A TREATISE ON THE PARAMIS – CHAPTER XII

A TREATISE ON THE PARAMIS – CHAPTER XII: How Are They Synthesized?

Just as the ten paramis become thirtyfold through analysis, so they become sixfold through their specific nature: as giving, virtue, patience, energy, meditation, and wisdom.^[1]

When this set is considered, the perfection of renunciation, as the going forth into homelessness, is included in the perfection of virtue; as seclusion from the hindrances, in the perfection of meditation; and as a generally wholesome quality, in all six paramis.

One part of the perfection of truthfulness, i.e. its aspect of truthful speech or abstinence from falsehood, is included in the perfection of virtue, and one part, i.e. its aspect of truthful knowledge, in the perfection of wisdom. The perfection of loving-kindness is included in the perfection of meditation, and the perfection of equanimity in the perfections of meditation and wisdom. The perfection of determination is included in all.

These six paramis fall into at least fifteen pairs (yugala) of complementary qualities which perfect fifteen other pairs of qualities. How?

1. The pair — giving and virtue — perfects the pair of doing what is beneficial for others and abstaining from what is harmful to them.
2. The pair — giving and patience — perfects the pair of non-greed and non-hatred.
3. The pair — giving and energy — perfects the pair of generosity and learning.
4. The pair — giving and meditation — perfects the abandoning of sensual desire and hatred;
5. the pair giving and wisdom, the noble vehicle and burden;
6. the dyad of virtue and patience, the purification of means and the purification of the end;
7. the dyad of virtue and energy, the dyad of meditative development (i.e. serenity and insight);
8. the dyad of virtue and meditation, the abandoning of moral depravity and of mental obsession;
9. the dyad of virtue and wisdom, the dyad of giving;^[2]
10. the dyad of patience and energy, the dyad of acceptance and fervour;
11. the dyad of patience and meditation, the abandoning of opposing and favouring;
12. the dyad of patience and wisdom, the acceptance and penetration of emptiness;
13. the dyad of energy and meditation, the dyad of exertion and non-distraction;
14. the dyad of energy and wisdom, the dyad of refuges;
15. and the dyad of meditation and wisdom perfects the dyad of vehicles (i.e. the vehicles of serenity and insight).

The triad of giving, virtue, and patience perfects the abandoning of greed, hatred, and delusion. The triad of giving, virtue, and energy perfects the giving of wealth, life, and bodily vitality. The triad of giving, virtue, and meditation perfects the three bases of meritorious deeds. The triad of giving, virtue, and wisdom perfects the triad of giving material gifts, fearlessness, and the Dhamma. In the same way, the other triads and tetrads may be applied to each other as is appropriate in each case.

These six paramis are also included in the four foundations (cattari adhitthanani), which provide a synthesis of all the paramis.^[3] What are they? The foundation of truth, the foundation of relinquishment, the foundation of peace, and the foundation of wisdom. Therein, taking them first without distinction: after making his aspiration for the supramundane qualities, the Great Being, filled with compassion for all beings, establishes the foundation of truth by acquiring all the paramis in conformity with his vow; the foundation of relinquishment by relinquishing their opposites; the founds lion of peace by pacifying their opposites with all the qualities of the paramis; and the foundation of wisdom by skilful means in promoting the welfare of others through those same qualities.

Taken separately, giving is a proximate cause for the four foundations of wholesome qualities as follows:

1. (for the foundation of truth) since one vows to give to those who ask without deceiving them, gives without violating one’s vows, and rejoices without deceiving them about the gift;
2. (for the foundation of relinquishment) through the relinquishing of the opposite qualities such as stinginess, etc.;
3. (for the foundation of peace) through the pacification of greed, hatred, delusion, and tear, in regard to the objects to be given; the recipients, the act of giving, and the loss of the objects to be given, respectively;
4. (and for the foundation of wisdom) through giving according to deserts, at the proper time, in the appropriate manner, and through the pre-eminence of wisdom.

