The Six Paramitas: A beneficial weapon against afflictions, dismantling self-attachment and self-love, and establishing new ways of thinking.
The Sanskrit term “paramita” means “arriving at the other shore.” Paramita also carries the meanings of “transcendence” or “perfection.” If we are currently on the shore of suffering, reaching the other shore implies leaving behind suffering and achieving enlightenment. Therefore, transcendence means liberation from the root of suffering—afflictions—and liberation from suffering itself. Genuine paramita practice involves freeing oneself from ego-clinging and self-attachment. According to this principle, all Buddhist practices can be viewed as paramita.
So, what are the Six Perfections? They are generosity (dana), ethical conduct (sila), patience (ksanti), diligence (virya), meditation (dhyana), and wisdom (prajna). Their purpose is to eliminate ego-clinging and transcend the sea of suffering.
Venerable Master Sheng Yen eloquently explains the meaning of the Six Perfections, the methods of practice, as well as the differences between Mahayana and Hinayana practices in daily life. He also delves into how to break free from attachment to the Six Perfections, self, the view of emptiness, and levels of meditation. The meditation of Mahayana does not cling to life and death, nor does it fear them, embodying a spirit of compassion and returning to the world to aid sentient beings. This article is written in clear and understandable language, providing a simple way to understand the Dharma.
About the Author
Promoting the Buddha’s teachings
Venerable Sheng Yen began teaching the sutras in the United States in 1975 and established the Chan Meditation Center in Queens, New York in 1997, as well as the Dharma Drum Retreat Center in Pine Bush, New York. He also traveled to many countries in Europe and continued to propagate the Dharma in several Asian countries, including Taiwan. Venerable Sheng Yen transmitted the teachings of Buddhism to several of his Western lay disciples, such as John Crook, who later founded the Western Chan Fellowship, as well as Simon Child, Max Kalin, and Zarko Andricevic, among others.
The works of Venerable Sheng Yen
Venerable Sheng Yen advocated for the elevation of human quality, the establishment of a pure land on earth, and the fulfillment of a compassionate mission through education. He published nearly a hundred works in Chinese, Japanese, and English, distributed across Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Among these, the best-selling book is “The True Buddha Dharma,” with a circulation exceeding three million copies; the most translated work is “Inscriptions on Faith,” translated into ten languages; and the most widely published works are “Autobiography” and “Guide to Chan Practice,” both of which have been well-received by a large readership.。
The travelogue of Venerable Sheng Yen
On March 14, 1969, in the absence of anyone to care for him, Venerable Sheng Yen left Taipei for Tokyo, where he enrolled in the Department of Buddhist Studies at Rissho University. At that time, Venerable Sheng Yen was thirty-nine years old.
During his time of presenting papers, he was invited back to Taiwan to attend the “Fourth Overseas Scholars Conference on National Development Research.” At the conference, he raised three issues:
1. The inclusion of religious education in the university education system.
2. The need for social education to focus on rectifying decadent forces and guiding organized crime.
3. The importance of spiritual education, advocating for the parallel development of the humanities and technology.
The passing of Venerable Sheng Yen
On February 3, 2009, while returning from National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei, Venerable Sheng Yen passed away due to kidney failure. He had battled the illness for many years but had refused to undergo a kidney transplant. According to the East Asian method of calculating age, Dharma Drum Mountain organization confirmed that Venerable Sheng Yen was 80 years old at the time of his passing.
Several hours after his passing, notable Buddhist monks, political figures including President Ma Ying-jeou, Vice President Vincent Siew, Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen, martial arts superstar Jet Li, actress Brigitte Lin, and other prominent individuals from Taiwan, all gathered at the Dharma Drum Mountain Monastery to bid farewell to Venerable Sheng Yen. In his will, Venerable Sheng Yen explicitly stated that no lavish funeral should be held, and no monument or memorial hall should be established in his honor. Accompanied by the president and other dignitaries, Venerable Sheng Yen received a simple Buddhist ceremony and was laid to rest in the Life Memorial Garden near the Dharma Drum Mountain Monastery.
The Six Paramitas
The Six Paramitas, known as the Six Perfections, are the core virtues and practices in Mahayana Buddhism aimed at cultivating the qualities necessary for enlightenment and benefiting others. The Six Paramitas are Generosity, Ethics, Patience, Diligence, Meditation, and Wisdom.
Generosity emphasizes selflessness and a willingness to give without expecting anything in return. Ethics focuses on living a morally upright life and adhering to precepts. Patience encourages tolerance and forbearance in the face of adversity. Diligence emphasizes the importance of earnest effort and perseverance in spiritual practice. Meditation involves training the mind to achieve deep states of concentration. Finally, Wisdom involves developing insight into the true nature of reality and the interconnectedness of all things.
The remaining five Paramitas are like blind people in need of guidance from Wisdom; without Wisdom, they cannot be considered true Paramitas.
The core teaching of Prajna (Wisdom) is the removal of self-attachment. The fundamental doctrine of Prajna is the concept of non-self. Liberation is attained by letting go of attachment to one’s body and mind.
Transcendence implies overcoming mental afflictions (the causes of suffering) and suffering itself; the true practice of the Paramitas is to transcend self-attachment and self-love.
Prajna is the mother of all Buddhas. It is the foundation of the Dharma, as Gautama Buddha stated that even if one were to practice all paths to enlightenment, without the guidance of Prajna, it would not be practicing the Dharma.
Prajna and meditation are synonymous; where there is Prajna, there is meditation, and where there is meditation, there is Prajna.
Meditation unlocks wisdom, and wisdom serves life. The core doctrine of Prajna is the concept of non-self.
Absolute contemplation does not impose personal preferences.
Ultimate insight is the middle way, realizing the emptiness of inherent nature, leading to liberation.
The Paramitas are remedies for mental afflictions.
Generosity is the antidote to greed and stinginess.
When you contemplate truth and falsehood, renunciation and seeking, you are engaged in discernment.
With the disappearance of greed, anger, and ignorance, mental afflictions also vanish.
Where there is Prajna, there is meditation, and where there is meditation, there is Prajna.
