The Buddhist path (''marga'') to liberation, also referred to as
awakening, is described in a wide variety of ways. The classical one is the
Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path (Pali: ; Sanskrit: ) is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth, in the form of nirvana.
The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: ...
, which is only one of several summaries presented in the
Sutta Pitaka. A number of other paths to liberation exist within various Buddhist traditions and
theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
.
Early Buddhism
There are various expositions of the path to liberation in the
Early Buddhist texts
Early Buddhist texts (EBTs), early Buddhist literature or early Buddhist discourses are parallel texts shared by the early Buddhist schools. The most widely studied EBT material are the first four Pali Nikayas, as well as the corresponding Chines ...
, the following examples are drawn from the
Pali Nikayas.
The Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path is widely known as ''the'' description of the Buddhist path. In the Sutta Pitaka it is summed up as follows:
Alternate sequences in the Pali Nikayas
Alternate, and possibly older, sequences of the stages on the Buddhist path to liberation, can be found throughout the Pali Canon.
Tevijja Sutta
A standard sequence of developments can be found in the Nikayas, which may predate the more stylised four noble truths. For example the Tevijja Sutta verse 40–75 (Dikha Nikaya 13):
[metta.lk, ''Tevijja Sutra'']
* Verse 40: A Tathàgata is born into the world, who makes his knowledge known to others.
* Verse 41: A householder listens to that truth, acquires faith, and goes forth from the household life into the homeless state.
* Verse 42: He passes a life self-restrained, good in his conduct, guarding the door of his senses; mindful and self-possessed.
* Verse 43–75: This results in:
** The confidence of heart that results from the sense of goodness.
** The way in which he guards the doors of his senses.
** The way in which he is mindful and self-possessed.
** His habit of being content with little, of adopting simplicity of life.
** His conquest of the
five hindrances
In the Buddhist tradition, the five hindrances ( Sinhala: ''පඤ්ච නීවරණ pañca nīvaraṇa''; Pali: ') are identified as mental factors that hinder progress in meditation and in our daily lives. In the Theravada tradition, thes ...
, each with the explanatory simile.
** The joy and peace which, as a result of this conquest, fills his whole being.
Cula-Hatthipadopama-sutta
According to Rod Bucknell, another listing of path stages occurs in various places in the Majjhima Nikaya, and can be illustrated with the following list of stages from the ''Cula-Hatthipadopama-sutta'' (Lesser Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant's Footprints).
# ''Dhamma /
saddha
In Buddhism, faith ( pi, saddhā, italic=yes, sa, śraddhā, italic=yes) refers to a serene commitment to the practice of the Buddha's teaching and trust in enlightened or highly developed beings, such as Buddhas or ''bodhisattvas'' (those ...
/ pabbajja'': A layman hears a Buddha teach the
Dhamma
Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
, comes to have faith in him, and decides to take ordination as a monk.
# ''
Sila'': He adopts the moral
precepts
A precept (from the la, præcipere, to teach) is a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action.
Religious law
In religion, precepts are usually commands respecting moral conduct.
Christianity
The term is enco ...
.
# ''Indriyasamvara'' (element of
right effort
The Noble Eightfold Path (Pali: ; Sanskrit: ) is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth, in the form of nirvana.
The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: ri ...
): He practises "guarding the
six sense-doors."
# ''
Sati
Sati or SATI may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Sati'' (film), a 1989 Bengali film by Aparna Sen and starring Shabana Azmi
* ''Sati'' (novel), a 1990 novel by Christopher Pike
*Sati (singer) (born 1976), Lithuanian singer
*Sati, a character in ''Th ...
-
sampajanna'': He practises
mindfulness and self-possession (actually described as mindfulness of the body, ''kayanussati'').
#
Jhana
In the oldest texts of Buddhism, ''dhyāna'' () or ''jhāna'' () is a component of the training of the mind (''bhavana''), commonly translated as meditation, to withdraw the mind from the automatic responses to sense-impressions, "burn up" the ...
1: He finds an isolated spot in which to meditate, purifies his mind of the hindrances (
nivarana), and attains the first rupa-jhana.
# Jhana 2: He attains the second jhana.
# Jhana 3: He attains the third jhana.
# Jhana 4: He attains the fourth jhana.
# ''Pubbenivasanussati-ñana'': He recollects his many former existences in
samsara.
# ''Sattanam cutupapata-ñana'': He observes the death and rebirth of beings according to their karmas.
# ''Asavakkhaya-ñana'': He brings about the destruction of the
asavas (cankers), and attains a profound realization of (as opposed to mere knowledge about) the
Four Noble Truths.
# ''
Vimutti
''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriologica ...
'': He perceives that he is now liberated, that he has done what was to be done.
Maha-Assapura-sutta
According to Bucknell, in this sutta the Buddha gives the following list of "things that are to be done by recluses and brahmans":
# ''hiri-
ottappa'': The recluse or brahman cultivates a sense of shame and fear of blame.
