Aug 22, 2014

Michchhami Dukhadam OR Asking Forgiveness

By Dr. Sulekh Jain

On the auspicious occasion of the holy festival (Paryushan and Das Laxan Parvas) of the Jains (from August 22 –September 8), we seek and beg your forgiveness for our intentional and unintentional wrongs, excesses and sins, that we might have done to you that caused harm and hurt to you in any way during the last year. We do the same to everyone.


खम्मामि सव्व जीवेषु सव्वे जीवा खमन्तु में,
मित्ति में सव्व भूएसू वैरम् मज्झणम् केणवि |

khämemi savvajive, savve jivä khamantu me |

mitti me savva bhuesu, veram majjha na kenai ||

"I forgive all living beings.
May all living beings forgive me.
My friendship is with all living beings.
I have no animosity towards any living beings.
May all my faults be dissolved."


Forgiveness as the freedom of letting go: forgiveness is the mental, emotional and/or spiritual process of ceasing to feel resentment, indignation or anger against another person for a perceived offense, difference or mistake, or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution. The process of shedding our KARMAS really begins by asking for forgiveness with true feelings and to vow not to repeat mistakes. The quality of the forgiveness requires humility and suppression of anger. 

Finally, Forgiveness Is The Wonderful Smell That A Flower Gives When Its Being Crushed!
 
 
Dr. Sulekh Jain is Chairman of the Governing Council of International School for Jain Studies, a Senior advisor to Center for Jain Studies at Claremont Lincoln University and a trustee of Mahatma Gandhi Library in Houston. The views expressed in this post are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Interfaith Houston.   

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