Question QUESTION: HI, I'm not certain this e mail went through so in case it didn't here it is. I know different schools of Buddhism have different ideas. I have come across the term Patient Endurance. I am in constant physical pain and have found the 4 nobel truths helpful, but I don't know what Patient Endurance is. Any insight you can give will be helpful. Thanks.
ANSWER: Hello Marc,
I am very sorry to hear that you are in constant physical pain.
Patient endurance, forbearance, is one of the paramitas or perfections. In Sanskrit it is called kshanti (ksanti) and in Pali it is called khanti.
Maybe you can google these two terms, as well as paramitas and avidya (ignorance). There are a.o. Wikipedia entries for all of them.
Are you receiving adequate medical treatment?
Kind regards,
Advayavadananda.
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QUESTION: Thank you for your concern, yes I am receiving medical care. I just don't understand how patient endurance means in a practical sense. Can you shed some light. Thanks again.
Answer Hello again Marc,
I believe it means that if you accept the situation for what it is, it will allow you to develop parallelly other thoughts and initiatives in the herenow. Patient endurance, forbearance, is a positive attitude, not the same as resignation and defaitism which only cause disappointment and depression.
