                         *THE PERFECTION OF PATIENCE*
                              (//Khanti-Parami//)


                     Translation by Saya U Chit Tin, WKH

                                  Assistants
                            U San Myint Aung, B.A.


                          Published and Copyright by
                  The Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust, U.K.
                     Heddington,  Calne,Great Britain, 1987

                            Dhammadana Series 5/d


                    Dedicated to our much revered teacher
                          the late Sayagyi U Ba Khin
                                (Thray Sithu)


                         First printed 1987 in France

                    ----------------------------------------

                              DharmaNet Edition 1994

             This electronic edition is offered for free distribution
                 via DharmaNet by arrangement with the publisher.
                          Electronic format: Barry Kapke

                             DharmaNet International
                            P.O. Box 4951, Berkeley CA
                                    94704-4951

                        ----------------------------------

                         *PARAMIS:*  The Ten Perfections
    

  1.  //Dana//: Generosity
        May I be generous and helpful.
  2.  //Sila//: Morality
        May I be well-disciplined and refined in manners.
        May I be pure and clean in all my dealings.
        May my thoughts, words and deeds be pure.
  3.  //Nekkhama//: Renunciation
        May I not be selfish and self-possessive, but selfless and
              disinterested.
        May I be able to sacrifice my pleasure for the sake of others.
  4.  //Panna//: Wisdom
        May I be wise and able to see things as they truly are.
        May I see the light of truth and lead others from darkness to light.
        May I be enlightened and be able to enlighten others.
  5.  //Viriya//: Energy
        May I be energetic, vigorous and persevering.
        May I strive diligently until I achieve my goal.
        May I be fearless in facing dangers and courageously surmount all
              obstacles.
        May I be able to serve others to the best of my ability.
  6.  //Khanti//: Patience
        May I ever be patient.
        May I be able to bear and forbear the wrongs of others.
        May I ever be tolerant and see the good and beautiful in all.
  7.  //Sacca//: Truthfulness
        May I ever be truthful and honest.
        May I not swerve from the path of truth.
  8.  //Adhitthana//: Determination
        May I be firm and resolute and have an iron will.
        May I be soft as a flower and firm as a rock.
        May I ever be high-principled.
  9.  //Metta//: Loving Kindness
        May I ever be kind, friendly and compassionate.
        May I be able to regard all as my brothers and sisters and be one
              with all.
  10. //Upekkha//: Equanimity
        May I ever be calm, serene, unruffled and peaceful.
        May I gain a balanced mind.
        May I have perfect equanimity.

  May I serve to be perfect.
  May I be perfect to serve.

  Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.

                ---------------------------------------------


                                  *Contents*

  Introduction

  1.  The meaning of patience
  2.  Patience and the mental formations
  3.  The example of the Ven. Punna
  4.  The questions of Sakka
  5.  Sakkas patience
  6.  The Bodhisatta as a teacher of patience (//Khanti-vadin//)
  7.  The distinction between freedom from anger (//Akkhoda//) and patience
              (//Khanti//)
  8.  The nine causes of anger
  9.  Irrational anger (//Atthana-kopa//)
  10. Patience as a power of the Noble

                ---------------------------------------------

                                *INTRODUCTION*

  The perfection of patience means even-mindedness: not getting carried away 
  when praised and not being dejected when criticized. Another aspect of 
  patience is mentioned in the "Treatise." This is patience with regards to 
  understanding the Buddha's Teachings (//Dhamma-nijhana-khanti//). This 
  means "the intellectual acceptance of doctrines which are not yet 
  completely clear to the understanding,... a willingness to acquiesce... in 
  the confidence that the growth of wisdom will transform this acquiescence 
  into clear and certain knowledge." Being patient with regards to one's own 
  degree of understanding would be the intermediate stage between acquiring 
  faith in the Dhamma and "fully grasping it by immediate insight."

  As with effort, we can see the importance of mental attitude in patience. 
  If we are not spontaneously patient, we can at least make the effort to 
  restrain physical and verbal expressions of impatience. If we observe 
  ourselves closely, however, we will probably find that if we are not yet 
  mentally patient, subtle expression of our dissatisfaction will escape 
  before we can control ourselves. As Sayagyi U Ba Khin pointed out to one 
  of his American students, impatience means that anger is present. As we 
  learn to observe ourselves and see what happens in our minds objectively, 
  we will better understand what true patience entails. When it is not 
  present, we will experience discomfort, and understanding can aid us to 
  let go the harmful mental attitudes that cause this discomfort in us.


