In traditional Buddhism it is thought that we are constantly reborn in a cycle of reincarnation until we can overcome all our mental obstacles and become fully realised Buddhas.

It is said that there are six levels in this cycle of rebirth and that from them, we can slowly learn to overcome the confusion and difficult emotions that have become our habit, and eventually become fully realised Buddhas.

The highest level is called the deva realm, the realm of the “gods”. There, the gods spend all day happily enjoying their time. But, being perfect, they’ve lost the opportunity to progress and to learn. Why do they have no chance to improve their state? They are unable to continue to learn, because they no longer make mistakes. They just stay there happily until their good karma is exhausted and then they must return to one of the lower realms of pain and difficulties.

So, for us, we should be very grateful that we have the chance to make mistakes and thus to learn. We can easily forgive ourselves if we remember to feel gratitude that we have the capacity to make mistakes.

And when we see others make mistakes, we can offer the same forgiveness, grateful that we are all together on a path towards wisdom and kindness.