Absolute Contemplation | The Six Paramitas

The fourth prajna method is absolute contemplation. In fact, absolute contemplation is madhyamika-realizing emptiness to achieve liberation. In absolute contemplation, without imposing one’s preferences, one applies common sense, experience, and skill in dealing with people’s problems. The important thing is to perceive what is really going on, without reference to one’s own likes or dislikes, and to do what is most appropriate to help someone. This involves communicating with and understanding that person, and doing what is most appropriate and beneficial
for them. This absolute contemplation, madhyamika, is not a question of supernatural powers; we are just talking about dealing with people without interjecting one’s own self-centered perspective. We still need to rely on professional Knowledge and specialized skills. When people are sick and ask me for help, I refer them to a good doctor. Otherwise, if I tried to cure someone’s illness, I would be “getting medicine from heaven.”

To conclude, I emphasize that prajna is wisdom, and wisdom is the attitude of no self. This means not having an attitude that is based on a self-centered perspective. Please do not misunderstand that this attitude of no self means that there is nothing out there. The self of wisdom is there to solve problems; the self of compassion is there to benefit people. One applies both of the self of wisdom and the self of compassion to develop and cultivate a self that is pure and happy, one that eventually grows into the perfect being, a buddha.

The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (also known as the Twelve Links of Conditioned Arising) are (l) fundamental ignorance, (2) action, (3) consciousness, (4) mind and matter, (5) the six sense faculties, (6) contact, (7) sensation or feeling, (8) craving or desire, (9) grasping, (10) coming into being, (11) birth, and (l2) old age and death.

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