The Qualities Of Patience

  Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche

A pithy Patience commentary; excerpts on The 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva

What is patience? The genuine definition of patience is the mental ability to remain unperturbed by negative conditions. Applied to the Dharma, it means forbearance in the face of difficulty. Practitioners should be able to withstand whatever obstacles arise when they practice the Dharma. For example, extremes of heat or cold should not influence their commitment to practice.

The Mahayanasutralankara describes patience as having four qualities. The first is that it pacifies anger. Anger and patience are direct opposites. If you are angry, you are not being patient. And if you are not being patient, you are not behaving like a Bodhisattva.

(note: please refer to the book "The 37 Pratices of a Bodhisattva by Ngulchu Thogme, Commentary by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamsto Rinpoche" for the complete discussion on the qualities of patience.)

The third quality of patience is that one comes to like all sentient beings. This is not a matter of saying, "Oh, I like everybody!" A Bodhisattva who has complete patience with everything hurtful or harmful bears affection towards everyone and can bring happiness everywhere. This ability to bestow happiness on all sentient beings is a sign that the paramita of patience has been perfected.

In the Sutralankara, Maitreya describes the four qualities of patience:
    Patience decreases all opposite sides.
    One possesses nonconceptual primordial wisdom.
    One can perfectly fulfill all wishes.
    And one ripens all sentient beings along the three vehicles.

Notice that the first two qualities concern ourselves, and the second two concern others-even our enemies, whom we bring to the Dharma and whose practice we help mature.

As a Mahayana practioner, always remember that anyone who hurts you shows you a great kindness, and that whatever brings you harm bestows a precious treasure. It is like a poor person digging in the earth who finds oil, gold, or silver and suddenly becomes very rich. From the Mahayana perspective, whoever or whatever harms us provides the same opportunity for wealth.

Why? To obtain a wealth of virtue requires a harmful opponent. Without a foe, how can we practice patience? The Bodhisattva wishes to develop virtue, merit, and such. The prerequisite for these qualities, our most precious treasure, is an enemy.

                         

Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche is a prominent scholar yogi in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He teaches widely in the West, often through dohas (songs of realisation) composed by Milarepa (to whom he is often compared) and other masters of the past. "Tsultrim Gyamtso" translates to English as "Ocean of Ethical Conduct". Rinpoche is the author of numerous books, most recently; "Stars of Wisdom: Analytical Meditation, Songs of Yogic Joy, and Prayers of Aspiration"

For more information visit: www.ktgrinpoche.org