A Tibetan Story About Patience

[A] hermit was living alone in the mountains. One day, a herdsman happened to pass by his cave. Intrigued, the herdsman shouted at the hermit and asked, “What are you doing alone in the middle of nowhere?”
      The hermit replied, “I am meditating.”
      “What are you meditating on?” asked the herdsman.
      “On patience,” said the hermit.
      There was a moment of silence. After a while, the herdsman decided to leave.
      Just as he turned to go, he looked back at the hermit and shouted, “By the way, you go to hell!”
      “What do you mean? You go to hell!” came flying back.
      The herdsman laughed and reminded the hermit that he was supposed to be practicing patience!

[As related by the Dalai Lama's translator and assistant, Geshe Thupten Jinpa, in his introduction to The Dalai Lama's Healing Anger: The Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective. I also heard him tell this story when I saw the D.L. in Arkansas last year!]