pāramitā | DRBU

Pali

pāramitā

prajñā

Pratyekabuddha

precepts

pure land

Pure Land School

A B C D E FGH IJKLM N O PQR S T U V W X Y Z

pāramitā

The most well-known pāramitās in Buddhism are the Six Pāramitās and the Ten Pāramitās. Although the pāramitās are usually associated with Mahayana teachings about the practices of the Bodhisattva, they are also found in Theravada teachings. The Ten Pāramitās concern the “perfect exercise of the ten principal virtues by a Bodhisattva” (PTSD).

Chinese / Sanskrit / Pali Terms

波羅蜜多 ; pāramitās ; pāramitās

“Pāramitā, a Sanskrit word, literally means ‘having arrived at the other shore.’ It means to finish completely whatever you do. If you decide to become a Buddha, then the realization of Buddhahood is pāramitā. If you want to go to a university and get a Ph.D., obtaining the degree is pāramitā. The Sanskrit word pāramitā is transliterated into Chinese as bo luo mi. Bo luo is Chinese for pineapple, and mi means ‘honey.’ And so the fruit of pāramitā is said to be sweeter than pineapple or honey.” (SS I 9-10)

“What is meant by pāramitā? It is explained as ‘being apart from coming into being and ceasing to be.’ When one is attached to states of existence, coming into being and ceasing to be arise like waves on water. That is what is meant by ‘this shore.’ To be apart from states of existence, with no coming into being or ceasing to be, is to be like freely flowing water. That is what is meant by ‘the other shore.’ Therefore, it is called ‘pāramitā.’” (PS 96)