The Six Paramitas - Dhyana Paramitas (5/6)

Paramita means perfection the noblest, most excellent, highest qualities. 

It symbolises the crossing from the shore of confusion and suffering to the shore of liberation and enlightenment. It groups the six actions to be performed to reach a state of realisation.

The six paramitas, or transcendent perfections, are an essential concept in the practice of Mahayana Buddhism. They are so fundamental, in fact, that the “Vehicle of the Perfections” is a synonym for Mahayana itself. The Pali or Theravada tradition also includes perfections, referred to as paramis, but a discussion of these is out of the scope of this article.

“If we want to obtain enlightenment by becoming a Bodhisattva, it is necessary to actualize wisdom and compassion. This is done through the practice of what are called the six paramitas, or 'transcendental actions. 

What are the six Paramitas of Buddhism?

The six are generally translated as: 

1. Generosity, 
2. Discipline, 
3. Patience, 
4. Diligence, 
5. Meditative concentration,  
6. Wisdom.   

Some lists enumerate ten paramitas, the last four of which are aspects of the wisdom paramita and are skillful means, strength, aspiration, and primordial wisdom. These align with the ten stages of the Bodhisattva path. 

It symbolises the crossing from the shore of confusion and suffering to the shore of liberation and enlightenment. It groups the six actions to be performed to reach a state of realisation.

The six paramitas, or transcendent perfections, are an essential concept in the practice of Mahayana Buddhism. They are so fundamental, in fact, that the “Vehicle of the Perfections” is a synonym for Mahayana itself. The Pali or Theravada tradition also includes perfections, referred to as paramis, but a discussion of these is out of the scope of this article. 

“If we want to obtain enlightenment by becoming a Bodhisattva, it is necessary to actualize wisdom and compassion. This is done through the practice of what are called the six paramitas, or 'transcendental actions.'  

Para in Sanskrit literally means the 'other shore.' Here, it means going beyond our own notion of the self. From the Buddhist point of view in general and from the Mahayana point of view in particular, if we want to progress properly on the path, we need to go beyond our conventional understanding of the self. 

When we say that paramita means 'transcendental action,' we mean it in the sense that actions or attitudes are performed in a non-egocentric manner. 'Transcendental' does not refer to some external reality but rather to the way in which we conduct our lives and perceive the world—either in an egocentric or a non-egocentric way. The six paramitas are concerned with the effort to step out of the egocentric mentality.”     

What are the six paramitas in Buddhism? The six perfections are : 

5) Meditative concentration ( Dhyana ) - The fifth of the six paramitas is defined as the capacity to remain undistracted. It is the topic of the eighth chapter of the *Bodhicharyavatara.

* Bodhicharyavatara An Introduction to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life is Shantideva's classic guide to the Mahayana path.  Tsoknyi Rinpoche said:

The Bodhicharyavatara teaches the complete Mahayana path to enlightenment, including all necessary preliminary, main, and concluding practices. A perfect path in itself, it is also, at the same time, a perfect support for all practitioners of the Vajrayana teachings in general. Practitioners learn how to develop the motivation of Bodhichitta as well as how to carry out the application of the six paramitas, or transcendental perfections. They learn how to fuse their practice of bodhichitta and the five first perfections with the sixth perfection, wisdom.

Patrul Rinpoche explains that there are two preliminaries to developing meditative concentration. 

1. Giving up mundane concerns

As regards renouncing mundane concerns, our mind will never settle into a state of one-pointed absorption as long as it is under the sway of attachment to parents, relatives, and friends or attendants. So we must give up all our habitual preoccupations and busyness and remain alone in an isolated place suitable for meditation.

Being attached to rewards and honours, praise or good reputation, or trifling necessities and then pursuing them will only obstruct the authentic path, so we must cut through any expectations and anxieties about such things and train ourselves to be content with whatever comes our way.  

2. Letting Go of Discursive Thought 

Even though we may be in an isolated place, not seeking possessions and such like to any great extent, if our mind falls under the power of desire, a genuine state of meditative concentration will not arise in our being, and our mind will be unable to rest in a state of absorption.

Therefore, thoughts of desire must be given up. To turn our thoughts away from attachment to desirable things is particularly important for gaining the special higher levels of concentration, so we should certainly turn the mind away from craving after members of the opposite sex by reflecting on the cause, the fact that they are not easy to obtain; their nature, which is impure; and the result, which involves a lot of harm, and so on.  

Moreover, we must understand that the eight worldly concerns and all thoughts of the present life are our real enemies. We must therefore reflect at some length on the problems caused by negative thoughts of desire and, generating a sense of inner dignity, make heartfelt efforts to abandon them, no matter how many may arise.

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Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease.

But increase further and further.

 

Dedication of Merit

By this merit, may we then obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrongdoings

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

 

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