Teaching the Five Perfections
The Perfection of Patience

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Śrāvastī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, along with a great saṅgha of 1,250 monks. At that time the Blessed One said to Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “Pūrṇa, could you please elucidate the perfection of patience practiced by those bodhisattva great beings who seek to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.”

Encouraged in this way, Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra said to the Blessed One, “Honorable Blessed One, when bodhisattva great beings strive to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, they should be tolerant with those who speak harshly and negatively of them. Instead, without wishing to retaliate, they should remain loving toward them. Even though bodhisattva great beings may strive to embrace the perfection of patience and develop a loving mind in this way, it is, however, by dedicating the merit toward omniscience that they come to observe the perfection of patience.”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “Venerable Pūrṇa, could you please explain the differences and the distinctions between the patience of the bodhisattvas and the patience of the hearers.” [F.54.b]

Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra said to Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, the patience of the hearers is limited, while the patience of the bodhisattvas is boundless. The patience of the bodhisattvas is boundless because it is aimed at accomplishing the welfare, benefit, and happiness of boundless beings. To that end they don their armor and free limitless and countless beings from suffering. The patience of the hearers is merely aimed at abandoning their personal disturbing emotions and therefore, Venerable One, it is a limited form of patience, while the patience of the bodhisattvas is boundless. Anyone who becomes hostile, disrespectful, or impatient toward an individual who has adopted the bodhisattvas’ perfection of patience will produce a great deal of nonvirtue. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, moreover, even if the Thus-Gone One were to scold bodhisattva great beings, they should not get hostile. Similarly, if they should be criticized and rebuked by people such as outcasts, bamboo workers, and those of the lower castes, they must not become hostile or angry, even at such people. If they can avoid becoming hostile and angry, those bodhisattva great beings will uphold the perfection of patience. Then they can gradually train in the perfection of patience until they finally accomplish it. If they observe the perfection of patience in this way, they become able to have patience in the face of harshly delivered words.”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “Venerable Pūrṇa, suppose someone were to rub the body of a bodhisattva great being with sandalwood oil while another were to hurl fire at him. How would he feel about these two people?” [F.55.a]

Venerable Pūrṇa replied, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattva great beings who wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood should not have any fondness for the person who rubbed their body with sandalwood oil, nor should they feel any hostility toward the person who hurled fire at them. Rather, they should be impartial with regard to both of these people. If bodhisattva great beings can do that, practicing in that manner, they are training in the perfection of patience. Bodhisattva great beings who are practicing the perfection of patience are engaged in the sphere of experience of a bodhisattva. When bodhisattva great beings practice in that way, they find themselves in the realm of bodhisattvas. Bodhisattva great beings should not be hostile. Instead, they should be genuinely patient, mindful, and grounded. They should be benevolent, be unaggressive, hold no grudges, and love everyone. Whenever they should come across people who are hostile, aggressive, confrontational, or argumentative, bodhisattvas should be conciliatory and try to make peace. They should think to themselves, ‘I will not quarrel with or provoke you. Nor will I be confrontational or divisive. And when I awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I will teach you the Dharma.’ When that karmic act ripens, the signs of a great being will manifest on the bodhisattva great beings’ body in the form of teeth that are well arranged, perfect, and even.

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “Venerable Pūrṇa, when comparing the patience of the bodhisattva great beings [F.55.b] and the patience of the hearers, which of these two should be regarded as greater and more excellent, naturally radiant, and powerful?”

Venerable Pūrṇa replied, “Venerable One, let me ask you about this instead, and you will find your answer about patience. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, as an analogy, when comparing the gold of the Jambu River to brass, which of these two is greater and more excellent, radiant, and valuable?”

Śāradvatīputra replied, “Venerable Pūrṇa, the gold in the Jambu River is greater and more excellent, radiant, and valuable.”

Pūrṇa replied, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, you should view the patience of the hearers like the luster of brass while the patience of the bodhisattvas is like the luster of gold from the Jambu River. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, moreover, if someone were to cut off all of a bodhisattva great being’s major and minor body parts, he should tell himself, ‘It may be possible to comprehend the number of grains of sand in the great Ganges but it is impossible to calculate the number of bodies I have had in the past. If the body parts that have been severed from my past bodies were to be piled up, the heap would be larger than Mount Meru.’ Bodhisattva great beings who understand the implications of this should therefore not feel any hostility even when their body is cut up or pierced. Instead, they should develop love and dedicate it all for the sake of omniscience. If they can do so, those bodhisattvas will never be apart from the perfection of patience. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, moreover, bodhisattva great beings who wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood should make their minds similar to the earth, water, fire, [F.56.a] wind, and space.”

