The Six Paramitas: Six Ferries Across the River of Life and Death

In the wisdom of Buddhism, there is a beautiful term called "Paramita." This Sanskrit word originally means "to reach the other shore." To complete this great crossing, the Buddha prepared six sturdy ferries for us, which we call the "Six Paramitas" or the Six Perfections.

Tonight, I would like to sit quietly with you and talk about these six boats. They are not just nouns written in scriptures, but tangible forces that can bear the weight of our lives.

The First Ferry: Dana (Giving) — Loosening the Grip

Often, we feel pain because we hold on too tightly. We cling to wealth, we cling to emotions, and we even cling to a "wounded self."

Dana, or Giving, is often simply understood as donating money or doing charity. Of course, giving material aid is one form of Dana, but its deepest meaning is "letting go."

Imagine for a moment: when you clench your fist tightly, your hand is tense, and your heart is closed. But when you open your palm to give what you hold to another, you simultaneously release yourself.

There are three levels of Dana: First is Material Giving: helping those in need with material goods. This heals our greed and stinginess. Second is the Gift of Dharma: using truth, knowledge, or wisdom to guide others out of confusion. Third is the Gift of Fearlessness: this, I feel, is the gentlest kind. When others are afraid or helpless, you offer them comfort, companionship, and courage, freeing them from fear.

Dear friend, Dana is not a transaction. It is not an exchange for future blessings. True giving is when, in the act of giving, there is no sense of superiority ("I am giving to you") and no expectation ("You should thank me"). It is like a flower releasing its fragrance—it simply blooms naturally, seeking neither the pause nor the praise of passersby.

The Second Ferry: Sila (Precepts) — Guardrails in the Chaos

When you hear the word "Precepts," do you feel restricted? Do you think of a list of "do nots"?

In reality, the essence of Sila is not restriction, but protection.

Imagine driving on a dark mountain road. Are the guardrails there to limit your freedom? No, they are there to prevent you from falling into the abyss. Sila is the guardrail of our lives. It allows us to maintain clarity and dignity in a chaotic world.

Not killing is cultivating reverence and compassion for life; not stealing is respecting the labor and possessions of others; not engaging in sexual misconduct is guarding the loyalty and purity of relationships; not lying is maintaining trust between people; not using intoxicants is preserving the clarity of the mind.

When we uphold these principles, our hearts find an open and honest peace. We need not worry about lies being exposed or fear retaliation. Sila gives us the greatest freedom—the freedom of a mind without burdens.

The Third Ferry: Ksanti (Patience) — Gentle Resilience

In a society full of competition and friction, "Patience" is often misunderstood as weakness, or as suppressing one's anger while "swallowing broken teeth."

But Ksanti in the Dharma is a quality of immense power. It is not the forced suppression of anger, but an inclusivity and forgiveness that arises from a deep understanding of causes and conditions.

When someone hurts you, if you can see the affliction, ignorance, and suffering within them, your anger transforms into compassion. You realize that they, too, are a pitiful soul scorched by the fires of affliction.

Ksanti has three levels: First is Patience with Harm: facing insults and harm from others without hatred or seeking revenge. Second is Patience with Suffering: accepting the hardships of life—illness, poverty, natural disasters—calmly, without blaming fate or others. Third is Patience with the Non-Arising of Dharmas: this is the highest wisdom. When we deeply realize the truth of "non-self," understanding that the one insulted, the insulter, and the insult itself are all essentially empty, then what is there that cannot be overcome?

Patience is having a heart strong enough to gently embrace the imperfections of this world.

The Fourth Ferry: Virya (Diligence) — The Unextinguished Passion

Practice is a marathon, not a sprint. We often fall into the trap of being "enthusiastic for three days, then lazy for two."

Virya, or Diligence, is not blind busyness, nor is it pushing oneself to exhaustion. It is a joyful persistence in what is good.

Like an artist who loves to paint, they might forget to eat or sleep while working; though the body is tired, the spirit is full and happy. This is Virya.

In life, Diligence means maintaining an upward posture. Prevent evil that has not yet arisen; eradicate evil that has already arisen. Generate good that has not yet arisen; increase good that has already arisen.

Do not underestimate small efforts. Dripping water wears away stone not because of its strength, but because of its persistence. Even ten minutes of meditation or reading a few pages of scripture every day can bring a qualitative change to life if sustained.

The Fifth Ferry: Dhyana (Meditation) — Returning to Inner Stillness

Our world is too noisy. Phone notifications, the bustle of the city, and our inner wandering thoughts are constantly tugging at our attention. Our mind is like a glass of stirred, muddy water; we cannot see the bottom.

Dhyana is the process of letting this water settle.

When the sediment settles, the water naturally becomes clear. When wandering thoughts subside, wisdom naturally manifests.

Meditation does not necessarily mean sitting cross-legged in a deep mountain temple. You can practice Zen in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. Drinking a cup of tea with focus, walking a path with focus, listening to a song with focus—this is all Zen.

Try to leave a blank space for yourself every day. Turn off your phone, cut off external connections, and just be with yourself. Observe the breath coming in and out, observe thoughts rising and falling. You will discover that beneath our noisy surface consciousness, there is a vast, quiet, and profound space. That is our true home.

The Sixth Ferry: Prajna (Wisdom) — The Lamp Illuminating the Darkness

The first five Paramitas—Giving, Precepts, Patience, Diligence, Meditation—if not guided by Prajna Wisdom, are like a blind man riding a blind horse; though running hard, he may be getting further and further from the goal.

Prajna is not worldly intelligence or cleverness, but the great wisdom that penetrates the truth of life.

What is this truth? It is "Dependent Origination and Emptiness."

It lets us see that all things in the world arise from the combination of causes and conditions and lack an eternal, unchanging entity. Since everything is impermanent and fluid, why should we be so attached to temporary gains and losses, honor and disgrace, love and hate?

When the light of Prajna shines, Giving is no longer for return, but a pure act of "Threefold Emptiness"; Precepts are no longer restrictions, but following the rhythm of nature; Patience is no longer suppression, but the flow of compassion; Diligence is no longer attachment, but doing without "doing"; Meditation is no longer dead silence, but lively awareness.

Dear friend, these six ferries have actually always been docked in the harbor of your heart.

Perhaps you are in the center of a storm right now, feeling that the other shore is unreachable. But please believe that as long as you are willing to untie the rope and raise the sail—even if it is just taking a small step, like giving a smile to a stranger (Dana), holding back an impulse to get angry (Sila), or forgiving someone who hurt you (Ksanti)—you are already on the way across the river.

The Dharma is not a lofty theory; it is the art of life, the practice of living.

May you ride these six ferries, braving the wind and waves, and finally arrive at that bright, free shore.