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TURN THE OTHER CHEEK
World Scripture
TURN THE OTHER CHEEK
The pacifist ethic to bear insults without complaint and to turn the other
cheek is related to the ethic to love one's enemy. Here the emphasis is as
much on the individual's internal attitude as it is upon the other's welfare.
If a person responds to evil in anger or self-defense, he becomes attached to
the evil and it can dominate him. The anger and hatred of his attacker is
transmuted into his own anger and resentment at being a victim, and he loses
his balance and spiritual strength. But by bearing and accepting insults and
abuse without diminution of his own goodwill and mental concentration, he can
stay above the hatred and preserve a foundation of spiritual independence and
self-possession. Ultimately, it is only by preserving his spiritual
subjectivity in the midst of the insults that a person can have the strength to
love his enemy and win him over. We include several striking examples: from
the Lotus Sutra of a monk who is victorious through never disparaging his
abusers, and the prophet Isaiah's servant of the Lord.
The concluding passages also deal with the justice of turning the other cheek.
They assume an inexorable principle of Divine Justice, pp. 183-91, which will
set things right and even vindicate the victim's passivity. Paul argues that
worldly retribution would mitigate the punishment of God, hence, by not acting,
the believer will heap burning coals upon the head of his adversary. The Sutra
of Forty-two Sections likewise speaks to the demerit which will come to the
evildoer when his insult is accepted without responding. The victim, on the
other hand, gains merit through enduring persecution and building the virtue of
patience.
Let there be no injury and no requital.
1.Islam. Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 32
One should choose to be among the persecuted, rather than the persecutors.
2.Judaism. Talmud, Baba Kamma 93a
Victory breeds hatred, for the defeated live in pain. Happily live the
peaceful, giving up victory and defeat.
3.Buddhism. Dhammapada 201
For behold, they had rather sacrifice their lives than even to take the life of
their enemy; and they have buried their weapons of war deep in the earth,
because of their love towards their brethren.
4.Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Book of Mormon, Alma 26.32
In wars to gain land, the dead fill the plains; in wars to gain cities, the
dead fill the cities. This is known as showing the land the way to devour
human flesh. Death is too light a punishment for such men who wage war. Hence
those skilled in war should suffer the most severe punishments.
5.Confucianism. Mencius IV.A.14
Those who beat you with fists,
Do not pay them in the same coin,
But go to their house and kiss their feet.
6.Sikhism. Adi Granth, Shalok, Farid, p. 1378
You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."
But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on
the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and
take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to
go one mile, go with him two miles.
7.Christianity. Matthew 5.38-41
Those who are insulted but do not insult others in revenge, who hear themselves
reproached without replying, who perform good work out of the love of the Lord
and rejoice in their sufferings... are "as the sun when he goeth forth in his
might."
8.Judaism. Talmud, Yoma 23a
Chi K'ang-tzu asked Confucius about government, saying, "Suppose I were to slay
those who have not the Way in order to help those who have the Way, what would
you think of it?" Confucius replied saying, "You are there to rule, not to
slay. If you desire what is good, the people will at once be good."
9.Confucianism. Analects 12.19
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Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 32: On Muhammad's long-suffering and generosity, see
Hadith, p. 569. Baba Kamma 93a: Cf. Pesahim 25b, p. 415. Dhammapada 201: Cf.
Yogacara Bhumi Sutra 4, p. 482. Mencius IV.A.14: Cf. Tao Te Ching 31, p. 889.
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Then they came up and laid hands upon Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of
those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and
struck the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to
him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will
perish by the sword."
10.Christianity. Matthew 26.51-52
Brethren, if outsiders should speak against me, or against the Doctrine, or
against the Order, you should not on that account either bear malice, or suffer
resentment, or feel ill will. If you, on that account, should feel angry and
hurt, that would stand in the way of your own self- conquest.
