Report 60

6 Paramitas - Patience [Kshanti]

Enlightenment is born from patience.
- 菩薩見實會 Pitaputrasamagamana

Impatience is likened to poison. One is not at peace with oneself, others and the world around. On a practical level, it’s often due to not allowing natural capacity to grow or wishing situations/people to be otherwise. Moreover, such frustration can grow into anger which harms. So patience and ethics support each other, developing together. And simply, life would feel like less of a struggle if one can foster this quality.

How does one develop patience? How to exercise it in daily life? I remember what Steven said a while ago regarding ‘button pushers’ and their usefulness [in one’s practice]. Of course, one would start with simple cases if possible. Whether it’s a ‘harmful’ person or situation, it is important to first not to turn away and to be willing to investigate.

It is very easy to make a mistake of seeing someone just as a ‘problem’ that includes judgements and what happened in the past etc. After all, one would wish to appreciate oneself beyond changeable attributes and also to be seen by others as a precious being rather than a label. So I’d like to cultivate this openness in dealing with sticky situations.