The Perfection of Patience - Adhivasana khanti

Khanti is endurance and restraint with regard to akusala citta which arises. If sati- sampajanna arises, the perfection of patience will become more refined. We need patience and endurance, because akusala citta arises often in daily life. Patience in our daily life is “adhivasana khanti”. The Pali word adhivasati means to inhabit (vaso is habitation), and adhivasana khanti is acceptance and endurance with regard to our living conditions, our environment, the place where we live, thus, the dhamma of each moment. This can be, for example, a change of temperature which may be hot or cold. If sati-sampajanna does not arise, we may say, “It is very hot”, and then akusala citta is likely to have arisen already. If sati- sampajanna has become more refined, we can find out whether our patience in action and speech with regard to our environment is deficient or whether it has grown and developed.
Khanti paramí, the perfection of patience, can develop when satisampajanna arises and knows the characteristic of the citta at that moment. If sati-sampajanna is aware of akusala citta there are conditions for the arising of kusala citta instead. A person may be in the habit of complaining, or of being bad-tempered, but if sati- sampajanna arises he can refrain from akusala and thus, the perfection of patience can further develop.
In daily life we need a great deal of patience, because apart from endurance with regard to our environment or living conditions, we have to be patient and tolerant towards people with different characters and habits. People who are in the habit of doing everything quickly should be patient with people who are slow in their actions. We may meet someone who is of contrarious behaviour, but we should be patient and tolerant towards him and not complain about him. If sati- sampajanna arises there are conditions to refrain from critizing or blaming such a person, to have metta and give him guidance, support and advice at the appropriate occasion. Thus we see that the perfection of khanti should not be lacking in our daily life.