Buddhist Belief — The Six Paramitas – Sixth Paramita
“Of little importance is the loss of such things as wealth. But a terrible thing is to lose wisdom. Of little importance is the gaining of such things as wealth. Great is the importance of gaining wisdom.”~~~ Buddha
The Sixth Paramita or perfection in Buddhist Belief is wisdom. (The Prajna Paramita). Wisdom is a central notion in Buddhism. Wisdom is an immediately experienced, intuitive knowing, that cannot be conveyed by concepts or in intellectual terms.
Let’s review what we’ve posted over these past several weeks about the Six Paramitas, or Perfections. Remember, Paramita literally means “that which has achieved sufficient perfection to reach the other shore.” The Six Paramitas are giving, morality, patience, diligence, meditation and wisdom.
The first perfection is giving, which means voluntary giving of one’s material goods, time or wisdom to others. It means to overcome greed and egoism which can lead to the avoidance of suffering in the future.
The second perfection is morality. When we study the Eightfold Path we learn how morality refers to right speech, right action and right livelihood. The Second Paramita is a highly ethical standard that demands not harming oneself or others through personal immoral behavior. Moral purification is not just a matter of changing the ways we think and behave. It also extends itself to how we must purify the mind and the internal attitudes that lie beneath our actions.
Patience is the third perfection. We need a lot of patience with others and with ourselves in this day and age. Patience arises from having spiritual knowledge which can lead to freedom from attachment. Patience nurtures forgiveness and understanding. Through patience we can learn to forgive those who harm us instead of hating them. Following Buddhist teachings, we can see that the person who harms us is caught up in negative attitudes and ways of living based on previous causes and conditions.
The fourth perfection is diligence. Diligence is about the power to transform what is impure into what is pure. It includes right effort, ample enthusiasm, and the energy needed to overcome unwholesome thoughts and attitudes. It also includes the cultivation of positive virtues, the study of Dharma and the choice of right actions. Diligence requires eagerness and sharp interest in pursuit of the good. It leads to active, healthy, well-balanced growth.
Meditation is the fifth perfection. Buddhists believe that everyone has a light within. We need to spend time in meditation in order to find that light and to express it in our daily life. Meditation serves to calm your mind, to eliminate distraction and to restore the true nature of the mind. Meditation helps you to become the master of your mind. Through meditation, you learn to control your mind instead of the other way around.
Now, to the sixth perfection — the Prajna Paramita — wisdom. This is when we discover the true nature of reality. Wisdom dispels the darkness of delusion which envelops our minds. Wisdom will penetrate the emptiness of reality and will lead to greater freedom and to beautiful peace. Wisdom is the door into awakening. Wisdom overturns ignorance and the attitudes that lead to those negative thoughts, feelings, words and behaviors. In their place, compassion will arise as a spontaneous expression of a deepened caring attitude toward all living beings.
Paramitas are called perfections. There is a reason for this. These paramitas are not acts in themselves. Rather, they’re goals to be reached. When we reach them they become perfections. Think about it — when could you ever stop meditating? Perhaps you could stop meditating when you reach perfection in meditation. When do you stop being generous? When you reach a level of perfection in your generosity. When there is nothing left which needs to be given. When there is no one left you need to give to. The teaching of these paramitas are the lessons to be learned. The paramitas themselves are the result of your learning.
So, the real question as we wind up the posts on the paramitas is what is our enlightened life going to look like? Actually, enlightened life doesn’t imply the need for anything in particular, but that might be a little difficult to understand. Perhaps there are no enlightened people. Maybe there is only enlightened activity. Or, maybe it’s both — one follows the other.
The word Paramita means gone beyond-ness. Each of these six principles of enlightened living lies beyond our ordinary range of perception. We don’t have to make it all “new-agey” either. It doesn’t just have to be to find “the truth.” It could be just as simple as being honest and straightforward. Wouldn’t that be pretty intense? To be straightforward and genuine with ourselves and with others. That’s extremely profound. That is truth.
It’s not trite. Just to be one’s self, through and through, and be genuine and allow others to be themselves as they are. That is love, acceptance, and compassion. That would truly be wonderful.
Let’s shoot for that, and put aside these notions of “perfect enlightenment” for now. I think a little goodness and warmth will go a long way today. Let’s be beacons in the world. Let’s be models to the young ones and shine some light on the way.
Metta ….May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.
Namaste — Be in Peace.
Ron Rink
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Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.
Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem
No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem
Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook
“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook
Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!
And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.
This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
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Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”~~~ Buddha
Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”~~~ Buddha
Have a peaceful day!! —
Ron Rink
P.S. If you;d like to read my memoir/novel, you can access it here:
http://www.wecould2.com
Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, detachment, inner peace, karma, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace
May 6th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Endless Love, absolute Truth and ultimate Reality are beyond rational knowledge. Mysticism speaks of a spiritual knowing, which is not rational and is independent of reason, logic or images. Da`at is Hebrew for “the secret sphere of knowledge on the cosmic tree.” Gnosis is Greek for the “intuitive apprehension of spiritual truths.” Jnana is Sanskrit for “knowledge of the way” to approach Brahman. Ma`rifa in Arabic is “knowledge of the inner truth. ”Panna in Pali is “direct awareness”; perfect wisdom. These modes of suprarational knowing, perhaps described as complete intuitive insight, are not divine oneness; they are actualizing our inherent abilities to come closer to the goal. It is consummate cognition, unmediated discernment, with certainty.
“Great [spiritual] knowledge, round and clear, looks at a fine hair and comprehends the ocean of nature; the source of reality is clearly manifest in one atom, yet illumines the whole being. When myriad phenomena arrive, they must be at the same time, in one space; noumenon [spiritual essence] has no before or after.” Fa-Tsang [Hsien-shou] B
“…most beautiful and profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and most radiant beauty – which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their primitive form – this knowledge, this feeling, is at the center of all religion.” Albert Einstein J
“The knower and the known are one. Simple people imagine they should see God, as if He stood there and they here. This is not so. God and I, we are one in [spiritual] knowledge.” [Meister] Eckhart C
“The Sufi who knows the Ultimate Truth sets and speaks in a manner which takes into consideration the understanding, limitations and dominant concealed prejudices of his audience. To the Sufi, worship means [spiritual] knowledge. Through knowledge he attains sight. The Sufi abandons the three “I’s. He does not say ‘for me’, ‘with me’, or ‘my property’. He must not attribute anything for himself.” Ibn El-Arabi I
“…therefore, in order to achieve that state of Silence which is beyond thought and word, either the path of [spiritual] knowledge, which removes the sense of “I,” or the path of devotion, which removes the sense of “mine,” will suffice. So there is no doubt that the end of the paths of devotion and knowledge is one and the same.” Ramana Maharishi H
(quoted from my e-book at http://www.suprarational.org )
August 14th, 2010 at 3:09 am
hai..
my name is metta paramita.. i just know that my father give me this name from Buddhist belief..
and the means of my name is very lovely..
thank you …
i hope i can be the person as well as the means of the name…
August 14th, 2010 at 10:27 am
What a beautiful name! It is a good name — and you know deep within you, you are already the meaning of the name.
Peace….