Question: My friend’s business partner cheated her of her money. She wants to send him to jail.
Answer: If the culprit is unrepentant, this might be the only way.
Question: As an alternative, my friend could consider settling the matter privately than go to the police.
Answer: If possible, why not?
Question: If he goes to jail, his life may be ruined. If he is remorseful, he could be given a second chance and turn over a new leaf.
Answer: The question would be, is he already remorseful and thus likely to pay back. If he is unlikely, jail time might be the way for genuine remorse to surface. After jail, there is a second chance to turn over a new leaf too.
Question: My friend is very angry with him and said she would be happy to see him behind bars.
Answer: The decision should not be based on anger but out of compassion, as anger is harmful. This is the ideal train of thought… The cheater made a terrible mistake. Out of compassion, it should be considered which is the best way for the cheater to repent and redeem himself – in jail or outside. If the cheater, not being in jail is not likely to redeem himself by paying back, it is better to go to jail.
Question: Will my friend get bad karma because she sends him to jail though he’s really at fault?
Answer: Negative karma is created when there is intention based on greed, hatred and delusion. So, even though it might be the cheater’s just deserts to go to jail, when the one that conditions him being jailed makes it happen with a sense of hatred, then she creates some negative karma too. But, as above, it is possible to seek justice, even if involving jail, without hatred, but based on compassion.
Question: My friend is a baptised Christian.
Answer: Karma, as a natural law like gravity, applies to everyone regardless of their belief system. Christianity teaches about forgiveness too, though not in the same way as Buddhism. There is sometimes vengeful rage too, though little spoken of these days – http://tinyurl.com/
Hi. I was send to prison for forgery. I caused financial damaged to my victims. I was sentenced for 6 years. I found and understood more about Buddha’s teaching.
My wife divorced me and took my children while I was in prison.
The people that suffered most was my parents & siblings
My mum & dad suffered most, lost weight & worried for me.
I repented and wrote to my victims for apologies.
I now finds it difficult to get a job with my record.
Even though I would like to make up to my victims that suffered financial losses
I would advice you to reconsider for his family sake.
But if jail is the only way to wake up HIS wrong doing, so it be
Once a rich man had his house broken into. When the burglar was brought to him, and pleads for leniency because of hardship, the rich man let him off out of compassion. Sometime later, that same burglar was caught for robbery, and worst in the course of trying to escape, he killed one of his pursuer, and was sentenced to death for his mistake. When the rich man heard of this, he was very remorseful and realized had he helped corrected the mistake earlier, the outcome could have been different.
1. Depending on the nature of the offence, sometimes not reporting is also an offence. Be careful.
2. You do not send him to jail. It was his mistake that send him to jail. (if the offence carry a jail term).
3. You should not harbour any ill-will. Correct action means you deal with the mistake, NOT the person.
4. Sometimes forgiveness also means helping to correct the mistake.
5. Mistake is no problem, only how to make it correct. When fall down, stand up.
6. And yes, it would be ideal if the mistake can be corrected amicably without legal course.
KS, can empathize with your feelings and am happy that you are into Buddhism. You need a clear direction and strong faith in your practice, then you can overcome your difficulties. To cling onto regret is to punish yourself a second time. To not regret is regrettable. Learn from your mistakes and resolve never to repeat it.
If practice is difficult, join a group practice.
May all be well and happy.