法界次第初門 3.14

3.14

Third, kṣānti-pāramitā. Kṣānti is in Qin language "patience" (kṣānti). When the inner mind can peacefully endure the external conditions that insult or afflict it, it is therefore called patience. There are two kinds of patience: first, patience toward sentient beings; second, patience toward dharmas. What is called patience toward sentient beings? Patience toward sentient beings has two aspects: first, being able to endure reverence and offerings without attachment, not giving rise to pride or heedlessness; second, being able to endure anger, scolding, beating, and harm, not giving rise to hatred, resentment, or vexation. This is patience toward sentient beings. What is patience toward dharmas? Patience toward dharmas has two aspects: first, non-mental dharmas, meaning cold, heat, wind, rain, hunger, thirst, old age, sickness, death, and so forth; second, mental dharmas, meaning anger, sorrow, doubt, lust, arrogance, various wrong views, and so forth. That a bodhisattva can endure these two dharmas without being moved is called patience toward dharmas. When a bodhisattva cultivates these two kinds of patience with an upright, straightforward, and pure mind, it is kṣānti. As for pāramitā, the translated name is as before. If a bodhisattva abides in kṣānti and can fully cultivate five kinds of mental states, at that time the kṣānti is called pāramitā. What are the five? First, knowing the true characteristic of patience: although neither the mind that is able to endure nor the matters that inflict insult can be apprehended, yet when confronted with the two kinds of insulting conditions—sentient beings and dharmas—the mind can peacefully endure without being moved. The remaining four mental states are categorized as distinguished within dāna. If a bodhisattva can fully cultivate these five kinds of mental states, then in whatever matter they endure, speaking of the fruit within the cause, they all possess the three meanings. Therefore, the bodhisattva's cultivation of patience is called practicing kṣānti-pāramitā. Only when reaching the fruit of Buddhahood of unsurpassed bodhi is kṣānti-pāramitā fully consummated.