Swami Sivananda
How to Cultivate Virtues and Eradicate Vices
Forbearance is exercise of patience. Forbearance is command of temper or clemency. It is a great divine virtue.
Forbearance is patient endurance or toleration of offences. It is lenity. It is restraint of passions. Forbearance is refraining or abstaining from, avoiding voluntarily. It is a refraining from feelings of resentment or measures taken in retaliation.
Forbearance is a mysterious mixture of mercy, sympathy, pity, compassion, patience, endurance, forgiveness and strong will.
He who practices forbearance keeps himself in check. He practises self-restraint or self-control and forgiveness. He bears injuries, insults, annoyance and vexatious mocking, patiently, prayerfully and with self-control and thus develops a strong will-power.
Cover the blemishes, faults, weaknesses of others. Excuse their failings. Bury their weaknesses in silence. Proclaim their virtues from the house-top.
Find out occasions to forbear. Pity and forgive weak persons. Cultivate forbearance till your heart yields a fine crop of it.
Lord Jesus and Lord Buddha were embodiments of forbearance. Glory to these divine personages. Follow their example and become divine.
0 Man! Forbear! Have patience even under greatest provocation. You will reap a rich harvest of peace and bliss.