*PARAMIS:* The Ten Perfections 1. *Dana*: Generosity May I be generous and helpful 2. *Sila*: Morality May I be well-disciplined and refined in manners. May I be pure and clean in all my dealings. May my thoughts, words and deeds be pure. 3. *Nekkhama*: Renunciation May I not be selfish and self-possessive, but selfless and disinterested. May I be able to sacrifice my pleasure for the sake of others. 4. *Panna*: Wisdom May I be wise and able to see things as they truly are. May I see the light of truth and lead others from darkness to light. May I be enlightened and be able to enlighten others. 5. *Viriya*: Energy May I be energetic, vigorous and persevering. May I strive diligently until I achieve my goal. May I be fearless in facing dangers and courageously surmount all obstacles. May I be able to serve others to the best of my ability. 6. *Khanti*: Patience May I ever be patient. May I be able to bear and forbear the wrongs of others. May I ever be tolerant and see the good and beautiful in all. 7. *Sacca*: Truthfulness May I ever be truthful and honest. May I not swerve from the path of truth. 8. *Adhitthana*: Determination May I be firm and resolute and have an iron will. May I be soft as a flower and firm as a rock. May I ever be high-principled. 9. *Metta*: Loving Kindness May I ever be kind, friendly and compassionate. May I be able to regard all as my brothers and sisters and be one with all. 10. *Upekkha*: Equanimity May I ever be calm, serene, unruffled and peaceful. May I gain a balanced mind. May I have perfect equanimity. May I serve to be perfect. May I be perfect to serve. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu. --------------------------------------------- *THE PERFECTION OF EFFORT* (Viriya-Parami) Translation by Saya U Chit Tin, WKH Assistants U San Myint Aung, B.A. 1 Published and Copyright by The Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust, U.K. Heddington,Calne,Great Britain, 1987 Dhammadana Series 5/c Dedicated to our much revered teacher the late Sayagyi U Ba Khin (Thray Sithu) First printed 1987 in France ---------------------------------------- DharmaNet Edition 1994 via DharmaNet by arrangement with the publisher. Electronic format: Barry Kapke DharmaNet International P.O. Box 4951, Berkeley CA 94704-4951 ---------------------------------- *Contents* Introduction 1. The effort made by the Bodhisatta 2. Effort as a mental concomitant 3. Effort through right exertion 4. Eleven factors which result in making effort 5. A sense of urgency as the main foundation 6. Effort no associated with wholesome volitional actions 7. The effort of the Bodhisatta Mahosadha 8. Why the Buddha allowed Devadatta to ordain 9. The importance of energy --------------------------------------------- *INTRODUCTION* The type of effort or energy to be developed is given in the "Treatise" with reference to the Bodhisatta. Each day he asks himself, "Have I accumulated any requisites of merit and of knowledge today? What have I done for the welfare of others?" Energy is necessary at every step along the way. The most striking feature of the discussion here is the emphasis on mental effort. In fact, very little is said concerning physical effort -- for it is the mind which is more important. If balanced effort can be produced mentally, the resulting physical effort will be correct. In the Pali canon there are stories of people who made resolutions to strive to the utmost for Awakening. This is to be done once a certain level of development has been reached. If the mind is disturbed by such an 2 effort, the person is not ready yet. This is why Sayagyi U Ba Khin, who was capable of long hours of steady work, encouraged students of his who had only progressed to a certain stage in controlling their minds to work with what he called "zestful ease." By this he meant making a full effort for the meditation period and relaxing their mental effort at other times. This, of course, did not mean relaxing as far as the fundamentals -- such as Sila -- were concerned. Saya U Chit Tin Heddington, January 19, 1986 //Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa// *THE PERFECTION OF EFFORT* *(VIRIYA PARAMI)* 1. The effort made by the Bodhisatta A Bodhisatta puts forth the maximum required effort, no matter what his task is. He does not make less effort for ordinary tasks and more effort for more difficult tasks. He is like a maned lion that makes as much effort in hunting a rabbit as in hunting an elephant. As a result of the even effort made in past lives, when the Bodhisatta becomes a Buddha he always makes the same effort giving discourses. He does not talk softer when addressing one person and louder when addressing a larger audience. His voice is carried equally to all who listen. If there is only one person listening