What Is Paramita

Ordinary beings follow the stream of birth and death; arhats oppose the stream of birth and death; bodhisattvas neither follow nor oppose it; Buddhas have reached the other shore. Regarding the stream of birth and death, the bodhisattva's attitude is neither to follow nor oppose it. If they follow the stream of birth and death, bodhisattvas would suffer greatly in the cycle of rebirth, unable to liberate themselves—how then could they liberate others? If they oppose the stream of birth and death, they would have to abandon birth and death entirely, entering the remainderless nirvana like arhats. In that state, there would be no physical body or five aggregates; not only would they be unable to continue their cultivation and attain Buddhahood, but they would also be unable to widely deliver sentient beings. This would contradict their original vow. Therefore, regarding birth and death, bodhisattvas neither oppose nor follow 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. With wisdom, there is no ignorance; with ignorance, there is no wisdom. To eradicate ignorance is to attain wisdom. When we practice the pāramitā of generosity, we can attain wisdom and reach the other shore. The pāramitā of discipline, the pāramitā of patience, the pāramitā of diligence, and the pāramitā of meditation—all can lead to the attainment of wisdom, reaching the other shore, and achieving ultimate liberation.

Pāramitā means "reaching the other shore," signifying liberation from this shore of birth and death. Our primordial awareness is without ignorance and without birth and death. It is not on this shore of birth and death, yet not absent from it. It is not on the other shore without birth and death, nor is it absent from that shore. There is no "other shore" as such—this is the Middle Way nature of primordial awareness. Through practice, when we eradicate all ignorance and attain ultimate wisdom, we become attuned to primordial awareness. Then, we are without birth and death, yet not separate from it—this is the liberation body of the Buddha ground. Abiding in nirvana yet not entering nirvana—this is the non-abiding nirvana of the Buddha ground. Everywhere and always, there is complete freedom and liberation. If our practice methods cannot lead to the attainment of wisdom and liberation, there will be no genuine benefit. Then we must reconsider and choose the correct practice methods to more swiftly advance toward the Buddha ground and attain ultimate wisdom.