‘Khantidhamma [patience/forbearance/forgiveness]’ Brings Peaceful Happiness.
            ‘Khantidhamma [patience/forbearance/forgiveness]’ was taught by the Buddha so that people would have patience: tolerance of the body and the mind, in order to achieve beneficence and right aims.  One should be able to bear hardship and work with diligence; undiscouraged in performing the right living [sammajiva].  One should have patience with pain [dukkhavedana] in sickness, endure aggressive and coarse words, and have the mental forbearance to use sati [awareness] to keep oneself from succumbing to the power of kilesas.

              ‘Khanti [patience/forbearance/forgiveness]’ is one of the 38 mangalas [blessings/ source of beneficence] which ares considered the highest of mangalas.

            The supreme patience is the forbearance faced with criticism from those of lower status.  One may be patient towards one’s superior out of fear.  One may be patient towards one’s equals because they are our match in power/status. However, the supreme patience is shown in the face of an inferior’s criticism according to this katha in the Mangala Sutta:
A person could endure the words of a superior person through fear.  He could be patient with words of an equal through competition.  Sages say that his  forbearance is greatest when he endures the words of his inferior.

            The Buddha taught us to be patient in the first place to prevent quarrels, not to take pleasure in others’ contention but to have metta [loving kindness] karuna [assistance to those in need of help] to help and benefit others.  Those with khanti would receive respect and honor.  With khanti there must be sorajja forming the pair called dhammas that dignify.  Khanti brings internal peace: abstention, forbearance; and sorajja brings mildness, grace and good manners which is external peace. With both internal and external peace, there is dignity/graciousness.
           Khantidhamma is the dhamma of government executives and leaders.  The Buddha taught in the Dasaparami [the Ten Perfections resulting from the perfect exercise of the Ten Principal Virtues] and in the Ten Royal Virtues which are beneficial dhammas of the governing powers of a country.  Those who govern should have khanti, [patience/forbearance/forgiveness] have open minds, to endure, to listen to others’ opinions.  They should accept diverse points of view and not think they are the only clever/efficient ones; the only ones who are right.  They should not be blinded by power, nor act with self righteousness.  Indeed, khantidhamma is the virtue truly appropriate for democratic government.

            Khantidhamma when applied to world community is the acceptance of variety in the societies of the global masses.  Contentions and prejudices in matters of nationalities, classes, castes, civilizations, customs and rituals, religions, political systems, economy and social affairs could be settled and pacified if the leaders of nations and the world in general upheld khantidhamma and bring true world peace and happiness.
 
                                         Phan Wannamethee
 

February 8th, 2549 [2006]
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