*   The Six Transcendent Practices of a Bodhisattva
Part Three: Transcendent Patience *

by Tulku Jigme Rinpoche
 

As we continue our series on the Six Transcendent Virtues of a Bodhisattva, this month we examine the antidote to anger -- patience as defined as the ability to remain calm and not get angry. Transcendent Patience couples patience with the wisdom of the Dharma.
 
In The Way of the Bodhisattva, Shantideva tells us to abandon anger:
 
            "Good works gathered in a thousand ages,
            Such as deeds of generosity,
            Or offerings to those gone to Bliss:
            A single flash of anger shatters them."
 
In a commentary from The Path to the Middle, it says if you get angry at ordinary beings you loose the merit accumulated over a hundred ages. If you get angry at a Bodhisattva, the deed costs the merit of a thousand ages. Further, Shantideva teaches us that:
 
            "No evil is there similar to hatred,
            Nor austerity to be compared with patience.
            Steep yourself, therefore, in patience --
            In all ways, urgently, with zeal."
 
If you get angry at an enemy, you cannot experience the bliss of meditation. Your mind won't be happy; your body won't be calm. You won't even be able to sleep at night.
 
There are three types of patience: 1. Patience to accept suffering for the sake of the Dharma. 2. Patience to face the profound meaning of the Dharma. 3. And patience -- the ability to remain calm and without anger -- when others harm you.
 
1. The causes of happiness are few and the causes of suffering are many. This is characteristic of samsara. If, after taking birth in samsara, you want to abandon suffering, you must first experience it. Thus, suffering has a quality. If there is no suffering, there is no desire to be free from suffering. If there is suffering, then you can develop a mind of renunciation. Suffering will lead you towards renunciation. In the short-term, suffering purifies our past non-merits and in the long-term it helps us achieve Enlightenment. So, be patient in your suffering. It will make you virtuous.
 
2. Sometimes you might think 'I can be patient in my suffering', but you get angry at a person who harms you. Why? You don’t get angry at a cold, the flu or other illnesses. We know such things come from circumstances like time, spirits, food and/or conduct. A sickness doesn't have the power to make you angry, so there is no need to by angry at the illness or disease. So why do you get angry at people who cause you to suffer? When a person harms you, by force or by words, you get angry at him? Why? The two situations are similar. Neither sickness nor another person has inherent power. An enemy harms you because of circumstances such as prejudism, jealousy and afflicted emotions. A disease harms you because of circumstances such as time, spirits, food and conduct. They are the same. They are controlled by interdependent links. Everything has interdependent links, and if everything has interdependent links, then everything is empty of inherent nature. In emptiness, there is no anger, nothing to be angry at or with and nowhere to be angry.
 
Knowing and accepting cause and effect and the inherent nature of emptiness takes time. It takes patience. Yet, in knowing and accepting these profound teaching of the Dharma, you can avoid anger.
 
3. Continuing with this thought, we should have the ability to be calm and hold our temper when others harm us. If our lives weren't controlled by circumstances then it would follow that we would have the power to control our lives and create a world without suffering. But life isn't like that! We don't have the power to control.
 
Some people get attached to a person, others get attached to wealth and possessions. The result? Some stop eating, get depressed or anxious. Some hang themselves or jump off a cliff. Doing bad actions like taking one's own or another's life, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, etc. are all non-virtues. You're only harming yourself in this life and your next lives. You are being powered by hatred, attachment, ignorance and afflicted emotions. And, if such afflicted emotions can harm oneself, they will surely harm others. One must develop compassion and never be angry or controlled by afflicted emotions.
 
Is harming another being the nature of ordinary beings? If yes, then we have no reason to ever be angry at another being. Take, for example, the nature of fire. It burns. That's what it does. If you touch it, it burns you. You aren't angry at the fire because it burned you; after all, you touched it. Similarly, when others hurt us, we should understand it is their nature and indeed the nature of all being. So, we should not be angry at them. Instead, we need to recognize the true nature of things, develop compassion and … be patient.
 
If you have any questions regarding any of the Transcendent Wisdoms, please do not hesitate to write. I welcome your inquiries.
 
Until next month, I remain yours in the Dharma.
 
Tulku Jigme Rinpoche
 
Students of the Venerable Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche and Tulku Jigme Rinpoche are invited to ask questions at dudjom_institute@yahoo.com.

If you would like to support the Monthly Teaching series, please (* Donate *)