Part 11 - Classification of the Pāramīs

To the question, “How many pāramīs are there?” the answer in brief is: There are thirty pāramīs, namely, ten Ordinary Perfections (Pāramī), ten Higher Perfections (Upa-pāramī) and ten Highest Perfections (Paramattha pāramī).

(With respect to Dāna, there is Dāna pāramīs, Dāna Upa-pāramī and Dāna Paramatthapāramī; so also with regard to the nine remaining pāramīs, such as Sīla, Nekkhamma, etc., each one is of three different kinds and therefore the original ten Pāramīs become thirty in all.)

Pāramī, Upa-pāramī and Paramattha-pāramī

To the questions “What is Pāramī, Upa-pāramī and Paramattha Pāramī?” the answer is provided in the Chapter on Miscellany in the Commentary to the Cariya Piṭaka. Therein, the Commentator answers this question elaborately, giving different interpretations, views and comments by diverse teachers. To reproduce them all in this work will cause only confusion to readers, so we shall give here only the decided view preferred by the Commentator Mahā Dhammapāla Thera himself.

(1) Giving away one’s external objects, such as wife, children, wealth and property, is Dāna Pāramī; giving up one’s limbs, such as hands, feet, etc., is Dāna Upa-pāramī; giving up one’s life is Dāna Paramattha-pāramī.

(2) Likewise, observing a precept and not making a breach on account of one’s external objects, such as wife, children, wealth and property, is Sīla pāramī; observing a precept and not making a breach on account of one’s limbs, such as hands, feet, etc., is Sīla Upapāramī; observing a precept and not making a breach on account of one' s life is Sīla Paramattha-pāramī.

(3) Cutting off attachment to one’s external objects and going forth from household life is Nekkhamma Pāramī; cutting off attachment to one’s limbs, such as hands, feet, etc., and going forth from household life, is Nekkhamma Upa-pāramī; cutting off attachment to one’s life and going forth from household life is Nekkhamma Paramattha-pāramī.

(4) Rooting out attachment to one’s external objects and deciding deliberately what is beneficial to beings and what is not is Paññā Pāramī;rooting out attachment to one’s limbs, such as hands, feet, etc., and deciding deliberately what is beneficial to beings and what is not is Paññā Upa-pāramī;rooting out attachment to one’s life and deciding deliberately what is beneficial to beings and what is not is Paññā Paramattha-pāramī.

(5) Striving to fulfil and become accomplished in the aforesaid pāramīs and those to be mentioned later is Vīriya Pāramī; striving to fulfil and become accomplished in the aforesaid upa-pāramīs and those to be mentioned later is Vīriya Upa-pāramī; striving to fulfil and become accomplished in the aforesaid paramattha-pāramīs and those to be mentioned later is Vīriya Paramattha-pāramī.

(6) Bearing with patience the vicissitudes, which endanger one’s external objects, is Khanti Pāramī; bearing with patience the vicissitudes which endanger one’s limbs, such as hands, feet, etc., is Khanti Upa-pāramī;bearing with patience the vicissitudes, which endanger one’s life, is Khanti Paramattha-pāramī.

(7) Not abandoning truth on account of one’s external objects is Sacca Pāramī; not abandoning truth on account of one’s limbs, such as hands, feet, etc., is Sacca Upa-pāramī; not abandoning truth on account of one’s life is Sacca Paramattha-pāramī.

(8) Unshakeable determination in spite of destruction of one’s external objects while holding firmly, that “Pāramīs such, as Dāna, etc., can be fulfilled only with indestructible determination” is Adhiṭṭhāna Pāramī; unshakeable determination in spite of destruction of one’s limbs, such as hands, feet, etc., is Adhiṭṭhāna Upa-pāramī; unshakeable determination in spite of destruction of one’s life is Adhiṭṭhāna Paramattha-pāramī.

(9) Not abandoning loving-kindness towards beings (continuous suffusion of beings with loving-kindness) even if they have caused destruction to one’s external objects is Mettā Pāramī; not abandoning loving kindness towards beings even if they have caused destruction to one’s limbs, such as hands, feet, etc., is Mettā Upa-pāramī; not abandoning loving-kindness towards beings even if they have caused destruction to one’s life is Mettā Paramattha-pāramī.

(10) Maintaining a equanimous attitude towards beings and their volitional activities, irrespective of whether they have been helpful or harmful to one’s external objects is Upekkhā Pāramī; maintaining a neutral attitude towards beings and their volitional activities, irrespective of whether they have been helpful or harmful to one’s limbs, such as hands, feet, etc., is Upekkhā Upa-pāramī;maintaining a neutral attitude towards beings and their volitional activities, irrespective of whether they have been helpful or harmful to one’s life is Upekkhā Paramattha-pāramī. In this way, Classification of the Pāramīs should be understood.

(This is the Classification of the Pāramīs.)