The Third Paramita: Patience

The third paramita is patience, or kshanti. The Mahaprajnaparamita Suha (Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom) describes the practice of patience as 'pacified patience.' This means that when there is patience, the mind will be pacified. Not only will the mind be stable, but the body will also enjoy a sense of well-being. Patience in one's livelihood will extend to other aspects of one's life, and vice-versa. Without patience we could not endure the conflicts and obstacles in life. Without a pacified mind and body, we can become very agitated and consumed with internal turmoil. A Chinese proverb says, "When tigers fight, death or great injury will result." With humans, the conflict is often between the external world and the mind within.