Virtue is a proximate cause for the four foundations thus:

1. through non-transgression of the restraint undertaken;
2. through the relinquishing of moral depravity;
3. through the pacification of misconduct; and
4. through the pre-eminence of wisdom.

Patience is a proximate cause for the four foundations thus:

1. through patient acceptance in accordance with one’s vow;
2. through the relinquishing of discrimination against others on account of their wrongs;
3. through the pacification of the obsession of anger; and
4. through the pre-eminence of wisdom.

Energy is a proximate cause for the four foundations:

1. through working for the welfare of others in accordance with one’s vows;
2. through the relinquishing of dejection;
3. through the pacification of unwholesome qualities; and
4. through the pre-eminence of wisdom.

Meditation is a proximate cause for the four foundations:

1. through concern for the welfare of the world in accordance with one’s vow;
2. through the relinquishing of the hindrances;
3. through the pacification of the mind; and
4. through the preeminence of wisdom.

And wisdom is a proximate cause for the four foundations:

1. through skilful means in promoting the welfare of others in accordance with one’s vow;
2. through the relinquishing of unskilful activity;
3. through the pacification of the fevers springing from delusion; and
4. through the attainment of omniscience.

The foundation of truth is practised by acting in accordance with one’s vow and understanding; the foundation of relinquishment by relinquishing (outer) objects of sense enjoyment and the (inner) defilement of sensuality; the foundation of peace by the pacification of hatred and suffering; and the foundation of wisdom by understanding and penetration. The foundation of truth is embraced by the threefold truth and opposed to the three corruptions (of greed, hatred and delusion). The foundation of relinquishing is embraced by the threefold relinquishment and opposed to the three corruptions. The foundation of peace is embraced by the threefold pacification and opposed to the three corruptions. And the foundation of wisdom is embraced by the threefold knowledge and opposed to the three corruptions.

The foundation of truth embraces the foundations of relinquishment, peace, and wisdom through non-deceptiveness and through acting in accordance with one’s vow. The foundation of relinquishment embraces the foundations of truth, peace, and wisdom through the relinquishing of their opposites and as the fruit of relinquishing everything. The foundation of peace embraces the foundations of truth, relinquishment, and wisdom through the pacification of the fever of defilement and the fever of kamma. And the foundation of wisdom embraces the foundations of truth, relinquishment, and peace, since they are all preceded and accompanied by knowledge. Thus all the paramis are grounded in truth, clarified by relinquishment, intensified by peace, and purified by wisdom. For truth is the cause for their genesis, relinquishment the cause for their acquisition, peace the cause for their growth, and wisdom the cause for their purification.

In the beginning (of the bodhisattva’s career) truth is the foundation, since his vow is made in accordance with truth. In the middle, relinquishment is the foundation, since after forming his aspiration the bodhisattva relinquishes himself for the welfare of others. In the end, peace is the foundation, since the consummation (of the career) is the attainment of perfect peace. And in every phase — the beginning, the middle, and the end — wisdom is the foundation, since the entire career originates when wisdom is present, does not exist when it is absent, and because the nature (of wisdom) accords with the vow.

Thus it should be understood how the aggregation of the paramis is included in the four foundations, which are adorned with numerous noble qualities. And just as the paramis are all included in the four foundations, they are also included in wisdom and compassion. For all the requisites of enlightenment can be included in wisdom and compassion, and the noble qualities such as giving (and the other paramis), accompanied by wisdom and compassion, are the requisites for the great enlightenment culminating in the perfection of Buddhahood.

FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES:

[1]:

This is the standard enumeration of the paramitas in the Mahayana literature, though the list itself probably goes back to the pre-Mahayana schools. 

[2]:

Perhaps giving fearlessness through observing the precepts, and giving the Dhamma through wisdom. 

[3]:

See M.iii,240-46, where the four foundations are explained in relation to arahatship.