Transcript Practice makes perfect

10 Paramis
Priorities Perfections
Yap Ching Wi
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“The perfections deserve to take high priority
in the way we plan our lives.” Thanissaro Bhikkhu
“For people in the modern world who are wrestling with the issue of how to practice the
Dhamma in daily life, the perfections provide a useful framework for developing a fruitful
attitude toward daily activities so that any activity or relationship undertaken wisely with
the primary purpose of developing the perfections in a balanced way becomes part of
the practice.”
1. Generosity (dana)
2. Moral conduct (sila)
3. Renunciation (nekkhamma)
4. Wisdom (paññā)
5. Energy/Diligence (viriya)
6. Patience (khanti)
7. Truthfulness (sacca)
8. Determination (adhitthana)
9. Loving-kindness (metta)
10.Equanimity (upekkha)
The Ten Hindrances
1. The belief in a permanent personality, ego (Pali: sakkāya-diṭṭhi) 2. Doubt, extreme skepticism
(vicikicchā) 3. Attachment to rites, rituals, and ceremonies (sīlabbata-parāmāso) 4. Attachment
to sense desires (kāmacchando) 5. Ill-will, anger (vyāpādo or byāpādo) 6. Craving for
existence in the Form world [heavenly realms] (rūparāgo) 7. Craving for existence in the
Formless world [heavenly realms] (arūparāgo) 8. Conceit (māna) 9. Restlessness (uddhacca)
10. Ignorance (avijjā) (Anguttara Nikaya 10.13)
Why start with generosity
- easiest to fulfill
- reap immediate benefits
Self-oriented
Motivation
Non
Self-oriented
Motivation
Being recognized,
reciprocated or earning merits
Giving freely, without selforientation
Akin to investments
(self-serving)
Includes gift of wealth, Dhamma
and fearlessness
Still good and better than
not giving at all
Wealth
Sigalovada Sutta
divide wealth into
4 equal portions
1. use for one’s wants
(including giving to parents, charities, etc)
2. spend on business needs
3. spend on producing more wealth (including further studies)
4. savings for times of need
Dharma
Dalai Lama: one who understands
dependent origination understands the Dharma
Application in daily life: share the concept of interdependence
Something exists because it Is the product of other causes and condition
And this something will in turn condition the arising and existence of other things
Everything is constantly under the influence of something else
And nothing truly exists independently; hence nothing is permanent
(Ven Sheng Yan)
Fearlessness
Fear of death, poverty, illness, imprisonment
Being able to respond to people’s fears and needs
with wisdom and compassion
Patience (Khanti)
Patience with those who wish to harm us
Patience with regard to the environment
Patience in enduring the dhammas
Patience with those
who wish to harm us
Analogy: if you refrain from chopping down a tree
every time you need firewood, in the long run,
the forest is preserved for future use.
If we do not habitually respond negatively, it may seem that we always
surrender, but we are actually developing the courage and skills to
protect ourselves and others. In the long run, it will be better for self and
others.
Practicing patience is manifesting wisdom and compassion – not
to be mistaken as surrender.
(Ven Sheng Yan)
Patience with those
who wish to harm us
If you are the only one who is practicing patience among a large group, you
may feel overwhelmed and even fear bodily harm or for your livelihood.
Can you still practice patience?
Yes. The critical pivot is applying wisdom to turn around difficult situations. To
resolve confrontations, you must extend compassion to those who harm you.
Using wisdom may transform at least half of such difficult times into favourable
conditions. This is not to say that you allow others to take advantage of you.
Not all of them may become very good people, but if half of them treat you fairly,
that is already very favorable.
(Ven Sheng Yan)
Patience
with regard to
the environment
Enduring pain and difficulty when faced with natural
calamities (extreme cold or heat, hurricanes)
Also include patience with one’s own body and its
troubles, eg hunger, thirst, illness
Patience in enduring the dhammas
Regard all phenomena, including
our own experiences of pleasure
and pain, as having the nature of
emptiness – that all dhammas lack
independent self.
