- What is Forgiveness?

 

A conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person who has harmed you, physically or mentally.

 

- What is Reconciliation?

 

The restoration of friendly relations, whose you may have lost, but regained.

 

- Hindus teachings about forgiveness and reconciliation?

 

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna states that forgiveness is a sign of a divine state. He views forgiveness as a divine characteristic, where he views pride, lying and anger as signs of evil. Priests often open temple doors, by asking god for forgiveness due to his human limitations. In Hinduism, one should try to avoid all conflict. However, if one should arise, and a Hindu does harm another person, then he should seek reconciliation and forgiveness. 

 

- Hindus belief on forgiveness and reconciliation?

 

 All Hindus believe that forgiveness and reconciliation are key principles, which need to be followed in any circumstances and are essential in a Hindu's life. When someone does wrong and then asks for forgiveness, it is called Prayaschitta. 

 

- Key hindu teachings from holy scriptures and its attitudes

 

 

The Mahabharata states, "There is one only defect in forgiving persons, and not another; that defect is that people take a forgiving person to be weak. That defect, however, should not be taken into consideration, for forgiveness is a great power. Forgiveness is a virtue of the weak, and an ornament of the strong.” This quote shows the Hindu beliefs about forgiveness and reconciliation and how Hindus believe that this is a strong virtue that brings about good, peace and happiness. Also, that this is an important aspect of life, which needs to be considered at in tough situations, but is always the right thing to do. 

 

- A Hindu person who has forgiven another 

 

Mahatma Gandhi is an example of a person from Hinduism, who has forgiven many people. He had forgiven the British Raj for invading and treating Indians poorly, and furthermore he even showed his acceptance and trust towards the Queen during World War 2. The British in India at the time used animal fat to fire their muskets. Animals are sacred in Hinduism. From this Gandhi provided others with the knowledge that the muskets they were putting inside their mouth contains something that is strictly against their religion and helped many from bad karma.

 

- Differences in attitudes on forgiveness and Reconciliation

 

• Hindus believe everyone is inclined to have their own opinion and doesn't need to follow the right path all the time, although it is wise to do so. So, there are many who object to the concept of forgiveness and reconciliation, but there are also as many who agree to the path of forgiveness. Some may not want to accept this idea and so be it. It is right to have differing views and there is nothing to stop them or get in the way. People who have followed the devotion path of forgiveness have a lot of respect and have good attitudes towards others, but there are always flaws, so that is not always the case. They tend to have better connections with the faith and better attitudes towards this concept, with not much worry.

•  Some of the Hindu faith or other religious background, may have the opposite attitudes towards forgiveness and reconciliation. This is because, they may not be too religious or do not read the Holy Scriptures, where all this information can change people all the way around. They may not be of the liking of forgiving and looking at the disadvantages most of the time. On a few occasions, radical people go into warfare and get too carried away about not forgiving, this is not good and needs to stopped, so it can be radical and can give people a chance to turn into fierce rivals. This topic can be discussed nearly everywhere and can bring about protests, where either side expresses their views across more meaningfully, in choosing two different paths, where differences are settled.