Episode 2: Developing Patience

This episode explores how to cultivate greater patience and cool the painful mind of anger. How does anger arise? Anger arises when we encounter a person or experience we find unpleasant. We then dwell on the faults of this object (this dwelling Buddha calls inappropriate attention) until our mind become unpeaceful and uncontrolled. Anger has arisen.

Anger follows this formula:

Unpleasant person or experience + inappropriate attention = anger

All delusions follow this formula:

Object + inappropriate attention = delusion (examples--jealousy, pride, fear, attachment)

The solution is to notice when unpleasant feelings are arising and replace inappropriate attention with appropriate attention. 

Ideas for appropriate attention that stops anger are:

1. Accept the situation as it is, having given up the idea that it should be other than it is....After all, it is the way it is!

2. Think of the situation as purifying negative karma, paving the way for future happiness

3. Generate compassion for the person distressing you

4. Think of the faults of anger and tell your mind to stop

Some faults of anger are:

• It harms our relationships
• We act in regrettable and unreasonable ways
• It destroys good karma
• It creates the cause to be unattractive in future lives
• It makes us appear unattractive now

In this episode we studied The Dhammapada, Chapter One, Verse 3-5:

"He abused my, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those harboring such thoughts do not still their hatred.

He abused my, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me. Those not harboring such thoughts still their hatred.

Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal." 

Resources:

http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/prn1dhamma.pdf

The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Volume Two, by Je Tsongkhapa. Translated by the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee.