3.1.12 The Six Paramitas (Perfections)

Question 1

What are the Six Paramitas - conceptually?

Answer 1

The Six Paramitas are six virtues or qualities that the Buddha taught should be developed.

Question 2

What does developing the Six Paramitas do?

Answer 2

Developing these perfections will help to purify the mind of the Three poisons and in doing so will create the right conditions to become enlightened or reach nirvana.

Question 3

Why do Mahayana Buddhists believe the 6 Paramitas should be developed?

Answer 3

Mahayana Buddhism teaches that these virtues should be developed in order to develop one’s Buddha-nature - they are part of the Bodhisattva path.

Question 4

What are the 6 Paramitas? (list of them)

Answer 4

• Dana (Giving)
• Sila (Morality)
• Virya (Energy)
• Kshanti (Patience)
• Samadhi (Meditation)
• Prajna

Question 5

What is Dana? (4)

Answer 5

• Is generosity.
• It is more demanding than just giving. It is an act of self-sacrifice - a selfless act.
• It is being willing to let money and material things go for the benefit of others.
• It does not simply require a person to be generous with their money or things - it also means to be generous with support, skills and time for the benefit of others.

Question 6

What does generosity demonstrate?

Answer 6

Generosity demonstrates overcoming greed - that a person has overcome attachment to and craving for money and other things.

Question 7

How do many Buddhists develop generosity?

Answer 7

In some Buddhist countries many Buddhists develop generosity by supporting monks and nuns so that they are free from the need to earn a living. For example, they might offer food and robes to them.

Question 8

What is Sila? (3)

Answer 8

• It is morality.
• It requires doing more than just moral acts, it requires a person to develop themselves morally as a person - to develop the habit of doing good.
• It means to recognise your actions for what they are. For example, when you do something wrong being honest with yourself and recognising that it was wrong rather than justifying what has been done or persuading yourself it was the right thing to do.

Question 9

What is Virya? (3)

Answer 9

• It is energy directed towards doing good.
• Developing right thoughts is not enough - these need to become actions.
• It means to put effort into demonstrating loving kindness to all creatures.

Question 10

What is Kshanti?

Answer 10

• It is patience.
• It means to behave in a thoughtful way and to recognise each person’s abilities and needs.
• It also means to have patience with yourself - to accept and understand your own abilities and limitations.

Question 11

Why do we lack patience with others? And how can having patience change this?

Answer 11

We often lack patience with people when they can’t do something or when they do something differently or more slowly to us. Patience is to recognise that this is because they have different abilities and needs.

Question 12

What is Samadhi? (3)

Answer 12

• It is a deep state of meditation.
• It is important for cultivating right thoughts, intentions, understanding and actions.
• It allows a person to be aware of their thoughts.

Question 13

What is Prajna? (2)

Answer 13

• It is wisdom.
• It means to accept the Three Universal Truths (The Three marks of existence) and to respond to them in a skilful (i.e. a way that will produce fruitful Karma) and appropriate way.