Tolerance – Is it a Power or Weakness?

One day a man came and spit on the face of Budhha. But Budhha only wiped off his face and asked the man, “What next?” The man got confused and was surprised because he expected that Budhha would react or start arguing. But this did not happen and the man could not sleep that night. The next day, that man came back and bowed to Budhha’s feet asking for an apology. Buddha said, “You are not the same person as yesterday and I am not the same person either. A river’s flowing water does not remain the same. So I don’t have any grudge against you”

What is The Moral of The Story?

The above story tells about the tremendous tolerance and patience of Budhha. However, if someone asks you, “can you have this level of tolerance?” Some might say, “Oh, Buddha was a great monk. How can we be like him? We are not saints”.  The story is an incident but it doesn’t just tell about a person spitting on Budhha’s face. It also tells about the transformation of the man when he sees such tolerance power of Budhha.

The moral of the story is: every human being has his or her own role to play. And everyone gets the fruit for one’s good or bad karma. Then the question is: why should one react to one’s behavior? Why do we say “I cannot tolerate this” or “tolerance is a sign of weakness”?

What Is Tolerance?

So, in simple words, tolerance is how much we can bear or sustain in a negative situation or pain. Please do not get me wrong here. I don’t mean that you should not protest injustice. But when it comes to our valuable relationships then tolerance is not a weakness. On the contrary, it is a power to change the other person. Or we can say it increases our endurance power to improve both our physical and mental health.

Why Is Tolerance Important?

Although people take tolerance in the wrong way it is actually important for one’s peaceful and happy life. Usually, we consider tolerance as a sign of weakness but if you think of it in another way you will realize it is actually a boon. If for example, you are told that you will win a prize if you hold a piece of ice in your two fingers for 2 minutes, you will definitely try to hold it in order to win the prize, right? Or even in your daily exercise, you try to increase your stamina even if you have to endure pain. What does this mean? If you can do it physically why not mentally or emotionally? After all, we need to be emotionally strong as well.

What Are the Benefits of Tolerance?

Acceptance

As we develop our tolerance we intend to understand and accept people as they are. Because every human on this earth is unique and has a defined path of behavior from his/her previous births. So, henceforth if you find any person behaving differently that is not your way do not judge the person, Instead, try to be loving, compassionate, and understanding towards him/her and see how that person will change drastically.

Adjustment

Life is about adjustments. You will never get everything according to your wish. There are some things or situations that are bound to happen against your wish. You must be ready to adjust to such situations. With tolerance, you learn to adjust to people or even environmental conditions.

Harmony in Relationships

Nowadays, relationships are getting so distant and emotionless due to ego. If a relationship is very close and valuable to you, then you tend to tolerate each and every behavior of that person even if it is insulting to you. Have you ever seen a mother not tolerating anything of her family member? If you want harmony in your relationship, tolerance is the key. If one continues to argue then the other has to remain calm. But again, I repeat, it does not mean tolerating injustice. You can protest it but in a quiet and sensible way.

Living a Simple and Peaceful Life

Once you learn to accept people as they are, you will not feel like you are tolerating them. On the contrary, you will feel it easy to accept them with their sanskaras. And how will life then be? Simple and peaceful, isn’t it? Because nothing will disturb your mind.

Here Are Some Affirmations to Help You

Well, now you will say that all this is theoretical. Practically it is not possible. Let me tell you, nothing is impossible in this world. Even the word says I’m possible. Only you have to make an effort and implement it. Below are some affirmations. You start practicing these affirmations every day in the morning when you wake up and at night before you sleep. Your subconscious mind will accept them and you will gradually become to imbibe them within yourself.

And then, the moment you come across a situation that provokes you to react, you will remember the affirmations. And you will remain calm. Try it.

• I am a powerful soul. I am unaffected by any outward condition or situation.
• I am a loving soul. I express love and compassion toward everyone. 
• I am calm and stable. I accept all as they are. 
• I understand that everyone has a unique role to play and I am not judging anyone.
• Everything on this planet is temporary. Nothing is permanent.

Conclusion

So, to conclude,  don’t feel that tolerance is a sign of weakness. It is a power within to bring change in the other person and improve your emotional strength. Let’s become an embodiment of peace and love through tolerance. 🙂

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