It is possible for other people not to suffer from past karma, and it’s possible for us, too. That’s another reason why we develop thoughts of goodwill: If our mind stays narrow, then we’re going to suffer.

"So simply because people have a lot of really bad karma in the past doesn’t mean that they have to suffer. If they can gain an understanding and develop the mind that, as the Buddha said, is limitless, then the past bad karma is like a lump of salt thrown into a huge river of clean, clear water. Even though there’s a lump of salt in the river, the salt dissolves and the water is so fresh and there’s so much of it that you can still drink it.

So it is possible for other people not to suffer from past karma, and it’s possible for us, too. That’s another reason why we develop thoughts of goodwill: If our mind stays narrow, then we’re going to suffer. If there are limitations on our goodwill, we’re going to suffer.

So it’s not a question of who deserves or who doesn’t deserve your goodwill. Remind yourself: You need your goodwill. And you benefit from making it limitless.

So as we spread thoughts of goodwill, remember that this is not make-believe. We’re trying to adjust our intentions. It’s a determination: that regardless of how other people behave, we’re going to keep our focus on a happiness that’s harmless. That’s the foundation of our practice. Otherwise we’ll never get free."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Goodwill for Bad People"

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