The Bowl of Saki Commentary

There are several manners for overlooking the fault of another. One way is often equal to condoning it or excusing it. While outwardly this may be done, the more a mystic may outwardly defend such a wrong doer, the more inwardly he or she must pray for or condemn that person. Otherwise one will be partaking of that fault oneself and will have to answer for it.

Another way is the heart view, which while not excusing the person, recognizes the person's limitation and knows positively the difference between the real personality and one's acting or reacting under conditions that are more or less trying. The heart recognizes the conditions and endeavors to free that person from the subjugation by these conditions. This is the real nature of overlooking.

However, one must be careful in doing this, for it is not in committing the same act that one is partaking of it but in defending another openly for such an act when one is not aware of all circumstances, that one partakes of it. Likewise if one wrongly condemns another of a sin, you are guilty of a sin. Both these attitudes come from the domination of mind by nufs, and of will by mind.