pāramitā (Sanskrit, crossed over). In Mahāyāna Buddhism a ‘perfection’ or virtuous quality practised by a Bodhisattva in the course of his spiritual development. Apparently related to the ten pāramīs of early Buddhism, an original list of six Mahāyāna perfections was eventually increased to ten to complement the ten stages or levels (bhūmi) of a Bodhisattva's career. The full list of the ten Perfections is: (1) generosity (dāna); (2) morality (śīla); (3) patience (kṣānti); (4) courage (vīrya); (5) meditation (samādhi), (6) intuitive insight (prajñā); (7) skilful means (upāya-kauśalya); (8) vow (pranidhāna); (9) power (bala); (10) knowledge (jñāna). The sixth is the subject of the extensive corpus of Perfection of Insight literature (see Prajñā-pāramitā Sūtras).
Pāramitā (f.) [pāramī+tā]=pāramī Nett 87.
Pāramitā 波羅蜜多 It means to cross over from this shore of births and deaths to the other shore which is the Nirvāṇa. The Six Pāramitā or means of so doings are (1) dāna - charity/giving (2) śīla - moral/conduct/taking precepts (3) kṣanti - patience (4) vīrya - vigor/devotion/energy (5) dhyāna - contemplation/meditation (6) prajñā - wisdom. The Ten Pāramitā are the above plus (7) upāya - use of expedient or proper means (8) praṇidhāna - vow of bodhi and helpfulness (9) bala - strength (10) intelligence Childers gives the list of ten as the perfect exercise of charity/almsgiving, morality, renunciation, wisdom, energy/effort, patience, truth, resolution/determination, kindness/universal love and resignation/equanimity. Each of the ten is divided into ordinary, superior and unlimited perfection, making up to thirty in total.
pāramitā: 'Perfection'. A bodhisattva fufills the six perfections before attaining enlightenment. The six are:dāna, śīla, vīrya,kṣānti, samādhi and prajñā.
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