                                                          Saya U Chit Tin
                                             Heddington, January 19, 1986


              //Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa//

                  ---------------------------------------------

                          *THE PERFECTION OF PATIENCE*
                             *(//KHANTI PARAMI//)*


  1.  The meaning of patience.

  Patience (//Khanti//) is generally shown in the Pali texts to mean that 
  one should not be elated when one is praised or upset if criticized. In 
  the first discourse in the Suttas (//Brahmajala-sutta//), the Buddha tells 
  the bhikkhus, "If others speak in dispraise of me, or in dispraise of the 
  Dhamma, or in dispraise of the Sangha, you should not give way to 
  resentment, displeasure, or animosity against them in your heart.... And 
  if others speak in praise of me, or in praise of the Dhamma, or in praise 
  of the Sangha, you should not give way to jubilation, joy, and exultation 
  in your heart." The commentary points out that this means developing 
  equipoise when faced with dispraise or praise. (The commentary makes it 
  clear that rapture and joy connected with renunciation are not included 
  here. The type of enjoyment condemned here by the Buddha is rapture 
  associated with greed. It is worldly joy leading to possessiveness.)

  In more general circumstances, patience should be developed in order to 
  experience favorable circumstances in life without greed and unfavorable 
  circumstances without hate. Only when we can do this are we truly patient.  
  "A Treatise on the Paramis" says, "The perfection of patience is the 
  endurance of harm imposed by beings and formations (//Sankhara//), or the 
  act of consciousness occurred in such a mode, predominated by non-aversion 
  and accompanied by compassion and skilful means." In "The Expositor", 
  patience is defined as "the state of forbearance in a patient person." 
  Later in the same commentary, it is given as one of five restraints 
  (virtue, mindfulness, knowledge, patience and effort) which helps 
  discipline the average, untrained man. In that context, patience is 
  mentioned as involving endurance of cold and heat.

  Some scholars prefer to reserve the term patience for situations in which 
  one remains calm and does not become angry. They do not wish to include 
  remaining calm when one is praised, as they feel this belongs better under 
  the Perfection of Equanimity (//Upekkha//). This viewpoint is not 
  inconsistent with the commentaries. On the other hand, patience may be 
  considered to mean tolerance of others and whatever happens in life, 
  whereas equanimity may be considered to mean being indifferent towards 
  them -- without love or hate. As the Venerable Ledi Sayadaw said in his 
  //Mangala-sutta-nissaya//, "Patience means one does not fall prey to anger 
  when one encounters hardships.


  2.  Patience and the mental formations.

  Effort (//Viriya//) and wisdom (//Panna//), the preceding perfections, are 
  part of the group of mental formations (//Sankhara-khanda//) in the five 
  groups (//Khanda//) of existence. Effort is one of the secondary, general 
  formations which are part of all consciousness. Wisdom (as non-delusion, 
  //Amoha//) is a secondary lofty (moral) formation, not in all moral 
  consciousness. Patience (//Khanti//), when it is present, comes in under 
  the mental concomitant of lack of ill will or hate (//Adosa//), which is 
  in all lofty consciousness. Its characteristic is not being angry. But all 
  lack of ill will is not patience. Lack of ill will is associated with all 
  moral or neutral consciousness. Patience is only present when a moral or 
  neutral consciousness arises due to an action that could arouse anger.


  3.  The example of the Venerable Punna.

  The attitude of Venerable Punna is a good example of the type of patience 
  one should develop. He asked the Buddha for a brief discourse to serve him 
  in his efforts. After teaching him, the Buddha asked him where he was 
  going to live. Punna answered that he would live in the Sunaparanta 
  district. The Buddha then pointed out to him that the people in that 
  district were hotheaded and rough. What would he do if the people reviled 
  and abused him? Punna answered that he would be glad that they did not 
  strike him a blow with their hands. If they did that, then he would be 
  glad they did not strike him with clods of earth. If they did that, then 
  he would be glad they did not strike him with a knife. But if they killed 
  him with a knife, he would think of those who were so disgusted with the 
  misery of life they committed suicide. And he would think of the people as 
  ending the misery of his life without his having to do it himself. After 
  hearing the answers, the Buddha approved of them and said, "Possessed of 
  such self-control as this, you will be well able to dwell in the district 
  of the people of Sunaparanta."