to him, only that person hears the discourse. When there are many people, no matter how far away they are from the Buddha, each person hears him clearly. When the chief disciple, Venerable Sariputta, gave the Samacitta Sutta, he had to first develop the special powers (Iddhi-vidha) in order to be heard by his large audience. It was not necessary for the Buddha to do this. In addition to practising the perfection of effort in lives before the one in which he reaches Buddhahood, a Bodhisatta practises the arduous exercises (Dukkara-cariya) for at least seven days after making the renunciation. He does not take food for some time during these exercises, and is very nearly reduced to skin, tendons and bones. Later, on the eve of attaining the great Awakening, he sits on a grass mat under the Bodhi tree and makes the determination not to get up until he has attained the Knowledge of Omniscience (Sabbannuta-nana), even if only skin and tendons and bones remain after his blood and flesh dry up. Through this effort he is able to realize through the Knowledge of Insight (Vipassana-nana) Dependent Origination and the three salient features of impermanence (Anicca), unsatisfactoriness (Dukkha), and lack of self (Anicca), unsatisfactoriness (Dukkha), and lack of self (Anatta) in all material and mental phenomena. And thus he attains Buddhahood. 2. Effort as a mental concomitant. Like wisdom (Panna), effort is a mental concomitant; but whereas wisdom is always associated with wholesome mental states, effort is associated with both wholesome and unwholesome mental states. Effort which is good and which should be cultivated as a perfection is known as Right Effort (Samma-vayama). Striving which is bad is known as Wrong Effort (Miccha-vayama). 3 3. Effort through right exertion. Right effort (Sammavayama) is also known as right exertion (Samma- ppadhana). There are four kinds of effort through right exertion: 1) the effort to avoid unwholesome states (Samvara-padhana), 2) the effort to overcome existing unwholesome states (Pahana-padhana), 3) the effort to develop wholesome states (Bhavana-padhana), and 4) the effort to maintain existing wholesome state (Anurakkhana-padhana). 4. Eleven factors which result in making effort. In the Mahasatipatthana Sutta commentary, eleven factors are given which result in making effort: 1) Reviewing the fearfulness of the lower realms of misery (Apaya- bhaya-paccavekkhanata). Effort will be made by a person who reminds himself of the following: "If I am idle, I may be reborn in the lower realms of misery. In the hells, I would not be able to develop the perfection of effort as I would be too distracted by the pain resulting from the tortures there. Or if I am reborn in the animal world I may be the prey of human beings. Or if I am reborn in the ghost realm (Peta-loka) I will be tormented by hunger for a whole world cycle. Or if I am reborn in the demon world (Asura-loka) with a huge body of bones and skin, I will suffer from heat or cold winds. This life is my only opportunity for developing effort." 2) Perceiving the advantage (in effort) (Anisamsa-dassavita). Effort will be made by a person who thinks to himself, "A person who is idle will never attain the supramundane stages of the Paths and Fruition States. Only those who are industrious can attain them. Making effort can result in attaining the supramundane stages which are so rarely realized by those who aspire to them. 3) Reviewing how to strive on the way (Gamena-vithi- paccavekkhanata). Effort will be made by a person who thinks to himself, "All Buddhas, Pacceka Buddhas and disciples of Buddhas make their way along the path to release through effort. The right path cannot be trod by those who are idle. Only the industrious can walk along this path." 4) Honouring alms food (Pindapatapacayanata). This factor is specifically for bhikkhus. Effort will be made by a bhikkhu to use food offered by laymen respectfully, thinking, "Be mindful! These people do not give you food because you are a member of their family or because they make their living by giving alms. They give food because great merit is acquired in giving to the Sangha. The Buddha does not allow us to eat in a lazy or careless fashion. He permitted the eating of alms food only to those practising the Teachings in order to be liberated from future births. Only those who make an effort and who cultivate the Teachings are worthy of eating food given to the Sangha." 5) Reviewing the nobility of the inheritance (Dayajja-mahatta- paccavekkhanata). Effort will be made by those who think to themselves, "Disciples of the Buddha inherit the seven types of property of those who are moral: faith (Saddha), virtue (Sila), learning (Suta), liberality (Caga), wisdom (Panna), conscience (Hiri) and moral dread (Ottappa).