In short: the Buddha called patience "the ultimate fervor" (Dhammapada 184): the hardest and most purifying practice. Here are five genuine quotes on patience, each with its source.
1. Dhammapada 184
"Patient acceptance is the ultimate fervor. Extinguishment is the ultimate, say the Buddhas. No true renunciate injures another, nor does an ascetic hurt another."
Dhammapada 184 · More
2. Dhammapada 222
"When anger surges like a lurching chariot, keep it in check. That's what I call a charioteer; others just hold the reins."
Dhammapada 222
3. Dhammapada 223
"Defeat anger with kindness, villainy with virtue, stinginess with giving, and lies with truth."
Dhammapada 223
4. Dhammapada 5
"For never is hatred laid to rest by hate, it's laid to rest by love: this is an ancient teaching."
Dhammapada 5
5. MN 21
"We will remain full of sympathy, with a heart of love and no secret hate."
MN 21 · More
All quotes are from the early Buddhist texts in Bhikkhu Sujato's translation on SuttaCentral, copied exactly. Last checked: 18 October 2026.
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Questions people ask
What did the Buddha say about patience?
'Patient acceptance is the ultimate fervor' (Dhammapada 184).