"Sincere repentance" after Paolo Coelho
The monk Chu Lai was beaten by a teacher who did not believe anything the monk said. However, the teacher’s wife who was a follower of Chu Lai, demanded that her husband apologized to the monk.
Displeased, but afraid to contradict his wife, the man went to the temple. He was accompanied by his wife who wanted to make sure that her husband apologized to the monk. Without much sincerity the man murmured some words of repentance.
“I do not forgive you,” replied Chu Lai, “go back to your work.”
The woman was shocked. “My husband is humiliated and you were not generous!”
But Chu Lai calmly responded:
“Within my soul there is no rancor. But if he is not truly sorry, it is better for him to recognize now that he is mad at me. If I had accepted his apology, we would be creating a false state of harmony, and this would further increase the anger of your husband.”
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