Jayarava Michael Attwood
\nCambridge Buddhist Centre<\/p>\n
Is it possible to counteract the consequences of a moral transgression by publicly acknowledging it? When he reveals to the Buddha that he has killed his father, King Aj\u0101tasattu is said to \u201cyath\u0101dhamma\u1e43 pa\u1e6dikaroti<\/em>.\u201d This has been interpreted as \u201cmaking amends,\u201d or as seeking (and receiving) \u201cforgiveness\u201d for his crime. Successfully translating this phrase into English requires that we reexamine etymology and dictionary definitions, question assumptions made by previous translators, and study the way that yath\u0101dhamma\u1e43 pa\u1e6dikaroti<\/em> is used in context. We can better understand confession as a practice by locating it within the general Indian concern for ritual purity\u2014ethicized by the Buddha\u2014and showing that the early Buddhist doctrine of kamma<\/em> allows for mitigation, though not eradication, of the consequences of actions under some circumstances.<\/p>\n Read article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ISSN 1076-9005 Volume 15, 2008 Did King Aj\u0101tasattu Confess to the Buddha, and did the Buddha Forgive Him? Jayarava Michael Attwood Cambridge Buddhist Centre Is it possible to counteract the consequences of a moral transgression by publicly acknowledging it? When he reveals to the Buddha that he has killed his father, King Aj\u0101tasattu is said … Continue reading Transgression and Forgiveness<\/span>