The Lord Buddha conveyed to his disciples the significance of patience — both with regard to his own attainment of Enlightenment, and with regard to guiding his lay followers toward the realization of the Dhamma in his footsteps. Furthermore, for anyone in this lifetime who seeks to excel — whether in worldly or spiritual matters — the Lord Buddha set forth as the very first principle in the Ovādapāṭimokkha:
“Khantī paramaṃ tapo titikkhā” — meaning: patience and endurance are the highest austerity, the supreme means of burning away evil and consuming defilements.
Success in human life — whether in worldly or spiritual matters — requires as its foundation, as the bedrock of the mind, the quality of steadfast patience and endurance. Without this quality, one cannot persevere. In worldly life, one cannot excel; in spiritual life, one cannot excel.
February 9th, 2015
