The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.
6 July 2024
Question: What pāramīs are needed to be fulfilled before one can enter into Nibbāna?
Than Ajahn: All. Just like the mind and the body that are inter-connected and related. They are like parts of an automobile. We have to have all of them in order for the automobile to run effectively. They rely and depend on each other.
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Question: And do we need to develop such pāramīs to the extreme or does the level of pāramīs correspond to the stages of attainment?
Than Ajahn: I cannot say how much or what level of the 10 pāramīs (perfections of the heart) you need to have but you need to have enough to get rid of defilements. Just like taking medicine, I don’t know how much medicine you have to take. You just keep taking it according to prescription until your fever disappears. As long as your fever is still there, you keep on taking it. Eventually, your fever stops and that means you have enough medicine.
It’s the same with building up the pāramīs. You should keep on building them until you eventually complete them. Similarly, the Buddha needed the last pāramīs to fulfill his dream (his wish) which is pañña pāramī (wisdom). That’s when he discovered the Four Noble Truths. But, before he could get to that point, he needed the support of upekkha pāramī (equanimity).
In order to support nekkhamma pāramī (renunciation), sīla pāramī (moral conduct), and dāna pāramī (generosity), he needed the support of adhiṭṭhāna pāramī (resolution), viriya pāramī (effort), sacca pāramī (truthfulness), and khanti pāramī (patience). All these things support the final pāramī which is the pañña pāramīs.
Dhamma in English, Apr 4, 2017.
By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
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