When a spiritual practitioner makes a mistake, should they admit it or make excuses?

When you make a mistake, admit it and correct what you did poorly. Spiritual practitioners are not sages. I have times when I do not handle things as well as I could. Being willing to face this, adjust, and move forward is more useful than continually making excuses. When things go badly, first consider whether your direction, methods, personality, or communication need adjustment. Do not begin by blaming others or assuming the deities have not protected you.

Some people remain troubled long afterward by hurtful words, a bad temper, or harm they caused when young. Repentance in religion means sincerely facing these wrongs and being willing to say, 'I am sorry. I was wrong. I am willing to change.' In my understanding of faith, sincere repentance and correction can disperse negative energy accumulated in the past and offer a chance to begin again. But you cannot assume wrongdoing now is acceptable because you can repent later. You still have to bear the consequences of what you do wrong.

Dao Shun shared that people afraid of being held responsible tend to seek excuses first. Willingness to examine yourself, set pride aside, listen, and learn creates the opportunity for learning. Spiritual practice means learning the ways of thinking of the deities and Buddhas, while continuing to correct our temper, fulfill responsibilities, and improve how we treat people and handle things. Becoming a practitioner should not lead us to assume that everything we do is justified.

When discussing the Heavenly Official's blessings, for example, besides honoring parents and sharing blessings, we also remind everyone to understand repentance. Recognizing that you have not done everything perfectly makes humility and change easier, and deepens gratitude. These virtues influence one another. Ceremonies aim to help our inner character become brighter, while we still need to keep correcting our shortcomings ourselves.

Dao Shan found encouragement in the Great Sage's story: going astray and doing poorly in the past does not mean a person cannot later change for the better. In the story, the Great Sage eventually helped Tang Sanzang retrieve the scriptures. I agree with that reminder. A wish to change must be followed by willingness to act. An imperfect past does not mean you have to remain where you are.

Small mistakes also deserve early attention. Sometimes we know something is wrong but let ourselves off because it seems 'not that serious.' Later, finding something to gain, we develop more reasons to justify it. My reminder not to do even a small wrong comes from concern that people can gradually go astray this way, allowing small mistakes to accumulate into large ones. Repentance and correction still matter. But some actions cannot be undone once taken. Do not wait until the price has been paid before beginning to care.

Looking back at things you did poorly when young can also involve understanding why you thought and acted that way then. Making peace with yourself means not rejecting your whole self simply because you once acted rashly. None of us is perfect. Understanding the limitations and shortcomings of that time gives us a chance to adjust from here. That is different from knowing you did wrong and continually refusing to admit it.