--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Forgiveness does not mean you forget what…" description: "\"“Forgiveness does not mean you forget what someone has done, contrary to the saying “Forgive and forget.” Not reacting with negativity, or giving in to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/dalai-lama-xiv-1700_forgive-and-forget_forgiveness-does-not-mean-you-forget-wha_1510407.jpg" --- # Forgiveness does not mean you forget what someone has… ![“Forgiveness does not mean you forget what someone has done, contrary to the saying “Forgive and forget.” Not reacting with negativity, or giving in to the negative emotions, does not mean you do not respond to the acts or that you allow yourself to be harmed again. Forgiveness does not mean that…” quote by Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/dalai-lama-xiv-1700_forgive-and-forget_forgiveness-does-not-mean-you-forget-wha_1510407.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/dalai-lama-xiv-1700_forgive-and-forget_forgiveness-does-not-mean-you-forget-wha_1510407.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/dalai-lama-xiv-1700_forgive-and-forget_forgiveness-does-not-mean-you-forget-wha_1510407.jpg) > ““Forgiveness does not mean you forget what someone has done, contrary to the saying “Forgive and forget.” Not reacting with negativity, or giving in to the negative emotions, does not mean you do not respond to the acts or that you allow yourself to be harmed again. Forgiveness does not mean that you do not seek justice or that the perpetrator is not punished.”” [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness separates letting go of resentment from forgetting the act or denying justice; it allows response without being controlled by negativity. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness isn’t forgetting or excusing. Key Takeaway Forgive without condoning. Themes forgiveness justice emotional health Mood empathetic inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal healing - legal restitution Questions to Reflect On - Can you forgive while seeking accountability? - How does forgiveness affect personal peace? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may be difficult without genuine remorse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) [Forgive and forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-and-forget/) [Forgive forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-forget/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiveness Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness-does-404090/) [Harmed Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmed-forgiveness-5558845/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Negative emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-emotions/) [Saying Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-forgive-897179/) ## Related quotes > [“I can forgive, but I cannot forget,” is only another way of saying, “I will not forgive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-can-forgive-but-i-cannot-forget-is-only-another-way-of-saying-i-3/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [When saying you forgive someone, then throw it in their face every chance you get. Isn't truly forgiving. Forgive but never forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-beaubian/when-saying-you-forgive-someone-then-throw-it-in-their-face-every/) [Sabrina Beaubian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-beaubian/) > [I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-can-forgive-but-i-cannot-forget-is-only-another-way-of-saying-i-2/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I can forgive but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I cannot forgive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-can-forgive-but-i-cannot-forget-is-only-another-way-of-saying-i/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Henry Ward Beecher expressed the thought this way: "I can forgive but I cannot forget is another way of saying I cannot forgive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/henry-ward-beecher-expressed-the-thought-this-way-i-can-forgive-but-i/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [U walked out thinkin that u had chose the best, And I was left behind to pick up da pieces u left, I gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe/u-walked-out-thinkin-that-u-had-chose-the-best-and-i-was-left-behind/) [Joe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe/) > [I never really knew what they said when they told me to Forgive and Forget. They tell me it's easy. Maybe for them. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-cavalinni/i-never-really-knew-what-they-said-when-they-told-me-to-forgive-and/) [Brie Cavalinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-cavalinni/) > [Forgive and forget, but never forget to forgive. You may find a happier heart is the key to a happier life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgive-and-forget-but-never-forget-to-forgive-you-may-find-a-happier/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People piss you off but its always important to forgive and forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-hadid/people-piss-you-off-but-its-always-important-to-forgive-and-forget/) [Bella Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-hadid/) > [Everything is ended if you forgive and forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/everything-is-ended-if-you-forgive-and-forget/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Do not let the shadows of your past darken the doorstep of your future. Forgive and forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/do-not-let-the-shadows-of-your-past-darken-the-doorstep-of-your/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“Friends forgive and forget the mistakes you've made, but others find it easier to smash it in your face and ruin your life, tearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sparkling-amethyst/friends-forgive-and-forget-the-mistakes-you-ve-made-but-others-find/) [Sparkling Amethyst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sparkling-amethyst/) > [“If you can't forgive and forget, then pick one and do it ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-then-pick-one-and-do-it/) [James Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-brault/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) > [People shouldn't hold grudges, it only makes things worse. Forgive and forget people, life will be much easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-shouldn-t-hold-grudges-it-only-makes-things-worse-forgive-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Dalai Lama XIV > [This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/this-is-my-simple-religion-no-need-for-temples-no-need-for/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“Transforming