Day 48 

Once Buddha was in an assembly and a gentleman came to him. He was furious. He thought that Buddha was doing something wrong. He was attracting people and everybody had begun meditating. The people had become very calm and quiet. The gentleman was a restless businessman. 

He had found thrash his children were going and sitting wig Buddha and meditating for two hours every day. And he thought that if his children would be engaged in business, they could make more money and be better off. What would they get bu sitting for two hours with somebody with their eyes closed? 

So he was angry and wanted to teach Buddha a lesson. He walked up to Buddha but as soon as he came near him all his thoughts disappeared. But he was still shaking with anger and could not speak. No words would come out of his mouth. So he spat on Buddha's face. And Buddha just smiled. 

However, all the other disciples there became furious but could not react because Buddha was there. So, everybody restrained themselves. The man could not stay any longer because he thought that if he stayed any longer, he would burst out. He went away. He could not sleep the whole night. 

For the first time in his life, he had met somebody who would just smile when he spat on his face. He began shivering. His world had turned topsy-turvy. The next day he went to Buddha fell at his feet. He asked for forgiveness and said that he was not aware of what he had done. However, Buddha said that he could not forgive him. The disciples were shocked to hear this. 

Buddha was so compassionate and forgave everybody. How could he not forgive that person. But Buddha explained that the person had done nothing for which forgiveness was required. However, the person pointed out that he was the same person who had spat on Him the previous day. 

Then, Buddha said that, that person was not there anymore and, if he ever met him, he would forgive. Further x Buddha pointed out that the person had done no wrong to the man standing before him. That is compassion. Compassion is not making a person a culprit and then forgiving him. 

Your forgiveness should be such that the person who is being forgiven, does not even know that you are forgiving them. They should not even feel guilty for a mistake. That is the right type of forgiveness. If you make someone feel guilty about their mistake, then you have not forgiven them. 

That guilt itself is the punishment. It is good enough to eat the wrongdoer. Knowledge takes you away from guilt and puts you on a pedestal where you do not see the world at all. You do now see the world of the small mind and its chitchat. It appears insignificant.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji 

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS