Six Perfections
The Six Perfections (paramita or six paramitas) are virtues that are perfected during a practitioner’s development through the hearing, the active study, and application of the Buddha-dharma within each of the Three Trainings. These virtues or attributes coincide with the Three Trainings as follows:
Trainings Perfections
Sila Generosity
Discipline
Patience
Samadhi Exertion (effort or energy)
Meditation (observation/contemplation/investigation)
Prajña Wisdom-knowledge
The Buddha said that these perfections must be developed before one realizes liberation and that these perfections can only be attained via the Three Trainings. The order of the six paramitas is very critical due to their interconnectedness as shown below:
Generosity opens the way for compassion and kindness by removing greed and stinginess. This not only refers to money but also one’s time and energy. Discipline is required to conduct oneself in a way that is conducive to breaking the habitual patterns of negative and harmful behaviour. Patience, which also includes tolerance, develops with the understanding that the suffering of all sentient beings arises from a cause. It should be added that patience must be developed so that one can remain disciplined in their practice. Effort or exertion means the complete resolve to stay true to the path and not be distracted or to become lazy so as to not make progress. Meditation refers to the actual development of a meditation practice that allows one to cut through all forms of delusion and see the true nature of things. This includes the discovery of the illusion of “self” or ego and “independence from other.” Wisdom-knowledge is the realization of supreme wisdom which is the sum of all the perfections. This supreme wisdom is what the Heart Sutra (Mahaprajñaparamita Hrdaya Sutra) says is the foundation for attaining “Unsurpassed, Complete and Perfect Enlightenment” (annutara-samyak-sambodhi).
In the Vajrayana, there is a system of training the mind for those that take up the path of the bodhisattva. That training consists of seven points and those points coincide with the development of bodhicitta (Ultimate and Relative) and each of the Six Paramitas. Thus the development of the Six Paramitas is extremely critical to the development of the bodhisattva.
