In my opinion, I don't think so. There have to be other Paramis working there. This is because we can become very patient with our level of practice and not be dynamic enough to actually develop other qualities, especially on the wisdom side. It depends on whether the patience in based in right view or wrong view, and whether it's got other supporting Paramis, I believe. We have to know which qualities are appropriate for the particular difficulties that we're faced with; patience alone may not be the quality that is needed at that particular time. Since I haven't become enlightened, I'm not quite sure, and I haven't tried just the patience dynamic.
However, Patience is very important, because it allows us to step back and understand more how our existence is an impersonal process of Cause and Effect and that we have to just try to develop the causes for the development. Patience is very important in the practice, but I believe it needs to be supported with Wisdom.
"Is Compassion the key to growth in Patience?" I believe Compassion and Wisdom are the keys to growth in Patience. I think both of these qualities are important. That ties in with what I said earlier about Wisdom. Compassion, unless balanced with Wisdom, can become impatient actually. It can degenerate into grief and anger. Unless Compassion is balanced with Equanimity and Wisdom, it may not bring about Patience. That's my opinion. Because many people, as they develop in Compassion, then have a wish for their suffering to go, and may not see that there's a process involved in the lessening of suffering. They may not have the understanding that sometimes it takes time. So, Wisdom, I believe, is necessary to balance Compassion so that we have more Equanimity, and this brings about Patience as well. So, Compassion, Wisdom and Equanimity help in the growth of Patience. Compassion is a very important part of it, but it needs a balance, and that is where the qualities of Wisdom and Equanimity come in to give patience.