11.Buddhism. Digha Nikaya i.3
Kuan Chung... could seize the fief of P'ien with its three hundred villages
from its owner, the head of the Po family; yet Po, though he lived on coarse
food to the end of his days, never uttered a single word of resentment. The
Master said, "To be poor and not resent it is far harder than to be rich, yet
not presumptuous."
12.Confucianism. Analects 14.11
Monks, even as low-down thieves might be carving you limb from limb with a
two-handled saw, even then whoever sets his mind at enmity is not a doer of my
teaching. Monks, you should train yourselves thus, "Our minds shall not be
perverted, we will not utter evil words, we shall abide cherishing thoughts of
good, with minds full of goodwill and with no hatred in our heart. Beginning
with that thief, we shall abide suffusing the whole world with thoughts of
goodwill that are extensive, exalted, and immeasurable, without hostility and
malevolence."
If you, monks, were to attend repeatedly to this exhortation on the parable of
the saw, would you see any form of ridicule, subtle or gross, that you could
not endure?
13.Buddhism. Majjhima Nikaya i.129
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Matthew 26.51-52: But see also Matthew 10.34, p. 886, and John 2.13-16, p. 891.
Digha Nikaya i.3: Cf. Vachana 248, p. 793. Analects 14.11: Kuan Chung had such
prestige that no one called him 'presumptuous' when he injured others; it was
much harder for the head of the Po family to avoid resentment than it was for
Kuan Chung to keep up the air of probity. Cf. Nahjul Balagha, Saying 201, p.
850; I Ching 40, p. 849.
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For what reason was he named Never Despise? Because he paid respect to and
commended everybody he saw, monks, nuns, men and women disciples; speaking
thus, "I deeply revere you. Wherefore? Because you are walking in the
bodhisattva way and are to become Buddhas." That monk did not devote himself
to reading and reciting the sutras, but only to paying respect, so that when he
saw afar off a member of the four classes of disciples he would specially go
and pay respect to them, saying, "I dare not slight you, because you are all to
become Buddhas." Amongst the four classes, there were those who, irritated and
angry and low-minded, reviled and abused him, saying, "Where does this ignorant
monk come from, who takes it on himself to say, 'I do not slight you,' and who
predicts us as destined to become Buddhas? We need no such false predictions."
Thus he passed many years, constantly reviled but never irritated or angry,
always saying, "You are to become Buddhas." Whenever he spoke thus, they beat
him with clubs, sticks, potsherds, or stones. But, while escaping to a
distance, he stilled cried aloud, "I dare not slight you. You are all to
become Buddhas." And because he always spoke thus, the haughty monks, nuns,
and their disciples dubbed him Never Despise.
14.Buddhism. Lotus Sutra 20
The Lord God has given me
the tongue of a disciple,
that I may know how to sustain with a word
him that is weary.
Morning by morning he wakens,
he wakens my ear to hear as a disciple.
The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I turned not backward.
I gave my back to the smiters,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I hid not my face
from shame and spitting.
For the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been confounded;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
he who vindicates me is near.
15.Judaism and Christianity. Isaiah 50.4-8
If an evil man, on hearing of what is good, comes and creates a disturbance,
you should hold your peace. You must not angrily upbraid him; then he who has
come to curse you will merely harm himself.
16.Buddhism. Sutra of Forty-two Sections 7
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is
written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." No, "if your enemy
is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by doing so you will
heap burning coals upon his head."
17.Christianity. Romans 12.19-20
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Lotus Sutra 20: This is recognizably a story about a preacher of Mahayana
doctrine being abused and beaten by Hinayana monks, but it could apply to any
of the many sectarian struggles in the history of Buddhism. The sutra goes on
to say that by thus exercising forbearance upon being beaten and reviled, his
accumulated sins are washed away and he ultimately attains the highest goal.
Romans 12.19-20: In Qur'an 5.27-32, p. 417, Abel refused to strike back when
Cain sought to kill him for fear of God and divine punishment; and he
recognized that Cain would ultimately be the loser for killing him.
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