The paramita of patience

Faults and virtues

Patience is one of the most important paramitas because is the antidote to anger and hatred.

Although we have practiced generosity and ethics without patience a sudden intense anger or hatred can destroy the result of all our good actions. 

Definition

Is a feeling of ease accompanied by compassion.

Classification

Towards those who causes us harm, do not reply with harm. We must change our attitude through reasoning.

1. The person does not control her actions.  Due to internal or external circumstances, emotions such anger control her action and speech.  In fact, anger and compassion are twin emotions. When we encounter difficulties one or the other may be triggered.  When someone harm us we get irritated, but the person is not her own master, but the anger.  Her ignorance, her suffering, her fear and anguish push her to doing wrong.  Then, our irritation should aim her emotions, instead of the person.  It is better to feel compassion towards the person. 
2. By the law of cause and effect, current difficulties are the result of causes that we created in the past, with actions, speech and negative thoughts that we did, said or thought in the past.  Act out of anger only increases the liabilities of our future suffering.  On the contrary, with patience, our negative karma decreases.
3. There are conditions that allow the difficulties we experience happen that are not under the responsibility of the person that causes harm to us.  Without the sensitivity of our body and mind, the physical and moral suffering couldn't harm us.  So, why we don't blame our body and mind too?
4. The person than harm us, actually help us, because without an enemy we could not develop our patience.  We are lucky of having a chance to purify our karma and perfect the virtue. [History of the Buddha]
5. We must look carefully the aim of our anger [against the wrongdoer].  We want to kill him, to make him suffer?  Death and suffering of karma will hit him infallibly.  Actually, the anger and hatred he experiences are suffering, an inner burning.

Towards the obstacles and life difficulties. For example, if we are sick, treatments may be painful, but help us to avoid heavier consequences.  A warrior facing a big danger is considered brave, bold.  Our worst and more powerful enemies are the negative emotions, and facing them lead us to the enlightenment.

Towards the highest teachings, develop understanding and open our mind. Persevere our study, until we understand [the ultimate] truth.  This cannot happen after try it only once.  We must work listening and reading, reflecting, and meditating.  Step by step we develop the understanding.

Meditation

Loving kindness and compassion.