Whoever has a relative, a friend, or a descendant come to sincerely apologize, and yet refuses to grant forgiveness — harboring resentment and holding a grudge — will find that across however many lifetimes they are reborn, upon meeting that same soul again, they will feel an instant dislike from the very first glance, even without having any prior acquaintance in that life whatsoever.
The Lord Buddha himself declared: “To apologize and to forgive is the disposition of the wise.”
However, when someone has acknowledged their wrongdoing — not merely coming to ask forgiveness as a formality, but with a genuine intention to correct themselves — one must grant them pardon. Otherwise, those who have once wronged us will become prisoners locked away and forgotten within our own hearts.
Across lifetime after lifetime, though the original incident is long forgotten, the moment we come face to face with that person again, a sense of aversion arises from the very first day of meeting. If this continues to carry over across lives, it will only create further entanglement — and in time, new transgressions against one another will inevitably occur.
One need only ask oneself: there are people one has never met before in this life, yet upon meeting them for the first time, an inexplicable irritation stirs — even though they have done nothing whatsoever. This is a sign that it has carried over. We have held them prisoner in our hearts across lifetimes.
