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The term Pāramitā or Pāramī (Sanskrit and Pāli respectively)[1] means "Perfect" or "Perfection". In Buddhism, the Paramitas refer to the perfection or culmination of certain virtues. In Buddhism, these virtues are cultivated as a way of purification, purifying karma and helping the aspirant to live an unobstructed life, while reaching the goal of Enlightenment.
Theravada Buddhism's teachings on the paramitas can be found in late canonical books and post-canonical commentaries.
In the Pali Canon's Buddhavamsa[2] the Ten Perfections (dasa pāramiyo) are (original terms in Pali):
Two of the above virtues, Metta and Upekkha, also comprise two of the Four Immeasurables (Brahmavihara).
The Theravadin teachings on paramitas can be found in canonical books (Jataka, Apadana, Buddhavamsa, Cariyapitaka) and post-canonical commentaries which were added to the Pali Canon at a later time, and thus they are not an original part of the Theravadin teachings.[3][4] The oldest parts of the Sutta Pitaka (for example, Majjhima Nikaya, Digha Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya and the Anguttara Nikaya) do not have any mention of the paramitas.[5] Some scholars even refer to the teachings of the paramitas as a semi-Mahayana[6] teaching which was added to the scriptures at a later time, in order to appeal to the interests and needs of the lay community, and to popularize their religion.[7]
Bodhi (2005) maintains that, in the earliest Buddhist texts (which he identifies as the first four nikayas), those seeking suffering's extinction (nibbana) pursued the Noble Eightfold Path. As time went on, a backstory was provided for the multi-life development of the Buddha; as a result, the ten perfections were identified as part of the path for the Buddha-to-be (Pali: bodhisatta; Sanskrit: bodhisattva). Over subsequent centuries, the paramis were seen as being significant to both aspirants of Buddhahood and of arahantship. Thus, Bodhi (2005) summarizes:
In Mahayana Buddhism, the Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapundarika), lists the Six Perfections as (original terms in Sanskrit):
Note that this list is also mentioned by the Theravada commentator Dhammapala, who says it is equivalent to the above list of ten.[9]
In the Ten Stages (Dasabhumika) Sutra, four more Paramitas are listed:
According to the perspective of Vajrayana Buddhism, Mahayana practitioners have the choice of two practice paths: the path of perfection (Sanskrit:paramitayana) or the path of tantra (Sanskrit:tantrayana), which is the Vajrayana.
Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche renders "paramita" into English as "transcendent action" and then frames and qualifies it:
When we say that paramita means "transcendent action," we mean it in the sense that actions or attitude 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.[10]
Keown, et. al. (2003) hold that the Six Perfections (Sanskrit: ṣad-pāramitā) comprise the Gyulü.[11]
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