  4.  The questions of Sakka.

  In the //Sarabhanga Jataka// (no 552), Sakka, the king of the deva realm 
  of the Thirty-three, asks the Bodhisatta Sarabhanga several questions. The 
  first three questions have to do with patience. "What can one slay without 
  repenting later?" he asks. "What can one throw away with everyone's 
  approval? Whose harsh speech should one put up with?" The Bodhisatta 
  answered: "One may slay anger without repenting later. Everyone approves 
  of throwing away hypocrisy. One should put up with harsh speech from 
  everyone, for wise men call this the highest degree of patience." Sakka 
  then says that it is clear that one should hear with patience whatever 
  those who are superior or one's equal say, but why should one tolerate 
  rude speech coming from one's inferiors? The Bodhisatta answers: "One may 
  put up with rude speech from those superior to oneself through fear, or 
  rude speech from those who are equal in order to avoid a quarrel. But wise 
  men teach that putting up with rude words coming from inferiors is perfect 
  patience."


  5.  Sakka's patience.

  The Buddha told the story of how Sakka was patient with his enemy, the 
  Asura Vepacitti. In a battle between the devas of the realm of the Thirty- 
  three (//Tavatimsa//) and the Asuras, the Devas captured Vepacitti, bound 
  him and took him to their king, Sakka. Vepacitti reviled Sakka with harsh 
  words, but Sakka calmly endured the insults. After Vepacitti was taken 
  away, Sakka's chariot-driver, Matali, asked him why he did not respond to 
  the insults. Vepacitti might think that Sakka did not reply because he was 
  afraid. Sakka answered Matali with the following verses:

       If he likes, let him think it is due to fear or not that I endure
              this.
       A higher good than the supreme ideal of patience cannot be found.
       Indeed, whoever is strong is calm and endures the weak.
       They say this patience is the highest: to always be forbearing of the
              weak.
       Those who say the strength of the ignorant is (true) strength will
              call the strong man weak.
       It cannot be that one who observes the Teachings (//Dhamma//) will
              regress in strength.
       Therefore, he who returns anger with anger is the more wicked.
       He wins the difficult victory who conquers in the battle by not
              returning anger with anger.
       He acts in the interests of both himself and others.
       Knowing another to be enraged, he who is mindful becomes calm.
       He cures both himself and the other person. People who consider him
              to be ignorant are themselves ignorant of true wisdom
              (//Dhamma//).


  6.  The Bodhisatta as a teacher of patience (//Khanti-vadin//).

  The above examples show us the sort of patience that should be exercised 
  when faced with verbal and physical abuse. In the //Khantivadi Jataka// 
  (no. 313) there is an example of the patience of the Bodhisatta even when 
  tortured to death. The Bodhisatta Kundakakumara resided as an ascetic in a 
  royal park. One day, King Kalabu went to the park with a group of dancers. 
  When he went to sleep, a group of women went to listen to a discourse 
  given by the Bodhisatta. When the king woke up and saw them he was angry. 
  "What doctrine are you preaching?" he asked. And the Bodhisatta said he 
  was preaching the doctrine of patience, not being angry when men abuse you 
  and strike you and revile you. The king decided to test his patience and 
  called in his executioner. The king had him scourged with a lash of thorns 
  and then asked again what doctrine he preached. "The doctrine of patience, 
  your highness," the Bodhisatta replied. "You imagine that my patience is 
  only skin deep. It is not skin deep, but is fixed deep within my heart 
  where it cannot be seen by you, sire.." And the king got the same answer 
  to his question when he had the Bodhisatta's hands, feet, nose and ears 
  cut off. 


