise doing something positive in the world as a way to counter-act the not-good thing we've put into the world. This is done with the intention to train the mind to do good and abandon evil, to transform our bad habits into good ones.

The idea of "forgiveness" exists within Buddhism though I think it's not really explicitly taught, it seems more implied in the teachings on compassion for one's self and others. After all, we offer forgiveness for our own sake - to help us to let go of any negative emotions or ideas we're holding on to about other people or situations. I have observed that when people "seek forgiveness" they are actually seeking permission from someone to forgive themselves.

Gassho,
Sen
SatTodayLAH

[Shonin Risa Bear]

I have observed that when people "seek forgiveness" they are actually seeking permission from someone to forgive themselves.

That's deep. _()_

A concept that comes close to forgiveness mentioned in Zen is to not seek justice or retribution for oneself (the second one is easier for us than the first). In the Outline of Practice, attributed to Bodhidharma, we have

To enter by practice refers to four all-inclusive practices: suffering injustice, adapting to conditions, seeking nothing, and practicing the Dharma. -- tr. Red Pine

gassho
doyu sat/lah today

[Onka]

I'm a fan of the Verse Of Atonement. It's become something I recite daily as I try to forgive myself for the unlimited harm I have caused in my first 48 years.
Politically though I'm all about ACAB in this example of police violence.
Gassho
Anna

STLAH

Sent from my Lenovo TB-8304F1 using Tapatalk

[Ryushi]

ACAB?

“All Cops Are Buddha”?

;-)

EDIT: my default position is also to assume the worse about the motivations of police. I have to remember our interconnectedness.

Sat today. Gassho.

[Jishin]

Repentance, forgiveness, and redemption in Buddhism?

my default position is also to assume the worse about the motivations of police.

Police Officers Face Cumulative PTSD

By Michelle Beshears, Faculty Member, Criminal Justice at American Military University

“Even with all we know about its effects and ways to treat it, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among police officers and continues to take its toll on their lives and those of their families.
Most of what people think of as PTSD relates to trauma suffered by soldiers and those in the military. However, police officers’ PTSD is different. Soldiers often get PTSD from a single or brief exposure to stress. However, for police officers PTSD tends to manifest over time, resulting from multiple stress-related experiences. This is better known as cumulative PTSD.

Understanding Cumulative PTSD

Cumulative PTSD can be even more dangerous than PTSD caused from a single traumatic event, largely because cumulative PTSD is more likely to go unnoticed and untreated. When a catastrophic event occurs, such as an officer-involved shooting, most departments have policies and professionals to help an officer address and deal with the aftermath of an event.
However, the build-up of events that arise throughout an officer’s career generally do not warrant such specialized attention. As a result, an officer with cumulative PTSD is less likely to receive treatment. Unlike a physical injury, a mental traumatic injury can happen almost daily. When the demon of PTSD surfaces it often goes ignored. If untreated, officers can become a risk to themselves and others.

Causes of PTSD

Numerous events can cause PTSD in police officers, such as hostage situations, dangerous drug busts, responding to fatal accidents, and working other cases that include serious injury or death. But there are many less traumatic situations that can still be extremely stressful for an officer. Other stressful situations include, but are not limited to: long hours; handling people’s attitudes; waiting for the next call and not knowing what the situation will be; and even politics within the department. Then, on top of it all, officers are frequently criticized, scrutinized, and investigated for decisions they make.

Signs of PTSD

If recognized early and treated properly, officers and their families can overcome the debilitating effects of cumulative PTSD. The key to early intervention and treatment is recognizing the signs of PTSD and seeking help sooner rather than later.

Some of the physical signs officers should look for in themselves include:

Fatigue
Vomiting or nausea
Chest pain
Twitches
Thirst
Insomnia or nightmares
Breathing difficulty
Grinding of teeth
Profuse sweating
Pounding heart
Diarrhea or intestinal upsets
Headaches

Behavioral signs family members of officers and officers should look for in themselves and in others include:

Withdrawal from family and friends
Pacing and restlessness
Emotional outbursts
Anti-social acts
Suspicion and paranoia
Increased alcohol consumption and other substance abuse
Emotional signs include:
Anxiety or panic
Guilt
Fear
Denial
Irritability
Depression
Intense anger
Agitation
Apprehension

The situational training new recruits receive is simply not enough to prepare them for the reality of the experiences they will face throughout their careers. Most young officers do not understand the stressful events they are likely to experience during their years on the job. Many officers are also not adequately equipped with the emotional tools necessary to deal with the emotions they will feel when things happen.

However, awareness continues to grow about the stress and trauma that officers’ experience. Organizations like the Station House Retreat offer both inpatient and outpatient treatment trauma therapy and peer-support services for police officers as well as all first responders. They also offer addiction treatment for first responders, and support for their family members.”

