[7] 不文己过：子夏曰：「小人之过也必文。」我众须知文过乃是最可耻之事。
弘一大师
《改过实验谈》
[7] Not Glossing Over One’s Faults: Zǐ Xià said, ‘The faults of small persons certainly will be glossed over.’ We all must know that the glossing over of faults thus is the most shameful of matters.
Great Master Hóngyī
(Discussion On Experiments For Correcting Faults)
Pointer [7] Above: The transgressions of small-(minded) persons (小人) will surely be glossed over, since they are the direct opposites of noble persons (君子). For understanding the scope of ‘glossing over’, synonyms include the following, from those milder to the more serious — ‘shrugging off, making light of, downplaying, self-rationalising, explaining away, whitewashing, brushing aside, evading…’
Matters glossed over range from the very private, which affect only oneself, to the very public, which affect many others. While glossing over personal faults might seem harmless to the rest of the world, the only way one’s faults might eventually jeopardise the world at large is from sheer ignorance or wilful negligence of them, such that they grow out of control, to endanger more and more.
Glossing over of faults is shameful as utter moral shamelessness first sprouts from excusing oneself for ‘small’ and habitual evils. Since those noble are sincere in improving themselves, to do their best to better the world, they will be eager to nip their faults in their buds, to deprive them of all conditions to grow out of hand once and for all. This protects the well-being of one and all.
Pointer [8] Below: Lacking graciousness in attitude and keenness of motivation for spiritual greatness, small persons are unlikely to swiftly and sincerely apologise for their faults, when they do spill over to harm others via their words and deeds. Even if they do seem to ‘apologise’, this tends to be tardily, reluctantly and perfunctorily, only because they are compelled to, for their self-centred advantage.
If genuinely recognising one’s mistake, one will not be a repeat offender, even in thought. There will also be active making of amends, as remedial actions to undo the mistake, and to make up more than enough for the damage caused. Only so is repentance true and complete. The path to nobility requires ‘fretting’ of personal faults, even those deemed by others to be minor and forgivable.
The pointer continues, ‘With revelation [of our faults], express gratitude, and repent for previous mistakes. There absolutely must not be caring and cherishing of one’s face, bearing them silently and not speaking [to confess them], with oneself cheated and oneself deceived.’ (发露陈谢，忏悔前愆。万不可顾惜体面，隐忍不言，自诳自欺。) (Bluffing of others starts from bluffing oneself.)
We must not be offended, even if deliberately offensive ones point out our faults. We should be very thankful instead, for without their harsh highlighting, we might not be aware of them for a long time. While they were at fault with their hatefulness, we will be at fault for not reflecting on their hard truths offered. Without hiding, it is with open admission of our faults that we are likelier to truly transform them.
Small persons, being moralless and remorseless, are incapable of apologising when they are wrong. Being egoistic and ungrateful, they are incapable of thanking when their wrongs are addressed too. With ego increasingly set aside, the path to spiritual perfection depends on consistently being particular, of even small faults in private, not just gross ones in public.
[8] 不覆己过：我等倘有得罪他人之处，即须发大惭愧，生大恐惧。
弘一大师
《改过实验谈》
[8] Not Covering One’s Faults: We, if having occasions of offending other persons, immediately must give rise to great repentance, and give rise to great fear [of karmic consequences].
Great Master Hóngyī
(Discussion On Experiments For Correcting Faults)
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《改过实验谈》
Discussion On Experiments For Correcting Faults
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