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GlossaryIndexOutline History DharmaConcepts Buddhist texts Practices Nirvāṇa Traditions Buddhism by country icon Buddhism portal vte Pāramitā (Sanskrit, Pali: पारमिता) or pāramī (Pāli: पारमी) is a Buddhist term often translated as "perfection". It is described in Buddhist commentaries as a noble character quality generally associated with enlightened beings. Pāramī and pāramitā are both terms in Pali but Pali literature makes greater reference to pāramī, while Mahayana texts generally use the Sanskrit pāramitā.[1][2]

Etymology Donald S. Lopez Jr. describes the etymology of the term:

The term pāramitā, commonly translated as "perfection", has two etymologies. The first derives it from the word parama, meaning "highest", "most distant", and hence "chief", "primary", "most excellent". Hence, the substantive can be rendered "excellence" or "perfection". This reading is supported by the Madhyāntavibhāga (V.4), where the twelve excellences (parama) are associated with the ten perfections (pāramitā). A more creative yet widely reported etymology divides pāramitā into pāra and mita, with pāra meaning "beyond", "the further bank, shore or boundary," and mita, meaning "that which has arrived", or ita meaning "that which goes". Pāramitā then means "that which has gone beyond", "that which goes beyond" or "transcendent". This reading is reflected in the Tibetan translation pha rol tu phyin pa ("gone to the other side").[3]

Theravāda Buddhism Theravada teachings on the pāramīs can be found in late canonical books and post-canonical commentaries. Theravada commentator Dhammapala describes them as noble qualities usually associated with bodhisattvas.[4] American scholar-monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu describes them as perfections (paramī) of character necessary to achieve enlightenment as one of the three enlightened beings, a samma sambuddha, a pacceka-buddha, or an arahant.[5]

Canonical sources

A bodhisattva benefitting sentient beings. Palm-leaf manuscript. Nalanda, Bihar, India In the Pāli Canon, the Buddhavamsa of the Khuddaka Nikāya lists the ten perfections (dasa pāramiyo) as:[6]

Dāna pāramī: generosity, giving of oneself Sīla pāramī: virtue, morality, proper conduct Nekkhamma pāramī: renunciation Paññā pāramī: wisdom, discernment Viriya pāramī: energy, diligence, vigour, effort Khanti pāramī: patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance Sacca pāramī: truthfulness, honesty Adhiṭṭhāna pāramī: determination, resolution Mettā pāramī: goodwill, friendliness, loving-kindness Upekkhā pāramī: equanimity, serenity Two of these virtues—mettā and upekkhā—are also brahmavihāras, and two – vīrya and upekkhā—are factors of awakening.

Historicity