| CATEGORY | GOOD QUALITIES |
| SUB CATEGORY | FORBEARANCE |
| How to define forbearance? |
| One animal which is viewed with contempt is the donkey. But there are quite a few virtues man can learn from the donkey. The quality of patience to be found in a donkey is not found even in man. Whatever burdens may be heaped on its back, it bears them all with forbearance. It puts up with any amount of beatings. Even when it is starved of food and water, it presents a calm face. Man has thus to learn the quality of forbearance from the donkey. Divine Discourse 13 Feb 1997 |
| How to control one’s temper? |
| There was once a person in Tamilnadu who belonged to a place named Pumpuhar on the banks of the river Kaveri. He used to earn a living by weaving cloth and selling it. In the same place there was a rich man whose son was a naughty boy. This lad came to the weaver and asked what was price of the sari he was selling. The man replied: “Three rupees” (the price of those days). The lad tore the sari into half and asked what was the price of half the sari. The weaver replied- “A rupee and a half.” The lad tore it again into two and asked what was the price of the torn piece. The man replied-“It is worth twelve annas” (three-fourths of a rupee). The weaver did not get angry at the lad’s behaviour. He was calm and unruffled. The young lad was astonished. He asked the weaver: “How did you acquire this quality of Kshama (forbearance)?” The man replied: “Forbearance is truth. It is right conduct. It is non-violence. It is a source of joy. It is heaven itself. It is the summum bonum in this world. There is nothing greater than forbearance in this world.” The weaver composed numerous poems in praise of’ Kshama (forbearance). This work is known as “Thiruvachakam.” Its author is none other than the Saint Manikkavachakar. Manikkavachakar, who achieved the highest goal of life by the quality of forbearance, brought glory to Tamilnadu by his devotional songs. Divine Discourse 10 April 1997 |
| What is the prerequisite for developing forbearance? |
| People should consider the whole world as the mansion of one human family, when this spirit of oneness prevails, there will be no tendency to harm others. You should forgive even those who harm you. The youth should cultivate the quality of forbearance. Forbearance is a supreme virtue in man. Divine Discourse 16 July 1997 |