the mind involves first learning to know it, then identifying how it functions so as to eliminate the three main mental poisons, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/transforming-the-mind-involves-first-learning-to-know-it-then/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“our ability to reframe our situation more positively”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/our-ability-to-reframe-our-situation-more-positively/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“The fourth and final circuit is “our ability to be generous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/the-fourth-and-final-circuit-is-our-ability-to-be-generous/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“In general, if we carefully examine any given situation in a very unbiased and honest way, we will realize that to a large extent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/in-general-if-we-carefully-examine-any-given-situation-in-a-very/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“No matter what activity or practice we are pursuing, there isn't anything that isn't made easier through constant familiarity and training. Through training, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/no-matter-what-activity-or-practice-we-are-pursuing-there-isn-t/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“Live so when your children think of fairness and integrity they think of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/live-so-when-your-children-think-of-fairness-and-integrity-they-think/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“It is important to consider others at least as important as ourselves. This is the essence of spirituality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/it-is-important-to-consider-others-at-least-as-important-as-ourselves/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“I maintain that Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism all hold up love as an ideal, seek to benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/i-maintain-that-buddhism-christianity-confucianism-hinduism-islam/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“Marriages, even the best ones—perhaps especially the best ones—are an ongoing process of spoken and unspoken forgiveness. •”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/marriages-even-the-best-ones-perhaps-especially-the-best-ones-are-an/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“You see, if there are no difficulties and you are always relaxed, then you complain more”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/you-see-if-there-are-no-difficulties-and-you-are-always-relaxed-then/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“It is not happiness that makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us happy. Every moment is a gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/it-is-not-happiness-that-makes-us-grateful-it-is-gratefulness-that/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“Joy can span from the pleasure of others’ good fortune, what Buddhists call mudita, to the pleasure in others’ misfortune, what the Germans call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/joy-can-span-from-the-pleasure-of-others-good-fortune-what-buddhists/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“If you think only of yourself, if you forget the rights and well-being of others, or, worse still, if you exploit others, ultimately you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/if-you-think-only-of-yourself-if-you-forget-the-rights-and-well-being/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“It seems that scientific research reaches deeper and deeper. But it also seems that more and more people, at least scientists, are beginning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/it-seems-that-scientific-research-reaches-deeper-and-deeper-but-it/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) [Explore all 206 Dalai Lama XIV quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) ## More Forgive quotes > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) [Serge Kahili King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-kahili-king/) > [Do what is given to you, and do it well, and you will have done enough...live together in the forgiveness of your sins. Forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-what-is-given-to-you-and-do-it-well-and-you-will-have-done-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [Im so sorry,i screwed up again.i didnt meant hurting you.please,forgive me,again?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redeyeen/im-so-sorry-i-screwed-up-again-i-didnt-meant-hurting-you-please/) [Redeyeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redeyeen/) > [“He fell back. He had cried out so loud that even if there had been no breach in the wall, I should have heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-barbusse/he-fell-back-he-had-cried-out-so-loud-that-even-if-there-had-been-no/) [Henri Barbusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-barbusse/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Ive learned¦ that no matter how good a friend is, theyre going to hurt you every once in a while, and you must forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ive-learned-that-no-matter-how-good-a-friend-is-theyre-going-to-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) > [I feel people relate with your entire journey and forgive your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-feel-people-relate-with-your-entire-journey-and-forgive-your/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [“The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-bible-says-you-must-make-allowance-for-each-other-s-faults-and/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“By choosing to forgive, you are choosing to love. By choosing to operate in love, you are choosing to operate in an unconditional state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-watterson/by-choosing-to-forgive-you-are-choosing-to-love-by-choosing-to/) [Eric Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-watterson/) > [The most important thing about being a father is being able to forgive yourself. If you don't forgive yourself, you're not going to forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evander-holyfield/the-most-important-thing-about-being-a-father-is-being-able-to/) [Evander Holyfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evander-holyfield/) [Browse all 3,381 Forgive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Forgiveness does not mean you forget what someone has done, contrary to the saying “Forgive and forget.” Not reacting with negativity, or giving in to the negative emotions, does not mean you do not respond to the acts or that you allow yourself to be harmed again. 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