Doing Bad to whomsoever did bad to you - is that fine or wrong?

India
May 17, 2007 9:32am CST
Many people have done bad to me, I have never retaliated against them, always keeping this in mind that their misdeeds will catch up with them and secondly if I retaliate badly; then what is the difference between them and me? I should keep doing my Good Acts. Is this mentality Fine??
2 people like this
4 responses
• India
25 May 07
Your asking this question reflects your negative thinking. Unless you harbour an evil thought against one who did bad to you... you would not be asking this question? You would have long forgotten the issue. Once forgotten and forgiven... such issues never crop up again in life! Only those issues which hurt us in the heart perturb us every now and then. Your harbouring the thought until now reflects your mental prowess. You have to learn to forgive people for their evil deeds. If you keep harbouring thoughts of evil nature... they shall not only reflect in your daily life... they would rather cause havoc in your personal life. Thoughts of negative nature kill more people in life than those injured physically. Your not wanting to retaliate does not mean anything. It simply reflects you were not powerful enough to retaliate otherwise you would have done so. Your harbouring the gruelling thought indicates your inherent desire to inflict injury on the tormentor. Wilfully... you do not desire harm of one but when people cause harm to you... you develop ill feeling towards one. To get out of this rut one has to simply forgive and forget. Unless one does this... the personal life always remains disturbed. As per the doctrine of karma... results of all karma belonged to the doer and no one else. In the circumstances... why worry over matters not in control of us! If we have a definite goal of life... such worries would never recur. Only those who do not have a goal in life... develop such tendencies! Better to have a goal in life... and get out of the rut! We cannot change the habits of the other. We definitely can change ourselves. Most people in life desire the other to change... we really find it difficult to change ourselves. Why? If it is difficult for us to change... why would the other change? Why at all worry of others. Their actions... their karma belongs to them. We must only indulge in our karma... that is what God Almighty destined human beings for! More on forgiveness - http://www.godrealized.org/Forgiveness.html
• United States
17 May 07
I think that this mentality is fine. It is also better for you if you can move past the hurt at some point. If you hold onto the hurt and hold a grudge, then it can start to affect your physical and mental health. Retaliation and revenge can be harmful because if you hurt the person who hurt you and then they retaliate against you as a result then this will just keep up the cycle. There will be a lot of hurt and pain fro both of you that could have been avoided by your current mentality. You are right, in the end their misdeeds will catch up to them. Kepp your mentaility the way it is. It seems to be healthy and you seem to be doing well with it.
• United States
17 May 07
first instinct is to strike back..but if you wait..think about the outcome..sometimes things aren't as they appear..
15 Aug 07
Yes. Always keep doing what is good. Just move on from the person who did you wrong and forgive them. Don't let any biternes affect your life today or tomorow or ever. In time they may realise their own wrongdoing and make amends.