Śāradvatīputra replied, “Venerable Pūrṇa, what does it mean that bodhisattva great beings’ minds should be similar to the earth, water, fire, wind, and space?”

Pūrṇa replied, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, as an analogy, if you anoint the earth with a beautiful ointment, it feels no attachment toward that. Alternatively, if you smear the earth with a repulsive ointment, there is no anger. Similarly, bodhisattvas do not feel any attachment to beautiful sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or textures. Nor do they feel hostility toward repulsive sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or textures. They do not lose their patience, lessen in their enthusiasm, or develop any hostility. Therefore, the minds of the bodhisattvas are similar to the earth as well as to water, fire, and wind. How are their minds similar to space? Well, space does not feel attachment to any ointment, no matter how delightful, nor does it feel any aversion to repulsive excrement or urine. In just the same way, bodhisattva great beings do not develop any attachment to beautiful forms, nor do they feel aversion to ugly forms. Similarly, neither do they develop any attachment to pleasant sounds, smells, tastes, or textures, nor aversion to repulsive ones. They do not lose their patience or lessen in their enthusiasm. This is why the minds of bodhisattva great beings are like space. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, this is how the minds of bodhisattva great beings are like the earth, [F.56.b] water, fire, wind, and space.”

Śāradvatīputra asked, “Venerable Pūrṇa, anything that is like space must be infinite, so does that mean that bodhisattvas are infinite?”

Pūrṇa replied, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattvas should consider the mind within their body to be like space. If they can reason and think in this way, then the bodhisattva great beings will have the strength and skill to bear the blows of sticks, clubs, and weapons. Likewise, by means of the perfection of wisdom, they should understand all bodies in this way. Then the bodhisattvas can uphold the perfection of patience. Since they embrace the perfection of wisdom, they will have the strength to bear all the sufferings experienced by beings in the hells, including the fires and the blows of the hell beings’ weapons and sticks. The ability to bear hardship is itself the perfection of patience. Why is that? Since beginningless time in saṃsāra, bodhisattvas have experienced all of these sufferings. However, even though they had to suffer in this way, they did not attain the result of a stream enterer, nor the result of a once-returner, nor the result of a non-returner, nor the state of a worthy one, nor did they attain awakening by themselves. However, as bodhisattva great beings perceive the implications, they should be able to bear those sufferings. As an analogy, if a man has a delicious meal, he will feel satisfied, delighted, happy, pleased, joyful, and content. He might even feel exhilarated. Likewise, when bodhisattvas see a beggar, even if it is someone who wants to harm those bodhisattvas, they should feel the same joy, deference, and respect for the beggar as a worthy one who has exhausted all defilements [F.57.a] would feel if he saw the Thus-Gone One. They should then dedicate the entire mental process involved toward omniscience. Doing so, those bodhisattva great beings are upholding the perfection of patience.”

Pūrṇa continued, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, moreover, if bodhisattva great beings are being scolded, they should not retaliate but remain patient. Why is that? Because that way they do not abandon omniscience. Even if they are struck, they should not fight back. When people are hostile, they should not get angry. When they are abused, they should not repay in kind. When people revile them, they should not reciprocate. Instead, they should simply remain forbearing. And why is that? Because that way they do not abandon omniscience. Even if others stab them with spears or arrows, they should not become angry, impatient, disturbed, or short-tempered. If they can succeed in that manner, those bodhisattvas will be practicing the perfection of patience and even their body will begin to shine with a golden complexion. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, in this way bodhisattva great beings should possess the strength of patience and the willingness to joyfully accept difficult situations. That is because with patience and joyful acceptance they can uphold the perfection of patience, approach the omniscient state, and distance themselves from the sufferings of saṃsāra. However, if bodhisattvas are attracted to the levels of the hearers or the solitary buddhas, their practice of the perfection of patience is weakened. Why is that? Because, if they are attracted to the levels of the hearers or the solitary buddhas, no matter how much suffering they take upon themselves, [F.57.b] those bodhisattvas have abandoned their proper experience and strayed into a different domain.”

Śāradvatīputra asked, “Venerable Pūrṇa, what does it take for bodhisattvas to stray into a different domain?”

Pūrṇa replied, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, whether bodhisattvas are attracted to the levels of the hearers or the solitary buddhas, or the mindset of the hearers or the solitary buddhas, or the paths of the hearers or the solitary buddhas, that in itself causes the bodhisattvas to stray into a different domain.”

Śāradvatīputra asked, “Venerable Pūrṇa, what is the proper domain of bodhisattvas?”

