Dealing with Negativity & Aggravation; Forgiveness

by Sayādaw U Jotika

Dealing With Negativity & Aggravation: There will always be something negative happening in our body, in our mind, in our surrounding, the environment. Even when we talk about negative things, we are not just complaining, we are trying to find out what we can do about it, so that is positive. When we think or talk about negative things and stop there, that is pure negativity. It doesn't help. But when we look at the things happening in us and around us - the negative things and try to understand very deeply and see what we can do about it and how we can reduce it, it is positive. That is what we should do.

Forgiveness: Some people say "forgive and forget" but forgetting is not god. We should learn from it, understand, learn, never forget. If we forget without understanding, unconsciously it will control our life again. In fact we can never forget anything at all. So, forgiveness is not forgetting. By forgiving the people who hurt us, we do not erase painful past experiences from our memory. We are not erasing painful past memories. We are learning from it. Forgiveness is a way of reaching out from a bad past and heading out to a more positive future.

79 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2012

About the author

Born into a non-Buddhist family in Moulmein, Myanmar (Burma) on August 5, 1947. His parents were U Sattar and Daw Tin. He received his basic education at a Roman Catholic missionary school. During his younger days, he didn't believe in any organized religion although he studied and exposed himself to many different religions, as well as western philosophy and psychology.

He graduated as an Electrical Engineer in 1973 from Rangoon Institute of Technology. He became very interested in Buddhist meditation. He discovered that life was unsatisfactory and majority of the people devoted their precious time mainly in gathering wealth, enjoying sensual pleasures, fame, power and position.

Thus, he decided to leave behind his family and became a "Samenera" (Novice) at the age of 26. He was ordained as a "Samgha" in 1974 at Taung Pu Lu Tawya, Meiktila with Ven. Taung Pu Lu Sayadaw as his preceptor. He practiced meditation under the guidance of the late Ven. Taung Pu Lu Sayadaw for (3) years. He continued to practice meditation with Htantabin Tawya Sayadaw for (15) years.

Ven. Jotika visited Melbourne in 1977 and again in 1998. He was in the United States in 1983-84 for about (16) months, conducting Dhamma talks in Santa Cruz, New York, Boston and Washington. He had visited Singapore several times on Dhamma Duta missions as well.

He has established a monastery in a rural environment overlooking a great lake near Pago, (50) miles north of Yangon. His Dhamma talks and books are in great demand in Myanmar as well as with overseas Burmese. He has published about (13) titles so far. One of his popular Dhamma book in English is "A Map of the Journey"

Reviews

[Aurora Hsu Lwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sayardaw always guides me the right way everytime I was toppling.

[Hlyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but insightful read. In this book, Sayādaw teaches us how to deal with negativity & aggravation, how to forgive other people and ourselves by practicing mindfulness.