Cattāri Brahmavihārā

129. One who endures abuse, violence
Or punishment without resentment,
And whose power and protection is patience –
Him I call a true Brahmin.

Dhammapada 399

In my own, little world where abuse is at best an unkind word I yet find it difficult to practice these verses. Restraint is usually the best I can muster and, sometimes, not even that. And yet, if for whatever reason I find it difficult to believe that such an attitude is impossible to maintain in the world today I need only consider HH Dalai Lama and the hundreds of other monks and nuns who have endured abuse and yet still maintained a loving heart.

Looking at my mind-heart and seeing its strengths and its weaknesses I see there is so much work to be done if I am not to have lived this life in vain. May we all purify our thoughts, speech and deeds and taste the Deathless!