Resolving Resentment with Forbearance and Forgiveness
 
In history there was a businessman named Cheng Bolin who lived in Yangzhou City. He was a pious man and respected Buddhas. One summer, northern invaders seized Yangzhou City. Cheng prayed to the gods and asked for help. In his dream a god told him that all the other 16 members of his family would pass through this catastrophe safely, except for him.
 
After Cheng Bolin woke up, he could not understand why he was singled out, so he prayed to the gods again. The gods told him in his next dream, "In your previous life, you stabbed Wang Mazi 26 times and killed him. Now it's time to pay him back, and there is no way to escape. You may tell your family to stay in the eastern quarters of your house while you stay in the middle hall. Don’t involve your family members." Cheng followed the instructions.
 
Five days later, a soldier from the northern army knocked on the door. Cheng Bolin asked him, "Are you Wang Mazi? If yes, you may come on in and stab me 26 times. If you are not Wang Mazi, just leave me alone as we have no karmic relationship."
 
The soldier said, "I am Wang Mazi." So Cheng Bolin opened the door and let him in. Wang Mazi was very surprised, "How do you know my name?" Cheng described to him the two dreams in detail.
 
Wang Mazi sighed, "You killed me by stabbing me 26 times in a previous life; if I do the same to you today, won't you try to seek revenge in your next life?" Then he used the back of his sword to pat Cheng Bolin on the back 26 times and forgave him. In addition, Wang Mazi escorted Cheng Bolin and his family to Jinling City, a safer place.
 
All things happen for a reason. When we are mistreated by someone, it's possible that we owe that person from a previous encounter. If we can forbear and endure the mistreatment without complaint or grievance, or if we can forgive, then we can probably dissolve the resentment and resolve the karmic retribution. Otherwise, the karmic retribution will continue endlessly.
 
万事有因　宽恕解怨
 
从前，有个商人叫程伯鳞，他居住在扬州，非常信神敬佛。一年夏天，北兵攻破了扬州城，程伯鳞于是向神佛祈祷求救。神在梦中告诉他，说他一家十七口人，十六口人都会平安无事的，只有程伯鳞逃不过此劫。
 
程伯鳞醒来后，感到实在想不通，于是又向神祈祷。神告诉说：“你前生杀了王麻子二十六刀，现在你应当偿还于他，决不可能逃掉的。你将其他家人安排到东厢，你自己在中堂等候，不要再连累你的家人了。”程伯鳞照此做了。
 
过了五天，突然有北兵前来敲门，程伯鳞问道：“你是王麻子吗？你如果是王麻子，就来杀我二十六刀吧。如果不是王麻子，那么我们之间没有甚么恩怨，你不需进来了。”
 
那个北兵说：“我正是王麻子。”程伯鳞便开门让他进来，那兵下马后惊奇的问：“你怎么会知道我的姓名呢？”程伯鳞便将事先自己做的那两个梦详细告诉了他。
 
北兵叹息道：“你前世杀我二十六刀，我如果今世杀了你报仇，那么你来世不是又要再找我报仇吗？”于是北兵用刀背击打了程伯鳞二十六下，算是宽恕他了，并且还将程伯鳞一家人护送到了金陵。
 
其实万事有因，当别人对我们不好时，可能正是我们以前欠人家的。我们如果能够忍下来，不较不怨的坦然承受，或者宽恕于人，这可能就此将这段恩怨了断和化解了，不然的话，那可真是冤冤相报何时了了。