Patience

Abstract

This chapter addresses the practice of patience in Buddhism. Some techniques cannot be practiced alone in a quiet place but have to be done on the ground in day-to-day life. Here, the individual works on developing patience not through visualization or imagination but when confronted with real-life people and obstacles. Patience in a Buddhist context is not just about waiting for stuff; it is an attitude toward a much wider range of difficulties. In its most basic sense, it means not getting upset when things do not go to plan, a calm acceptance of frustrating things. What does it mean to respond with patience when people are aggressive or hostile to an individual? At the very least, it means not getting angry or aggravated. Ideally, it also involves responding with compassion and understanding. This does not mean that the individual has to relent and submit to their abuse. Nor does it mean that they smugly respond in a gentle voice with sanctimonious platitudes. Instead, the individual responds with genuine concern for the other individual and their feelings and feels an impulse to help them rather than lash out.