# ''parisuddha kaya-samacara'' – He cultivates pure conduct of body.
# ''parisuddha vaci-samacara'': He cultivates pure conduct of speech.
# ''parisuddha mano-samacara'': He cultivates pure conduct of mind.
# ''parisuddha ajiva'': He cultivates
pure livelihood.
# ''indriyasamvara'': He guards the six sense-doors.
# ''bhojane mattaññuta'': He exercises restraint in eating.
# ''jagariya'': He practises wakefulness.
# ''
Sati
Sati or SATI may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Sati'' (film), a 1989 Bengali film by Aparna Sen and starring Shabana Azmi
* ''Sati'' (novel), a 1990 novel by Christopher Pike
*Sati (singer) (born 1976), Lithuanian singer
*Sati, a character in ''Th ...
-
sampajanna'': He is mindful and self-possessed.
# First Jhana
# Second Jhana
# Third Jhana
# Fourth Jhana
# ''Pubbenivasanussati-ñana'': He recollects his former existences.
# ''Sattanam cutupapata-ñana'': He observes the death and rebirth of beings.
# ''Asavakkhaya-ñana – Vimutti'': He destroys the asavas, realizes the four noble truths, and perceives that he is liberated
Sekha-sutta
According to Bucknell, in the Sekha sutta the Buddha prompts
Ananda to teach a "learner's course" to a group of disciples, which goes thus:
#
''sila''
# ''indriyasamvara''
# ''bhojane mattaññuta,'' restraint in eating.
# ''jagariya,'' wakefulness.
# ''satta saddhamma'': He develops the seven "excellent qualities" (''saddha, hiri, ottappa, bahussuta, viriya, sati, pañña'' – faith, sense of shame, fear of blame, hearing much, energy, mindfulness, insight)
# ''jhana'': He attains without difficulty the four jhanas.
# ''Pubbenivasanussati-ñana'': He recollects his former existences.
# ''Sattanam cutupapata-ñana'': He observes the death and rebirth of beings.
# ''Asavakkhaya-ñana – Vimutti'': He destroys the asavas and perceives that he is liberated.
Various sequences in the Madhyama Agama
According to
Bhikkhu Sujato, the Chinese Madhyama Agama of the Sarvastivada school includes some exposition of the gradual path not available in the Pali Nikayas of the Theravada school. He outlines three main such expositions of the path, from the following sutras, MA 44, MA 54, and MA 55:
MA 44
MA 54
MA 55
Bodhipakkhiyādhammā
The Noble Eightfold Path is one of the lists in the ''bodhipakkhiyā dhammā'', a term used in the
Pali commentaries to refer to seven sets of qualities or aids to awakening regularly ascribed the
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
throughout the
Pali Canon
The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school.
During t ...
, each summarizing the Buddhist path. Within these seven sets of awakening qualities, there is a total of thirty-seven overlapping and repetitive factors or qualities.
Four establishments of mindfulness (''cattāro satipaṭṭhānā'')
# Mindfulness of the body (''kāyānupassanā'', S. ''kayānupasthāna'')
# Mindfulness of feelings (''vedanānupassanā'', S. ''vedanānupasthāna'')
# Mindfulness of mental states (''cittānupassanā'', S. ''cittanupasthāna'')
# Mindfulness of mental qualities (''dhammānupassanā'', S. ''dharmanupasthāna'')
Four right exertions/efforts (''cattāro sammappadhānā'')
# Exertion for the preventing of unskillful states to arise
# Exertion for the abandoning of the already arisen unskillful states
# Exertion for the arising of skillful states
# Exertion for the sustaining and increasing of arisen skillful states
Four bases of magical/mental/supernatural power (''cattāro iddhipādā'')
# Will (''
chanda
Sanskrit prosody or Chandas refers to one of the six Vedangas, or limbs of Vedic studies.James Lochtefeld (2002), "Chandas" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing, , page 140 It is the study of poetic metr ...
'', S. ''chanda'')
# Energy, effort (''
viriya'', S. ''
vīrya'')
# Consciousness (''
citta
''Citta'' (Pali and Sanskrit: चित्त; pronounced ''chitta''; IAST: ''citta)'' is one of three overlapping terms used in the '' nikaya'' to refer to the mind, the others being '' manas'' and '' viññāṇa''. Each is sometimes used i ...
'', S. ''citta'')
# Examination (''vīmaṁsa'' or ', S. ''mimāṃsā'')
Five spiritual faculties (''pañca indriya'')
# Conviction (''
saddhā
In Buddhism, faith ( pi, saddhā, italic=yes, sa, śraddhā, italic=yes) refers to a serene commitment to the practice of the Buddha's teaching and trust in enlightened or highly developed beings, such as Buddhas or ''bodhisattvas'' (those ...
