The Sanskrit term “paramita” is usually translated in English as “perfection,” but in Chinese Buddhist literature it is always rendered in a character that translates literally as “crossing to the other shore.” The Six Paramitas are very concrete means for us to cross over the sea of suffering to the shore of freedom from craving, anger, envy, despair, and delusion. Through cultivating and perfecting these six ways of being, we can reach the other shore very quickly – it may take only a few seconds for us to cross over the river of suffering and arrive on the shore of well-being. We may have thought that it would take many years of practice in order to get free of the afflictions, but if we know how to cultivate and manifest these six qualities we can cross over right here and now.

The first paramita, the first door of action, is dana, giving and generosity. The second door of action is shila, the precepts, mindfulness trainings, and guidelines for ethical behavior. The third door is kṣānti, all-embracing inclusiveness. The fourth door of action is vīrya, diligence, energy, effort, and steadfastness in the practice. The fifth is dhyana, meditation, the practice of stopping and calming and looking deeply. And the sixth is prajn͂ā, wisdom and understanding.

We have already seen these qualities manifested in the bodhisattvas of the Lotus Sutra. Never Despising Bodhisattva and Pūrṇa exemplify the perfection of inclusiveness. Mañjuśrī is an example of complete realization of great wisdom. Earth Store Bodhisattva’s vow not to rest until all living beings are delivered from the hells of suffering is an example of the perfection of diligence.

All of the great bodhisattvas manifest the qualities of the Six Paramitas in various ways, and each of these six doors of action exists in interdependence with the others. In any one of these six qualities, you can see the other five. This is the approach that we should always take when we study and practice Buddhism, because the very foundation of Buddhist wisdom is interbeing – the one contains the all.