Sunday, July 17, 2016

Punishment or Healing?

Read deeply the following message of Thich Nhat Hanh after the attacks on September 11, 2001.
https://www.facebook.com/thichnhathanh/photos/a.136121339634.110120.7691064634/10153976686019635/?type=3&theater

"We are aware that there is a tremendous amount of suffering going on. There is shock, there is fear, anger, hatred and sadness, in ourselves and in the world. In this moment we invoke all our spiritual teachers to be with us, helping to embrace our suffering, to embrace the world, and to embrace humanity as a family. There are those of us trying to save, heal and support, and we are grateful to them. There are those of us who are crying, who are suffering terribly in this very moment. Let us breathe for all of them and embrace them tenderly with our compassion, our understanding, and our peace. We know that responding to hatred and violence with compassion is the only path for all of us."

(My post)
It is clear that suffering people who are violent or depressed now, they need healing instead of punishment. Only if we understand that such people were victims in the past, we can generate compassion for them and take compassionate actions. Nothing will start if both sides are ego (separate self). Our self-transformation from ego to awareness (non-separate self) will change the world for the better.

(My comment)
Thay's words are precious and can be applied to recent violence in Bangladesh, France, America and Turkey. Violence can not be solved by violence. We need to choose the proper method to stop violence. Only if we can generate compassion through mindfulness, concentration and insight, the proper method will be found.

(Cf.) http://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/self-transformation-44490452
http://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/3-versions-of-oneself

Thích Nhất Hạnh