我慢も辛抱も、要は続くことである : 持続としての忍耐論

Endurance requires continuity. If a person immediately (suddently) abandons the acceptance of pain, the inability of their endurance is exposed. Justice and courage can exist within a single moment (for example, taking action against an armed individual). In contrast, endurance involves the confronting of continuing pain over time, which a person might naturally wish to avoid as quickly as possible. To accept pain for 1 minute corresponds directly to 1 minute of endurance. Endurance grows as the duration of pain increases. Among various conceptions of endurance, Thomas Aquinas focused on perseverance as a typical form of endurance constructed by continuity. Aquinas proposed that perseverance refers to the pursuit of good until the end, with long endurance, whereas patience targets evil and tolerates it. Perseverance and patience are typically treated as distinct concepts. In Japanese, the terms “shinbou” (perseverance) and “gaman” (patience) are typically used in a contrasting way. Perseverance typically involves aiming for good/purpose, requiring a long duration of hard work as a means to achieve this purpose. In contrast, patience confronts and accepts injury or pain, and often lasts for a short time. However, in some situations, the two become aspects of the same episode of endurance. If a person endures for moral reasons or because of a norm (for example, etiquette) which they must obey at that time, it is considered perseverance. However, if their main concern is concentrating on the pain, it is considered patience.