7. The Attainment of Patience

Overall Teaching

The Buddha outlines three types of patience for a bodhisattva to Candraprabha: 1) Upholding Dharma with calm and mastery of sūtras, without anger or doubt. 2) Maintaining constant meditation, achieving higher cognitions and miraculous powers. 3) Seeing other worlds, teaching many, receiving buddhahood prophecy, and remaining unaffected by praise or blame through understanding emptiness.

Summary

• Bodhisattvas should master the practice of the three types of patience and be skilful in their understanding to swiftly achieve anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

  1.  The first patience involves not quarrelling with sentient beings, speaking only beneficial words, and always abiding by beneficial deeds.

  2. The second patience is characterized by seeing all phenomena as illusory and not grasping at their appearances, constantly aligning with wisdom without decrease.

  3. The third patience involves mastering worldly skills, controlling mental disturbances, and maintaining an unshakeable meditation practice even when challenged by external changes.

     • As an expansion on this, the Buddha also notes that the third patience allows one to manifest innumerable forms, each like gold, and preach in countless lands.

     • Their meditative stability and supernatural abilities are so developed that they are honoured in multiple worlds and can see Buddhas in all directions.

• Bodhisattvas should not be disturbed by the views of non-Buddhists but respond with deep compassion.

• They should attain command over dhāraṇīs (mantras or mnemonic techniques) and remain steadfast in their Buddhist practice despite elemental transformations.

• If praised, bodhisattvas should not be attached; if criticized or physically harmed, they maintain compassion and do not retaliate or feel disturbed.

• Bodhisattvas aim to benefit all beings without partiality or preference, driven by deep understanding of the empty and illusory nature of all dharmas.

  2. • They practice enduring extreme physical and emotional challenges without anger or attachment, viewing such experiences as opportunities to deepen their compassion and patience.

• Mastery of the three types of patience leads directly to the realization of bodhi and is essential for receiving predictions (vyākaraṇa) of future Buddhahood from current Buddhas.

• The practice of these patiences transforms the bodhisattva's understanding and interaction with the world, aligning them with the ultimate reality and moving them towards enlightenment.

• The chapter concludes with verses emphasizing the transformative power of patience and its role in achieving the wisdom necessary for enlightenment, urging bodhisattvas to cultivate these qualities diligently.

Commentary

Thrangu Rinpoche's commentary states that the first type of patience involves enduring hardships in general Dharma practice, while the second type pertains to accepting difficulties specifically encountered in the practice of samādhi. The third type of patience is required when teaching the Dharma to others, encompassing the ability to endure various responses and outcomes of teaching efforts. It is highlighted that interactions with others may involve deception or harm, but practitioners should cultivate forbearance, recognising the inherent imperfections of samsaric existence. Shantideva's analogy of not blaming fire for burning when one's hand is placed in it is used to illustrate the need for understanding and acceptance in dealing with challenging situations. One needs to train in patience to navigate interpersonal interactions and challenges encountered in Dharma practice.

Rinpoche clarifies the relationship between acknowledging the ordinary traits of individuals and maintaining a pure perception of their buddha nature. He explains that while people may exhibit disturbing emotions, their fundamental nature remains awakened, encouraging practitioners to cultivate pure perception accordingly. The concept of accumulating merit and dedicating it for the benefit of all beings is also elucidated, with Rinpoche providing practical examples and addressing common misconceptions. Furthermore, the importance of recognising the empty nature of disturbing emotions and is highlighted, which requires seeing in them the nature of one's own mind. Until they realise that, practitioners can cultivate distance from such emotions and contemplate their drawbacks to gradually reduce involvement (this means realistically recognising that our mind has the nature of getting attracted and attached to things and cultivating distance from such triggers). However, it is important to eventually directly perceive emptiness and one's mind to control disturbing emotions effectively.

Discussion

1. Practical Application of First Patience: In what ways can we practice the first patience, which involves not quarrelling and always speaking beneficially, in our daily interactions?

2. Illusion and Patience: The second patience involves viewing all phenomena as illusory. How does this perception influence a bodhisattva’s response to worldly events?

3. Challenges in Practicing Third Patience: The third patience involves mastery over mental disturbances and advanced meditative stability. What are some challenges one might face in cultivating this patience, and how can they be overcome?

• Patience Under Criticism: The text discusses maintaining patience when facing criticism or physical harm. How can one cultivate such stability and compassion in the face of adversity?

• Teaching Patience to Others: The chapter encourages bodhisattvas to teach these patiences to benefit countless beings. How can we effectively teach these principles in a world that often values quick results and self-gratification?