Perfection of Patience

This paramita is the enlightened quality of patience, tolerance, forbearance, and acceptance.  

The essence of this paramita of patience is the strength of mind and heart that enables us to face the challenges and difficulties of life without losing our composure and inner tranquility.  

We embrace and forbear adversity, insult, distress, and the wrongs of others with patience and tolerance, free of resentment, irritation, emotional reactivity, or retaliation.

We cultivate the ability to be loving and compassionate in the face of criticism, misunderstanding, or aggression.  

With this enlightened quality of patience, we are neither elated by praise, prosperity, or agreeable circumstances, nor are we angry, unhappy or depressed when faced with insult, challenge, hardship, or poverty.  

This enlightened attribute of patience, acceptance, and tolerance is not a forced suppression or denial of our thoughts and feelings. Rather, it is a quality of being which comes from having our heart open and our mind deeply concentrated upon the Dharma.  

In this way, we have a clear and correct understanding of impermanence, of cause and effect (karma), and with strong determination and patience we remain in harmony with this understanding for the benefit of all beings.  

The ability to endure, to have forbearance, is integral to our Dharma practice. Without this kind of patience we cannot accomplish anything.

A true Bodhisattva practices patience in such a way that even when we are hurt physically, emotionally, or mentally by others, we are not irritated or resentful.  

We always make an effort to see the goodness and beauty in others.  

In practicing this perfection of patience and forbearance, we never give up on or abandon others—we help them cross over the sea of suffering.  

We maintain our inner peace, calmness, and equanimity under all circumstances, having enduring patience and tolerance for ourselves and others.  

With the strength of patience, we maintain our effort and enthusiasm in our Dharma practice.

Therefore, our practice of patience assists us in developing the next paramita of joyous effort and enthusiastic perseverance.

Source: Used with permission from https://sourcepointglobaloutreach.org/what-we-offer/