16. Chandragomin: Not correcting others despite
their kleshas [defilements, e.g. greed, hate,
delusion]: The sixteenth secondary misdeed [of the Bodhisattva
vows] emphasizes our responsibility for the behaviour of others.
When we have the opportunity to favourably influence people who are
behaving badly and can see that treating them harshly [or gently,
with good intentions] would put an end to their negative conduct,
we must not hesitate to do so. If we remain silent simply because we are afraid
of irritating them, it is a misdeed associated with
kleshas.
This refers to situations where we see that by dealing
with people severely we could help them correct themselves but we
do not want to get involved. We say nothing because we fear that
they might take offence. An exception is when the people’s misbehaviour is
insignificant and concerns mainly affairs of this life alone, and
interfering would pain them and distress them greatly.
When they would benefit only very briefly from our intervention or
when it could at best bring about a short-lived change in them, it
is better to remain silent. The same is true when our efforts would
create great obstacles for them.
In short, this misdeed consists of letting others make
serious mistakes when we could do something to prevent it.
The present secondary misdeed is well as the previous one [of not
appropriately rejecting misplaced disrepute] are both contrary to
an aspect of the Bodhisattva ethic of helping others, which is
eliminating the harmful activities of others.
Shen Shi'an