  7. The distinction between freedom from anger (//Akkodha//) and patience 
  (//Khanti//).  

  As we have seen, patience is not becoming angry when others abuse one 
  verbally or physically. //Akkodha// (freedom from anger, meekness, 
  conciliation), on the other hand, refers to not being angry with others in 
  general situations. For example, if a man employs others to do a specific 
  job, but they are not able to do it satisfactorily even though they do 
  their best, he should not be angry with them. Both terms are included in 
  the ten kinds of virtuous conduct of kings in the //Maha-Hamsa Jataka// 
  (no. 534).


  8.  The nine causes of anger.

  We can see in the nine causes of strife or quarrelling how anger arises. 
  The nine causes include anger which arises in relation to oneself, to 
  loved ones, or to enemies regarding actions in the past, present, or 
  future:


    1 - 3  One is angry in relation to oneself, thinking, "He has harmed
           me... is harming me... or will harm me."

    4 - 6  One is angry in relation to loved ones, thinking, "He has harmed
           my loved ones... is harming them... or will harm them."

    7 - 9  One is angry in relation to enemies, thinking, "He has helped my
           enemies... is helping them... or will help them."

  The way to suppress this anger is to remind oneself in each case that 
  another person's wrong actions will not benefit him. Venerable Buddhaghosa 
  points out that we should review the fact that each person inherits the 
  results of his own deeds. We should remember with regards to ourselves, 
  "Now what is the point of your getting angry with him?... By doing this 
  you are like a man who wants to hit another and picks up a burning ember 
  or excrement in his hand and so first burns himself or makes himself 
  stink." Regarding the other person we should remember, "And what is the 
  point of his getting angry with you? Will it not lead to his own harm? For 
  that venerable one is owner of his deeds, heir to his deeds... By doing 
  this he is like a man who wants to throw dust at another against the wind 
  and only covers himself with it."


  9.  Irrational anger (//Atthana-kopa//).

  A person can also become angry over impersonal situations. For example, a 
  person may be angry because it is raining or windy or too hot. This 
  irrational anger generally arises for those who are unable to think or 
  reason correctly. Restraining such anger will lead to freedom from anger 
  (//Akkodha//).


  10.  Patience as a power of the Noble.

  In a list of eight types of power (//Bala//), patience is given as the 
  power of Samanas and Brahmans: 1) children are strong in crying, 2) women 
  in being angry, 3) robbers in weapons, 4) kings in governing, 5) fools in 
  discontent and taking offense, 6) wise men in understanding, 7) the very 
  learned in discrimination, and 8) Samanas and Brahmans in patience.

  In conclusion, let us end with a quotation from the "Treatise": "Patience 
  is an ocean on account of its depth; a shore bounding the great ocean of 
  hatred; a panel closing off the door to the plane of misery; a staircase 
  ascending to the worlds of the Devas and Brahmas; the ground for the 
  habitation of all noble qualities; the supreme purification of body, 
  speech and mind."


         ------------------------------------------------------------


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              --------------------------------------------------
      Published by the Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust, United Kingdom
               Address as above, registered charity no. 280134
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                                  * * * * *

                           DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

  TITLE OF WORK: The Perfection of Patience (//Khanti-Parami//)
  FILENAME: PARAMI-6.ZIP
  AUTHOR: Ven. Ngarkhon Sayadaw (1935), et al.
  AUTHOR'S ADDRESS: n/a
  PUBLISHER'S ADDRESS: International Meditation Centre, Splatts House,
        Heddington, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 OPE, England
  COPYRIGHT HOLDER: The Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust, U.K.
  DATE OF PUBLICATION: 1987
  DATE OF DHARMANET DISTRIBUTION: 1994
  ORIGIN SITE: BODY DHARMA * Berkeley CA 510/836-4717 DharmaNet (96:101/33.0)

  [Note: The text was written as an appendix to a Burmese work called   
  "Mahabuddhavamsa" based on the Buddhavamsa and its commentary. The text 
  was written by Venerable Ngarkhon Sayadaw and was first published in 1935 
  by the Zambumeikswe Pitaka Press and Publishing House. For the 1960 
  edition, additional material was added by a layman, Aggamaha-pandita 
  Sayagyi U Lin, M.A., Venerable Tipitakadhara Dhammabhandagarika Sayadaw 
  (Ashin Vicittasarabhivamsa, Aggamaha-pandita) was responsible for 
  polishing the text and using an up-todate vocabulary in Burmese. The 
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