The Spirit of Benevolence
by Master Lee Feng San Shifu
Translated by Sophia Lui
Edited by Ric Meyers
Someone once asked, “How can we help an extremely wicked person?” What does it mean to be an extremely wicked person who is “bad to the bone?” In this world, there is no one who is really so-called “bad to the bone” or a truly devilish villain. These people become who they are due to external forces imposed on them or, we can also say they have been conditioned into behaving that way.
For example, if we see children exhibiting good behavior, we encourage those behaviors with praise and rewards. But if they occasionally make mistakes, we refuse to overlook them. Instead, we constantly nag at the young ones, flooding them with negative feelings which can affect them later in life.
Therefore, we must understand something: even if someone has done lots of terrible things, we must know how to subtly guide them in the right direction, and not unthinkingly put pressure on them. Why? Most people are afraid of being cornered like a wild beast in capture. Many tactics of war reveal a spirit of benevolence in them. For example, the “Sun Tze Warfare “mentions “leaving an escape route for surrounded enemies.” This means that, when we surround our enemies, we should not cut off all of the four routes, but only three of them. No matter how keen we are in defeating them, we must leave a way out for the enemy. This is to give them a chance to escape with their lives, and also to offer them the choice of whether to continue fighting.
The main idea is to have consideration for others. This is because, when someone becomes a cornered beast in a desperate fight, we do not feel good either. Regardless, we must uphold a spirit of benevolence.
Although we may say that “all men have a mind which cannot bear to see the others suffer,” another saying also follows — “this is laudable but not reliable.” That means that, although we may sympathize with the other, we must also be cautious, and not be gullible, so as to avoid getting ourselves into trouble.
Nevertheless, if we do encounter villains, we should not force them into a difficult or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape. Instead, we should leave them a way out, having faith that one day they will come to their senses. This is the meaning of having a spirit of benevolence.
“Be considerate of others; uphold benevolence in our hearts.” — Lee Feng San Shifu