The Six Paramitas #5

From a series of seminar at Dhagpo Kagyu Ling, 2002

Jigme Rinpoche

GENEROSITY

an overview

The Six Paramitas train and develop our mind. In one respect, they are the basic qualities of mind, our basic potential. The perfection of all six together will give a perfectly clear mind, and the accumulated obscuration and habitual tendencies of mind through countless lifetimes will be totally purified. In their explanation, the Six Paramitas are presented distinctly one by one. In actual practice, they are interdependent, and are developed together. The first five are “generosity, ethic, patience, effort, and meditation”, leading to the development of the sixth called, “wisdom”, which is our natural state of the mind, or our Buddha nature mind.

The focal point in all Dharma teachings is our Buddha nature, a basic wisdom inherent in every living being. We cannot really see it, but we can feel it because we are not in total darkness. But at the same time, we are influenced by our karmic conditions. They veil and obscure our mind ever sustaining our habits, disturbing emotions, and tendencies. In order to clear these veils of mind, we have to change our habits. We have to develop a clearer way of thinking and acting, away from the confusion of the emotions. We apply our energy and effort somewhat differently than what we are used to. Gradually, we will be able to realize our own Buddha nature.

to counter ego clinging

Of the Six Paramitas, we can practise generosity, ethic and meditation together as the three main ones. First, we look at generosity. Everyone already understands the meaning of generosity as giving. Generosity as a Paramita means to share what I have with others. The practice of generosity is therefore to learn how to share with others. You may ask why we have to learn this. It is because we have a tendency to keep things for the self ever since when we were very small children, perhaps due to past karma. This negative tendency is universal in all living beings including all animals, or any being with a mind. Basically, it is rooted in ego clinging, and a desire/attachment fixation. On the other hand, generosity does not mean to throw everything away either. Rather, it is a way to express the truth in what we do. It is an expression of our natural state of mind in all our actions. On the surface, we learn to share but fundamentally, generosity is a transformation of our attachment, our desire, and our ego clinging – this is the point.

We feel it natural to grasp the many things and concepts. We don’t take the time to stop and see more clearly the condition of our mind. We feel we cannot help but have very strong attachments. We are never at a loss when it comes to self-justification. We are ever rationalizing all our wants and desires. But the Dharma tells us otherwise. We are again reminded of the basic principle of cause and effect. True, we feel strongly about our own needs, even though this feeling is only a notion in our mind. The downside is we are unable to share with others. We are afraid to let go of our desire. Why do we have to let go? It is because suffering comes from desire. Things get complicated and problematic because of our wanting. While we may not wish to suffer, we refuse to let go. So we suffer. The desire is the cause, and the suffering its effect.

The Dharma tells us that there is a fundamental state of mind where such self-centred notions are naturally absent. This is why to be free of suffering means to go back to this fundamental mind. The way to do it is through inner reflection and genuine absorption of the meaning of Dharma. Generosity comes first as an idea, then it is applied in action. This means to think, and behave a little differently, away from self-centeredness. It comes about not by force but through a natural process of change in your state of mind where your desire is slowly turned in a different direction. Talking about generosity is at a superficial level. It only becomes a true result, a true quality, when your mind is actually able to share what your have, and what you know with other beings. This ability comes through the release of your desire.

>>>