The Perfection of Patience - Kassapamandiya Jataka III

“Someone may be offended by another person who is overcome by anger,

who commits a wrong but does not even apologize.

However, the person who is wronged may cause the other and himself

to be reconciled and united in friendship by speaking the following words,

‘You should come, you should learn the recitation,

listen to the explanations (of the Dhamma),

and be diligent in mental development.

What is the reason that you have become estranged?’

This is his view, it is his nature to be full of loving-kindness.

He is superior, he can be considered as someone who fulfills a weighty task,

because he undertakes the task of friendship.

The Bodhisatta exhorted in that way the recluse who was his father.

From then on the recluse who was his father trained himself

and devoted himself to ascetical practices.”
However, that was in his past life, but in his present life he acted as he used to act. When his son pushed him with his head in his back he became angry and impatient. He turned back and started anew from the same point and walked from there on again so that they arrived in the Jeta Grove when it was already dark. This shows us that nobody can control dhammas, no matter whether they are akusala or kusala. Sometimes there are conditions for the arising of kusala dhammas and sometimes there are conditions for the arising of akusala which has not yet been eradicated. During one lifespan someone may have tried to train himself to eliminate defilements, but if defilements have not been completely eradicated, he has latent tendencies which lie dormant in the citta and can condition the arising of akusala citta at any time. The strength of the accumulated defilements conditions one’s actions.
If someone has listened to the Dhamma time and again, he will see that the Dhamma the Buddha taught is profound, that it is difficult to understand and penetrate the characteristics of realities which the ariyans have clearly realized. We need to apply patience in the development of understanding of realities, and then we can see that understanding grows very gradually, that it grows all the time. One day in the future we shall receive the result of patience which is the highest ascetism, that is, the realisation of the four noble Truths.
A person with panna will see that it is essential to have the utmost patience in each situation of his life. One should have patience to refrain from aversion, displeasure, regret or feeling slighted by the action and speech of someone else, patience in all situations, also with regard to the issues of life and death. When someone understands the Dhamma he will see the significance of patience, patience to be diligent in the study of the Dhamma, to listen to the Dhamma and to investigate and consider it. We should study and practise the Dhamma with sincerity, sincerity which can lead to becoming the perfection of truthfulness, dealt with in the next chapter.