Note: worldly and transcendental
World-transcending
Patience
Forbearance in integrating the Dharma
• into one’s life (daily living, career, studies)
• in accepting the difficulties that come with
exertion in practice
• in using one’s time wisely and fully
By its nature, perfecting patience is a long, laborious process
Without world-transcending patience
• we cannot accomplish anything
• it would be very difficult to maintain a basic sense of humanity
and to have harmony with others.
(Ven Sheng Yan)
Diligence/Energy (Viriya)
Neuters zeal in
one’s practice
A keenness without fear
for demanding work
The antidote for laxity
Threat vs Reward
Balance
Practice:
- start small
- reward self
Wise Effort
in practicing Paramis
Neuro-pathways cannot be destroyed,
just starved
Easier to create and strengthen a new
neuro-pathway – how? reward self after
each deed
Vows and Aspirations
Without vows and aspirations, one easily becomes lax
“I am tired today, I will skip daily 10 min meditation and make it up on weekend”
“I shall practice more diligently next month, when I finish my Masters study”
Making vows is essential to Buddhist practitioners
Vows can be small, great or ultimate
Importance of Vows &
Aspirations
Our physical condition (energy and life
force) are impermanent and limited but
with diligence and vows, it is possible
to accomplish unlimited results.
We reap according to what we sow.
Great effort will gain great results;
partial effort partial results
In praying for world peace, Venerable
Heng Sure and Heng Chau made a
800-mile (1300km)-long pilgrimage
on foot, which took them more than
two years and nine months
We will be amazed that we can actually
do so much for so many people,
despite having a limited physical body.
(Ven Sheng Yan)
3 types of diligence
1. Diligence like Armor
- fearless
- see obstacles and troubles as opportunities to
enhance skills
2. Virtuous Diligence
- gather virtues of Dharma practices
- use body, speech & mind in the environment
as opportunities to practice – genuine diligence
- a diligent practitioner’s eyes are wide open for
opportunities to practice anywhere & anytime.
3. Compassionate Diligence
- diligence which benefits all sentient beings
- Bodhisattvas do not expect anything from
sentient beings, do not impose any ideas, or to
force anything upon others
Paññā
Wisdom is the attitude of no self - not having an attitude that is
based on self-centered perspective
It is not ‘nothing out there’
The self of wisdom is there to solve problems; the self of
compassion is there to benefit people. One applies both wisdom
and compassion to develop and cultivate a self that is pure and
happy, one that eventually grows into the perfect being, a Buddha.
Subjective and Objective Contemplation
We see ourselves as objective
There is no such thing as being absolutely
objective.
Objectivity, really is just
several people’s subjectivity.
People offer Ven Sheng Yan
food, “Shifu, this food is good
for you.. If you don’t eat it you
are not being objective” Are
these people being objective
or subjective? What they have
done is objectively deny me my
personal preference.
When a group of people agree on something,
it becomes objective. Everybody will then
follow and regard it as objective.
In daily life, be aware of our habit to
contemplate things from a supposedly
‘objective’ point of view & regard others as
‘subjective’.
Absolute Contemplation
(madhyamika)
Dealing with people without
interjecting one’s own self-centered
perspective.
We still need to rely on professional
knowledge and specialized skills.
The important thing is to perceive what is really going on, without
reference to one’s own likes or dislikes, and to do what is most
appropriate to help someone.
This involves communication with and understanding that person.
1. Generosity (dana)
2. Moral conduct (sila)
3. Renunciation (nekkhamma)
1. Which parami do they have
(chose one)?
2. What can you learn from them
– mindset, thought pattern,
action, speech
4. Wisdom (paññā)
5. Energy/Diligence (viriya)
6. Patience (khanti)
7. Truthfulness (sacca)
1. Buddha
2. Respected Venerable or
Dharma teacher
8. Determination (adhitthana)
9. Loving-kindness (metta)
3. A favourite person or mentor
4. Me
10.Equanimity (upekkha)
Aspiration
1. One thing/thought I will do more
2. One thing/thought I will do differently
3. One Parami I will practice more