I have learned so much about Nelson Mandela in the past few months, such as his early years and details of his time in prison. Each new discovery has added to my admiration, appreciation and understanding of this incredible and complex, saintly yet down-to-earth, larger-than-life leader of South Africa’s struggle to rid itself of the most cruel and horrific manifestation of apartheid.
The most difficult to understand has been Mandela’s infinite capacity to forgive those who were responsible for the harsh and unbearable maltreatment of non-white South Africans. After his release from prison, Mandela not only forgave them, but he embraced them in every sense — socially, politically and personally.
We all have struggled with forgiveness — with relatives, friends, neighbours, politicians, followers of other lifestyles, human misfits and “monsters.” Depending on the circumstance, it has been sometimes easy, but many a time difficult or impossible to forgive perpetrators. For me to assert otherwise would be to deny normal human nature. This in spite of having been infused with the virtue of forgiveness from early childhood, and having been urged to practise it at every opportunity.
Puzzled by what seems so straightforward, and yet problematic to practice, I looked to my religion — Hinduism — for guidance.
In Hinduism, forgiveness is indeed considered a virtue, which enables a person to attain a divine status. Hinduism teaches us that forgiveness holds the universe together, because the opposite of forgiveness, which is anger, tears apart the fabric of humanity. Forgiveness brings harmony and prosperity. It disarms the offender, creates peace and enables both sides to make progress. If done with trust and sincerity, each side is able to see and understand the fear and insecurity of the other side which drove them apart and created a seemingly unbridgeable rift. This can eventually develop into empathy for the other side.
The above, of course, applies to circumstances where neither side has become so entrenched in their respective position, whether it is one of intense hatred for the other side, or one of irreparable pain and fear, that any opportunity for forgiveness is near impossible.
The above also does not apply to circumstances where the oppressor is “evil” in every sense of the word. (There are many examples of this from around the world, in recent times and in history books). Hinduism says that, when faced with such evil, it is the duty of every person faced with it to first do intense soul-searching, and then “do the right [Dharmic] thing.”
Along with its emphasis on forgiveness, Hinduism places certain responsibilities on society and on governing bodies, to exercise good judgment to evaluate conflicts, and to mete out proper punishment when necessary. In other words, forgiveness would be inappropriate where punishment is necessary in order to protect the innocent and the injured. However, compassion also is advised in cases where the offender is unable to distinguish between right and wrong.
My interpretation is that forgiveness is a virtue to be cultivated and practised by everyone at the individual level. Also, that he who forgives is not to be considered a weak person, but rather one who is closer to God. But at the societal level, forgiveness would be inappropriate if it enables “evil” to wreak havoc on society, if it strips the injured and the innocent of protection from harm.
Most important, Hinduism teaches us that sincere and diligent soul-searching is a necessary pre-requisite to “doing the right [Dharmic] thing.”
I think I understand Nelson Mandela a little more now. I understand why he is considered a saint by many.
Suresh Basrur practises the Hindu faith, participates in inter-faith activities in Victoria and speaks to audiences about Hindu religion, philosophy and practices.
