The Ten Perfections
By Iroshi Perera. (Buddhi Vihara Dhamma School.)
A bodhisatta is one who has renounced all worldly pleasures
and is aspiring to become a Buddha. In order to gain supreme enlightenment,
every bodhisatta practices ten virtues, which in Pali are called parami.
They are generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, energy, patience,
truthfulness, determination, loving-kindness, and equanimity. In practicing
these virtues a bodhisatta gains a superior sense of compassion and reason.
The first of these virtues is generosity (dana). Generosity is freeness in giving or sharing our possessions with others. Giving freely means giving while expecting nothing in return (enhancement of reputation, status, power). The object of practicing generosity is to eliminate craving and attachment to worldly possessions (money, clothing, etc.), which is the root of all suffering. Also, in giving, we should not be concerned if the recipient is truly in need or not. It is better to focus only on the merit of the act.
Another quality which we must work on is morality (sila), meaning virtuous conduct. We should always try to refrain from evil and to do good to the best of our ability. Also we should abstain from stealing, misconduct, gossip, false speech, harsh language, and intoxicating liquors. We should also remember that all life is precious and that no one has the right to end the life of another
The third virtue is renunciation (nekkhamma). This refers to the renouncing of worldly pleasures. By eliminating cravings, one is free to develop a stronger spiritual side. Also, we must try to realize the transitoriness of all objects and to realize the value of solitude.
Wisdom/knowledge (panna) is the fourth perfection. In Buddhism, wisdom involves being able to understand the world around us and how it relates to transiency (anicca), sorrowfulness (dukkha), and soullessness (anatta). In gaining knowledge, we should never have the intention or desire to show it off to others. Instead this wisdom should be used to guide ourselves to live a better life.
The next quality is energy (viriya). This is related not to physical
strength, but instead to mental vigor and strength of character. It refers
to our ability to turn failures into steps to success, and our ability
to not lose hope until our goals are reached. Viriya is also sometimes
defined as the persistent effort to work for the welfare of others.
The sixth virtue is patience (khanti). Khanti is patient endurance of
the suffering we go through, and the forgiveness of the wrong doings of
others. By practicing patience and tolerance, we will be able to "purify"
our minds into seeing the good and beauty of all.
We must also work to be truthful (sacca). Sacca refers to the fulfillment of our promises. We must strive to be trustworthy, sincere and honest. Instead of being hypocritical we must abide by truth. We must try to gain perfect harmony between our words, thoughts and actions.
The next quality is determination (Adhitthana). Determination is what allows us to face the problems of life and to still remain positive. This virtue is sometimes thought of as the building block of all others, since it encourages us to put our minds to our goals and to achieve what we want. Determination will help us to persistently follow the high principles we set for ourselves.
The ninth virtue is loving-kindness (metta). This is defined as the wish for the happiness of all beings without exception. Metta does not mean the affection we feel towards some, instead it is the boundless goodwill of all living things. This compassion should be shown even to the worst of enemies, only then will we feel the true bliss of loving-kindness.
Equanimity (upekkha) is the last of these perfections. It means to look impartially, without attachment or aversion, on all things. We should not be excessively attached to material things, because all things are impermanent. If we feel attachment to something, then we are only setting ourselves up for grief, since it will be lost to us someday. By practicing these ten "perfections" bodhisattas try to attain supreme enlightenment. Though these virtues are meant for bodhisattas who have devoted their entire lives to "purifying" their bodies and minds, lay people too can begin to realize the importance of these qualities. We have everything to gain by taking the time to practice these virtues in our daily lives.