The True Meaning of Patience (Endurance)

This interview with Venerable Yongning was recorded on May 11, 2019. Venerable Yongning, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and currently resides there, offers profound insights into the true nature of Patience (Endurance) and its role in spiritual cultivation.

Venerable Yongning speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Often, when people face difficult external circumstances, they choose to 'endure.' There is a common saying that if you endure for a moment, the winds will calm and the waves will settle. People suppress their inner sense of injustice, swallow grievances, tolerate the difficult personalities of others, and bottle up the highs and lows of their emotional lives. This single word—'endure'—becomes a weight that presses down within the body, causing decay and disharmony throughout the internal organs.

We see this form of endurance most frequently in the lives of women throughout ancient history. Yet, in our modern society, this pattern is visible in everyone. Within this worldly existence, there are far too many things that do not align with our own desires. There are many situations that we intuitively recognise as wrong, yet for the sake of survival, we feel compelled to participate in them. Our hearts become filled with helplessness. Over time, we develop a habitual, reflexive way of handling matters through this kind of suppression. This is what I call the 'pollution of society.'

The Hidden Cost of Worldly Endurance

Endurance, in this sense, is not a way to resolve a situation at its root. While it may project an image of external calmness, this worldly form of endurance eventually leads to the body becoming ill. People often do not realise that during this process of enduring, they are also carrying a heavy burden of 'qi'—a stagnant, resentful energy. It is an anger that cannot be released and must be forcibly suppressed. This suppressed anger causes the internal organs to vibrate and suffer damage.

Why is it that some people who appear to be 'good' on the surface have such a dull, grey complexion? It is because the weight of everything they have been holding inside is written clearly upon their faces. When this endurance reaches a breaking point, the resulting explosion is often unsightly, and the person may find themselves unable to accept who they have become. Many times, this kind of endurance is merely a way of packaging oneself, a mask worn to prevent others from discovering the most authentic or flawed version of who we are. But in truth, every human being has flaws. Where is there ever a moment of perfection? Placing such excessive demands upon ourselves makes life incredibly exhausting. This worldly endurance carries too many emotions, too many self-centred ideas, and too much subjectivity. These are the very reasons why we make ourselves sick.

From Suppression to True Patience (Endurance)

If we step away from this worldly endurance and look at the Buddhist practice of Patience (Endurance), we realise it is something entirely different. It is about inclusivity; it is about compassion. Even when we see that others are in the wrong, we are willing to be understanding. We must learn to be understanding of the fact that every person possesses imperfections within their character. It is precisely because of these imperfections that we need to live in community, to offer each other reminders, and to rely on fellow practitioners. We need to practise together to adjust the various 'sharp corners' of our personality traits.

When we see our own flaws or the flaws of others, the goal is not to blame, but to grow together. We are here to facilitate each other's practice, to collectively adjust and change our personality traits, and to make both this physical body and our spirits more pure and more Goodness. Patience (Endurance) is also a form of achievement, a form of Meditation (Concentration). When we encounter external circumstances, because of this Patience (Endurance), we are not easily shaken. Because of this Patience (Endurance), we are able to see things clearly.

The Path to Purification

In truth, the strengths and weaknesses of human nature do not escape the major patterns of cause and effect. We must always keep ourselves in a state of level-headedness and flexibility. Toward the external world, we should maintain a heart of empathy. Bit by bit, we can transcend the mundane. By practising well with a sense of no-self and freedom, we will naturally achieve results after the process of purification. Spiritual achievement does not happen overnight; it is the result of walking the path steadily, honestly, and with sincerity.

I hope that everyone can rediscover the true meaning of practice while we still possess this physical body. Namo Amituofo."