The Six Paramitas #1

From a series of seminar at Dhagpo Kagyu Ling, 2002

Jigme Rinpoche

THE GROUND

“Paramita” is a Sanskrit term, which means “perfection” - perfection in attitude, action and practice. The accomplishment of these perfections will result in the achievement of the ultimate perfection of wisdom that is enlightenment. Enlightenment is perfect discrimination. It is perfect wisdom that discriminates everything clearly and precisely without any distortion. “To discriminate,” means to understand through one ’s own seeing, and wisdom.

At the moment, our mind perceives and follows everything in a tainted way. While we are here in samsara, our perception and actions are inevitably influenced by the many conditions that hold our mind. Nevertheless, we feel, that how we think, or how we act, is perfectly normal. There is nothing wrong and so we follow in all our usual ways. In fact, we think there is no other way. This is why it is important to train in the Six Paramitas because the training allows us to see a different way, and a better way. It reveals to us how the conditions of samsara obscure the mind. Moreover, it also happens to be the most direct way to develop and apply Bodhicitta, while we are on the Bodhisattva Path.

Before we embark on the training in the Six Paramitas, we have to really wish to benefit sentient beings, our reason to achieve enlightened mind. This mental resolve is very important for without it, the training will be very difficult. An understanding of the fundamental teachings of the Buddha, such as the Four Noble Truths, or Bodhicitta, is indispensable. We have to truly appreciate the basic tenets of the Dharma, their meaning, and not only the words. We introspect earnestly to find out what the Dharma is telling us. We look at sentient beings around us, their conditions and surroundings, and see if we could connect our own observations to what the Dharma says. Is what the Buddha said true? Are sentient beings helplessly caught up in suffering? Do we all wish to be free from suffering? When we can relate directly to the truth of the Dharma, we will feel compelled to be connected with it.. We will begin to appreciate the inspiration of Bodhicitta. “Inspiration” means to feel, to wish, and to need. And Bodhicitta is the profound wish to be beneficial to all beings.

to discover what is important

We should understand the purpose of the Dharma, why we need it, and why it is so important to us in the long run. We should scrutinize the essential points until we are convinced that they ring true. In general, we just keep going until we are stuck. We tend not to exert ourselves unless we can’t cope anymore. Only then do we look for a way out. Once a problem has passed, we again slip into our comfort zone. We forget that we were in trouble, what got us into it in the first place, or what got us out. We have, in this way, lost many precious opportunities to learn and to improve over the years. For example, you have a toothache so you look for a remedy. Once the pain is gone, you don’t think about the tooth anymore. This is very common in most people. To pursue the Dharma as remedy for our problems requires, however, a totally different approach. Naturally, in the beginning, we go looking when we feel,
“ Oh, I feel so anxious,” or
“ I don’t understand,” or
“ I feel something is missing.”
We must first know exactly what it is that we need, what is really important in life. But how do we know? This is a very important question.

Suppose I tell you,
“ You have to think like this, or you have to follow this.”
Immediately, your reaction may be,
“ Yes, you are right, but I can’t do it. I don’t know what to do.”
You have a strong inner resistance so you can’t listen properly. But if I use an example about someone else or about a situation quite removed from you, then you will probe further,
“ Well then, what about me? How does it work for me?”
It is easier to observe others and their conditions. By using the Dharma as your reference, you can gain insight into other people’s conditions while shedding light on your own.

What we don’t know usually doesn’t matter to us. It also makes sense that the more we know, the better we can attend to the needs of people and situations. At the same time, it is also true that we may become more anxious. Suppose I am sick with a serious disease. I’d probably feel anxious enough to go for treatment immediately. My understanding the seriousness of my illness tells me not to put it off another day. Only when I am oblivious to its severity, or reluctant to acknowledge it, would I dismiss it as nothing.
“ Oh, it doesn’t matter. It is nothing. I’ll ask the doctor next week.”
I might also be hesitant to receive a rather uncomfortable treatment. I’d wish the sickness to go away somehow on its own. This is human nature. Therefore, we watch out for blinders we put on ourselves.

Seasoned practitioners fully appreciate the meaning of the Dharma so they are committed to the Bodhisattva Path. But someone who does not see clearly still has to be convinced. Otherwise, he cannot follow on his own. He has to care to change. He must first study the basics of the Dharma and see for himself his real conditions. If he decides that he’d like a way out of samsara, his vision, his attitude, and his action will start to change.

An authentic practitioner sees clearly his own mind’s conditions, and is determined to improve them without delay. He is like the sick person who goes for treatment right away. Obviously, when you can’t see your own problem, you won’t seek a solution. This is why for some people, their Dharma practice is always delayed and interrupted by all kinds of activities whereas others can actually integrate the Dharma into their daily lives. How we see our own lives, and how clearly we see the urgency of our situation directly impact on how we live our lives. This is a very important point. Suppose I tell you,
“ I am engaged in an authentic practice of Dharma to reach Enlightenment.”
You may ask me, “Why do you seek Enlightenment? Why are you interested in it, or what is your reason exactly?”
“ Because it looks very interesting, very nice, very wonderful. I like it and I’m intrigued by it.”
My rationale shows that I have not really understood the Dharma. But if my reasoning is,
“ The Dharma is absolutely essential and important to me,” then this means I have understood the truth of the Dharma.

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