What if Mistakes Were Productive?: A Buddhist Perspective on Guilt

An impactful and experienced French Buddhist nun clarifies the Buddhist view on guilt.

The suffering of guilt takes its roots in the judgments we form about our errors. Yet, mistakes are bound to happen, be they of a cognitive or afflictive nature. They are born out of our emotional and imprecise representations that imprison us in our own version of reality. This is not really a problem as long as we are aware of it.

Clarifying our relationship to mistakes leads us to being less trapped in our own judgements, which will enable us to turn our errors into material for transformation.
Through the methods taught by the Buddha, especially meditation practice, we clarify our relationship to afflictive states of mind. This will deepen our capacity for reflection and broaden our discernment. Thus, our out-look on guilt will naturally change and we will find the resources necessary to adequately cope with everyday situations.