————————————————

A significant amount of police misconduct is due to trauma in the line of duty. If cops admit they have psychiatric difficulties they lose their guns, badges and livelihood. The public complains but does not provide the funds, understanding and compassion that is conducive to repairing our injured police officers. There is some help but not enough. Police officers that offend are victims too. Please never forget this.

In the military our vets are provided with great psychiatric care in the case of PTSD by the VA after discharge and also receive financial compensation due to disability. This is not common with police officers. They have to keep working.

Gassho, Jishin, __/stlah\__

[Getchi]

Jishin, thankyou for that post.

It is a quick, and confronting reminder that, we all meet in that "broken toy" basket Jundo has spoken of.

It is far to easy to lose sight of an individual human when they can be conflated with a category.

Not all police are This, not all Buddhists are That.


The experience of any human directly leads to there appearance in there next interaction; constant postings in a forward position can and will lead to stress-reaction disorder.

I pray for, and will not stop until;

"All beings are saved".

_Gassho
Geoff.

SatTOday
LaH.

[Doshin]

Doshin
St

Police Officers Face Cumulative PTSD

By Michelle Beshears, Faculty Member, Criminal Justice at American Military University

“Even with all we know about its effects and ways to treat it, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among police officers and continues to take its toll on their lives and those of their families.
Most of what people think of as PTSD relates to trauma suffered by soldiers and those in the military. However, police officers’ PTSD is different. Soldiers often get PTSD from a single or brief exposure to stress. However, for police officers PTSD tends to manifest over time, resulting from multiple stress-related experiences. This is better known as cumulative PTSD.

Understanding Cumulative PTSD

Cumulative PTSD can be even more dangerous than PTSD caused from a single traumatic event, largely because cumulative PTSD is more likely to go unnoticed and untreated. When a catastrophic event occurs, such as an officer-involved shooting, most departments have policies and professionals to help an officer address and deal with the aftermath of an event.
However, the build-up of events that arise throughout an officer’s career generally do not warrant such specialized attention. As a result, an officer with cumulative PTSD is less likely to receive treatment. Unlike a physical injury, a mental traumatic injury can happen almost daily. When the demon of PTSD surfaces it often goes ignored. If untreated, officers can become a risk to themselves and others.

Causes of PTSD

Numerous events can cause PTSD in police officers, such as hostage situations, dangerous drug busts, responding to fatal accidents, and working other cases that include serious injury or death. But there are many less traumatic situations that can still be extremely stressful for an officer. Other stressful situations include, but are not limited to: long hours; handling people’s attitudes; waiting for the next call and not knowing what the situation will be; and even politics within the department. Then, on top of it all, officers are frequently criticized, scrutinized, and investigated for decisions they make.

Signs of PTSD

If recognized early and treated properly, officers and their families can overcome the debilitating effects of cumulative PTSD. The key to early intervention and treatment is recognizing the signs of PTSD and seeking help sooner rather than later.

Some of the physical signs officers should look for in themselves include:

Fatigue
Vomiting or nausea
Chest pain
Twitches
Thirst
Insomnia or nightmares
Breathing difficulty
Grinding of teeth
Profuse sweating
Pounding heart
Diarrhea or intestinal upsets
Headaches

Behavioral signs family members of officers and officers should look for in themselves and in others include:

Withdrawal from family and friends
Pacing and restlessness
Emotional outbursts
Anti-social acts
Suspicion and paranoia
Increased alcohol consumption and other substance abuse
Emotional signs include:
Anxiety or panic
Guilt
Fear
Denial
Irritability
Depression
Intense anger
Agitation
Apprehension

The situational training new recruits receive is simply not enough to prepare them for the reality of the experiences they will face throughout their careers. Most young officers do not understand the stressful events they are likely to experience during their years on the job. Many officers are also not adequately equipped with the emotional tools necessary to deal with the emotions they will feel when things happen.

However, awareness continues to grow about the stress and trauma that officers’ experience. Organizations like the Station House Retreat offer both inpatient and outpatient treatment trauma therapy and peer-support services for police officers as well as all first responders. They also offer addiction treatment for first responders, and support for their family members.”

————————————————

A significant amount of police misconduct is due to trauma in the line of duty. If cops admit they have psychiatric difficulties they lose their guns, badges and livelihood. The public complains but does not provide the funds, understanding and compassion that is conducive to repairing our injured police officers. There is some help but not enough. Police officers that offend are victims too. Please never forget this.

In the military our vets are provided with great psychiatric care in the case of PTSD by the VA after discharge and also receive financial compensation due to disability. This is not common with police officers. They have to keep working.

Gassho, Jishin, __/stlah\__