Revenge and Forgiveness

Once there was a king name Calamity, whose country was conquered by a neighboring king named Brahamadatta. King Calamity was captured, but fortunately his son escaped.

The prince tried to find some way to save his father, but his efforts were in vain. On the day of his father's execution, the prince made his way to the execution grounds where he could do nothing but watch. King Calamity, noticed his son in the crowd and said, as if he were talking to himself, "Do not search for a long time; Do not act hastily, resentment can be calmed only by forgetting or forgiving."

Long after his father's death, the prince looked for ways to avenge his father. Later he was employed as an attendant at Brahamadatta's palace where he won King Brahamadatta's favor. Of course, the king did not know the prince's family line.

One day, when the king went hunting, the prince went with him, and he sought an opportunity for revenge. The prince was able to lead his master to a lonely place by saying it was a good hunting spot. The king was very tired and fell asleep with his head on the lap of the prince. He fully trusted his servant.

King Calamity's son drew his dagger and placed it on the king's throat. He had waited for this moment for many years. He had patiently served his hated master just to seek vengeance. However, at that moment the words of his father flashed into his mind. He tried to brush the image aside and tried to kill the king, but he could not. Suddenly, the king awakened and told his servant that he had dreamed that the son of King Calamity was trying to kill him.

The prince, holding the dagger in one hand, grabbed the king. He identified himself as the son of King Calamity and declared that the time had finally come for him to avenge his father's death. But he could not kill the king. The prince threw his dagger down, fell on his knees before the king and told him of his father's final words.

When the king heard the prince's story, he was very impressed and forgave him. Later, the kind restored some of the prince's property to him, and their two countries came to live in friendship for a long time.

The words spoken by King Calamity just before his execution were "Do not search for a long time," which meant that resentment should not be nourished. "Do not act hastily" which meant that friendship should not be broken hastily. Resentment cannot be satisfied by resentment. Hatred cannot be overcome by hatred. It can only by removed by forgiving.

April 16, 1988