Pūrṇa replied, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, bodhisattvas should be concerned with the six perfections and the state of omniscience. The domain of the bodhisattvas consists of the perfection of generosity, the perfection of discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of concentration, and the perfection of insight. When bodhisattvas are practicing these perfections, they engage in the proper domain of bodhisattvas. For such people, even the evil Māra will find no opportunity to cause any harm. As an analogy, a fox is unable to harm a tortoise and when it realizes that, it tires and leaves. In the same way, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattvas train in the six perfections, the evil Māra can find no chance to harm them and, realizing that, he tires and leaves. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, even if the evil Māra were to emanate as many evil demons as there are beings in the entire trichiliocosm and equip each of those demons with a retinue of that same number of demons, they would find no opportunity to harm the bodhisattva great beings who are practicing the six perfections. Not having any success, they would tire and leave, just like the fox leaves the tortoise. [F.58.a] Venerable Śāradvatīputra, therefore, bodhisattva great beings should tell themselves, ‘Whatever happens, I will never relinquish the six perfections. If I succeed in that, the evil Māra shall have no chance to harm me.’ ”

Śāradvatīputra asked, “Venerable Pūrṇa, how can one tell if bodhisattvas are influenced by demons?”

Pūrṇa replied, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, one can tell that bodhisattva great beings are influenced by demons if they do not listen to the perfections. Likewise, one can tell that bodhisattvas are influenced by demons if they are not accomplishing the perfections. Bodhisattvas should not become hostile or lose their patience even if they realize, ‘This demon is approaching me in order to create obstacles for my attainment of omniscience.’ If bodhisattva great beings can act like that, they are practicing the perfection of patience. The bodhisattvas should then think, ‘When I awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I will teach the Dharma to all beings in order to eradicate their attachment, anger, and delusion.’ If bodhisattva great beings can be mindful at that time, they will overcome the evil Māra. Whenever bodhisattvas lose sight of the state of omniscience, they should tell themselves, ‘I have strayed into an incorrect domain.’ Why is that? Because in that way they can reprimand themselves saying, ‘I have lost sight of omniscience.’ ”

Śāradvatīputra asked, “Venerable Pūrṇa, how do bodhisattvas waste their time?”

Pūrṇa replied, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, if bodhisattvas are practicing any of these six perfections but lose sight of omniscience, or fail to dedicate toward omniscience, then those bodhisattvas are wasting their time [F.58.b] by involving themselves in craving and dullness. However, if the bodhisattvas spend two, three, or four days contemplating generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight, and also dedicate these perfections toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening, then their time becomes meaningful. All of their meditations on generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight will bear fruit.”

Śāradvatīputra asked, “Venerable Pūrṇa, what is the difference between the patience of the bodhisattvas and the patience of those worthy ones who have exhausted defilements? How are they dissimilar?”

Pūrṇa replied, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, think of the central mountain and a mustard seed. How are they different in terms of size, height, and weight? How are they dissimilar?”

Śāradvatīputra said, “Venerable Pūrṇa, the difference between Meru, the central mountain, and a mustard seed in terms of size, height, and weight is boundless. Their dissimilarity is boundless.”

Pūrṇa said, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, that is correct. The difference between the patience of the bodhisattvas and the patience of the worthy ones is boundless. Their dissimilarity is boundless. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, if you compare the water in the ocean to the water contained in a single drop that is lifted from the ocean using the tip of a hair, which of these two is greater and infinitely larger?”

Śāradvatīputra said, “Venerable Pūrṇa, the water contained in a single drop that is lifted from the ocean with the tip of a hair would not constitute even one percent of the water in the ocean. Nor would it measure a thousandth, a hundred thousandth, a millionth, or a trillionth of that. In fact, no number, fraction, enumeration, analogy, or comparison would suffice.”

Pūrṇa said, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, in the same way the patience of the hearers does not constitute even one percent of the patience of bodhisattvas. [F.59.a] Nor does it measure a thousandth, a hundred thousandth, or a trillionth of that. In fact, no number, fraction, enumeration, analogy, or comparison would suffice.”

Then the Blessed One said to Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “Pūrṇa, due to the power of the Buddha you have eloquently explained the bodhisattva great beings’ perfection of patience. Excellent, excellent! Pūrṇa, if one wishes to grasp the extent of the bodhisattva great beings’ patience this amounts to wishing to grasp and understand the extent of the Thus-Gone One’s patience. Why is that? Because, Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas possess boundless patience.”

After the Blessed One had said this, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, the great hearers and the entire world, including its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.