อารัมภบทI shall now explain and expand upon the meaning of the Dhamma theme written above, as a guide for study and practice.

อธิบายบทตั้งTo explain: This saying shows several blessings of patience: virtue in the heart, prosperity in life and being loved by others.

ขยายความบทตั้งOne who has patience is counted as loving-kind because patience towards the faults of others arises from a heart that wishes them well and does not want them to suffer. Patience and loving-kindness therefore support each other. One who has patience gains and has honour because patience allows work to be accomplished, and a calm temperament earns the trust to be given important responsibilities. One who has patience is always happy because he is not burned by anger and does not have to regret what he did when he lost mindfulness.

ขยายความบทตั้งSaying that he is dear to gods and humans shows that the virtue of patience is widely recognised. Everyone likes to be near someone who is calm, pleasant to talk with, and with whom one need not worry about being met with anger or retaliation. Being dear in this way does not come from pleasing others, but from the inner steadiness of the patient person himself.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๑A patient person who can endure and restrain themselves brings benefit to both themselves and others, because they do not stir up conflict, and they are also treading the path to heaven and to Nibbāna, the final liberation. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in the Royal Chanting Book (Suat Mon Chabap Luang, 5th printing):

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To explain: "Khanti" means patience and forbearance, towards hardship, towards hurt feelings and towards temptations that urge us to do wrong. This saying shows that patience is a virtue with wide-ranging benefits, both in daily life and in the higher Dhamma.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑Patience benefits oneself because it helps one avoid mistakes made in anger, spares one later regret, and helps one carry difficult work through to success. Patience also benefits others, because a patient person does not retaliate with violence, does not let conflict spread and gives others the chance to correct themselves. Peace in the family, at work and in society therefore rests on patience as an important foundation.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑It is said that one who has patience has set foot on the path to heaven and Nibbāna because patience is the foundation of keeping the precepts, practising concentration and developing wisdom. One who lacks patience will find it hard to keep the precepts when provoked, cannot meditate for long when weariness arises, and cannot give up the defilements when they make their demands. Patience is therefore like a ladder that helps one climb step by step towards higher goodness. Still, patience does not mean allowing others to harm us without protecting ourselves; it means not letting our emotions lead us into evil.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๒When a person lacks patience, their morality is unstable and their concentration does not last, but with patience as a foundation, goodness of every kind grows little by little, like a tree flourishing in firm soil. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in the Royal Chanting Book (Suat Mon Chabap Luang, 5th printing):

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To explain: This saying shows that patience is the foundation for developing every kind of virtue, like firm soil that allows the tree of goodness to grow.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒Patience is a cause of morality because keeping the precepts requires patience with temptation: patience not to retaliate when harmed, patience not to take others' belongings even when there is a chance, patience not to lie even when telling the truth means losing out. Patience is a cause of concentration because training the mind to be steady requires patience with weariness, distraction and boredom. One who lacks patience will give up halfway before seeing any results.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒Saying that all wholesome states grow through patience means that every kind of goodness needs time and consistency to grow. Knowledge must be accumulated little by little, good habits must be practised repeatedly until they become natural, and effort must continue even on discouraging days. Patience is the strength that lets us keep doing good on days when we do not yet see results. The word "alone" in the saying emphasises the importance of patience, but patience must also work together with other virtues such as mindfulness, wisdom and effort.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, a service worker who patiently listens to dissatisfied customers and solves their problems politely earns praise and advancement. A teacher who patiently teaches slow learners is loved by students and respected by parents. A community leader who patiently listens to differing opinions gains the cooperation of many sides.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who wish for happiness and to be loved should therefore train patience together with loving-kindness, bearing with others with a heart that wishes them well. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

ปิดท้ายThus has the meaning been explained, as set forth above.