What Is Paramita

Those who yield to the stream of birth and death are ordinary beings; those who withstand the stream of birth and death are arhats; those who neither yield to nor withstand it are bodhisattvas; those who reach the other shore are buddhas. Regarding the stream of birth and death, the attitude of a bodhisattva is to neither yield to nor withstand it. For if they yield to the stream of birth and death, the bodhisattva's cyclic existence is filled with suffering, and they cannot liberate themselves—how then could they liberate others? If they withstand the stream of birth and death, they must abandon birth and death altogether, entering the remainderless nirvana like an arhat. In that case, they would no longer possess the five aggregates of form; not only would they be unable to continue their practice and attain buddhahood, but they would also be unable to liberate sentient beings extensively. This would contradict their vow. Therefore, regarding birth and death, a bodhisattva neither withstands nor yields to it.

The purpose of our Buddhist practice is to attain buddhahood. A buddha is one who has achieved great wisdom. Thus, the ultimate goal of our practice is to attain great wisdom—liberation through wisdom, buddhahood through wisdom. All methods and means are for the purpose of attaining wisdom. Where there is wisdom, there is no ignorance; where there is ignorance, there is no wisdom. Eliminate ignorance to attain wisdom. Therefore, when we practice the paramita of dana (generosity), we can attain wisdom and reach the other shore. The paramita of sila (precepts), the paramita of ksanti (forbearance), the paramita of virya (diligence), and the paramita of dhyana (meditation) all enable us to attain wisdom, reach the other shore, and achieve ultimate liberation.

Paramita means "reaching the other shore," signifying liberation from the shore of birth and death. Our original enlightenment mind is without ignorance, without birth and death. It is not on this shore of birth and death, nor is it not there. It is not on that shore beyond birth and death, nor is it not there; there is no such shore. This is the Middle Way nature of original enlightenment. Through our practice, when we eradicate all ignorance and attain ultimate wisdom, we become attuned to original enlightenment. Then, there is no birth and death, yet it is not that there is no birth and death; that is, we attain the liberated form-body of the buddha ground. Abiding in nirvana yet not entering nirvana—this is the non-abiding nirvana (apratisthita-nirvana) of the buddha ground, manifesting freedom and liberation everywhere, in all places. If our methods of practice cannot lead to the attainment of wisdom and liberation, they bring no authentic benefit. We must then reconsider and choose the correct methods of practice to more swiftly progress toward the buddha ground and attain ultimate wisdom.