The three Stages of Mental Perfection:

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The three Stages of Mental Perfection:

 

The 10 Mental Perfections (paramis = paramitas) are:

 

 

1: Generosity (Dana) 2: Morality (Sila)3: Withdrawal (Nekkhamma) 4: Understanding (Panna)5: Enthusiastic Energy (Viriya)6: Patient Forbearance (Khanti)7: Honesty & Truthfulness (Sacca)8: Resolute Determination (Adhitthana)9: Kind Friendliness (Metta)10: Balanced Equanimity (Upekkha)

The Buddha said:'So few as these only, are these supreme mental qualities, which matures Awakening. There is nothing elsewhere beyond them! Be thorough, firm & complete in them...'

These 10 mental perfections are developed to these three levels:

I: Those who awakens as disciples = Savaka-Bodhis (basic level) give all possessions away including wife and kids...

II: Those who awakens as Solitary Buddhas = Pacekkha-Buddhas give an organ, limb or eye away... (intermediate level)

III: Those who awakens as Perfect Buddhas = SammasamBuddhas give even their own life away. (ultimate level)

The basic perfection of generosity is the relinquishing of one's children, wives, and belongings, such as wealth; the intermediate perfection of giving, the relinquishing of one's own limbs; and the ultimate perfection of giving, the relinquishing of one's own life. The three stages in the perfection of morality should be understood as the non-transgression of morality on account of the three: children and wife, limbs, and life; the three stages in the perfection of withdrawal, as the withdrawal of those three bases after cutting off attachment to them; the three stages in the perfection of understanding, as the discrimination between what is beneficial and harmful to beings after rooting out craving for one's belongings, limbs, and life; the three stages in the perfection of energy, as striving for the relinquishing of the aforementioned things; the three stages in the perfection of patience, as the

endurance of obstacles to one's belongings, limbs, and life; the three stages in the perfection of Honesty, as the non-abandoning of honesty on account of one's belongings, limbs, & life; the three stages of perfection of determination, as unshakeable determination despite the destruction of one's belongings, limbs, & life, bearing in mind that perfections ultimately succeed through a unflinching determination; the three stages in the perfection of friendliness, as themaintaining of friendliness towards any who destroy one's belongings; the three stages in the perfection of equanimity, as maintaining an attitude of impartial neutrality towards beings & constructions, whether they are helpful or harmful in regard to the aforementioned three: belongings, limbs, and life.In this way the analysis of the mental perfections should be

understood.Source: Commentary on the Basket of Behaviour: Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi in:Treatise on the Perfections: Discourse on the All-Embracing Net of Views