'', S. ''śraddhā'')
# Energy, effort (''viriya'', s. ''
vīrya'')
# Mindfulness (''sati'', S. ''smṛti'')
# Unification (''samādhi'', S. ''samādhi'')
# Wisdom (''
paññā,'' S. ''prajñā'')
Five Strengths
The Five Strengths (Sanskrit, Pali: ') in Buddhism are faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. They are one of the seven sets of Bodhipakkhiyadhamma ("qualities conducive to enlightenment"). They are paralleled in the five spir ...
(''pañca bala'')
# Conviction (''
saddhā
In Buddhism, faith ( pi, saddhā, italic=yes, sa, śraddhā, italic=yes) refers to a serene commitment to the practice of the Buddha's teaching and trust in enlightened or highly developed beings, such as Buddhas or ''bodhisattvas'' (those ...
'', S. ''
śraddhā'')
# Energy, effort (''viriya'', S. ''
vīrya'')
# Mindfulness (''
Sati_(Buddhism)
Sati ( pi, सति; sa, स्मृति ''smṛti''), literally "memory" or "retention", commonly translated as mindfulness, is an essential part of Buddhist practice in which one maintains a lucid awareness of bodily and mental phenomen ...
'', S. ''smṛti'')
# Unification (''samādhi'', S. ''samādhi'')
# Wisdom (''
paññā,'' S. ''prajñā'')
Seven Factors of Awakening (''bojjhanga'')
# Mindfulness (''
sati
Sati or SATI may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Sati'' (film), a 1989 Bengali film by Aparna Sen and starring Shabana Azmi
* ''Sati'' (novel), a 1990 novel by Christopher Pike
*Sati (singer) (born 1976), Lithuanian singer
*Sati, a character in ''Th ...
'', S. ''smṛti'')
# Investigation (''
dhamma vicaya
In Buddhism, ''dhamma vicaya'' (Pali; sa, dharma-) has been variously translated as the "analysis of qualities," "discrimination of ''dhammas''," "discrimination of states," "investigation of doctrine,"
and "searching the Truth." The meaning is ...
'', S. ''dharmapravicaya'')
# Energy, effort (''viriya'', S. ''
vīrya'')
# Joy (''
pīti
''Pīti'' in Pali (Sanskrit: ''Prīti'') is a mental factor (Pali:''cetasika'', Sanskrit: ''caitasika'') associated with the development of '' jhāna'' (Sanskrit: ''dhyāna'') in Buddhist meditation. According to Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, ''piti'' i ...
'', S. ''prīti'')
# Tranquillity (''
passaddhi
''Passaddhi'' is a Pali noun (Sanskrit: prasrabhi, Tibetan: ཤིན་ཏུ་སྦྱང་བ་,Tibetan Wylie: shin tu sbyang ba) that has been translated as "calmness", "tranquillity", "repose" and "serenity." The associated verb is ''pa ...
'', S. ''praśrabdhi'')
# Unification (''
samādhi
''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...
'', S. ''samādhi'')
# Equanimity (''
upekkhā'', S. ''upekṣā'')
Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path (Pali: ; Sanskrit: ) is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth, in the form of nirvana.
The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: ...
# Right Understanding (''sammā diṭṭhi'', S. ''samyag-dṛṣṭi'')
# Right Intention (''sammā saṅkappa'', S. ''samyak-saṃkalpa'')
# Right Speech (''sammā vācā'', S. ''samyag-vāc'')
# Right Action (''sammā kammanta'', S. ''samyak-karmānta'')
# Right Livelihood (''sammā ājīva'', S. ''samyag-ājīva'')
# Right Effort (''sammā vāyāma'', S. samyag-vyāyāma)
# Right Mindfulness (''sammā sati'', S. ''samyak-smṛti'')
# Right Unification (''sammā samādhi'', S. ''samyak-samādhi'')
Developing the seven factors of awakening
According to
Rupert Gethin
Rupert Mark Lovell Gethin (born 1957, in Edinburgh) is Professor of Buddhist Studies in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies and codirector of the Centre for Buddhist Studies at the University of Bristol, and (since 2003) president of ...
, the Buddhist path to awakening is frequently summarized in the Pali Canon in a short formula as
Various practices lead to the development of the ''
bojjhaṅgā'', the seven factors of awakening, which are not only the means to, but also the constituents of awakening. According to Gethin, there is a "definite affinity" between the four ''
jhanas'' and the ''bojjhaṅgā'', the development of which is aided by . Together with ''
satipatthana
''Satipatthana'' ( pi, Satipaṭṭhāna, italic=yes; sa, smṛtyupasthāna, italic=yes) is a central practice in the Buddha's teachings, meaning "the establishment of mindfulness" or "presence of mindfulness", or alternatively "foundations of ...
'' (mindfulness) and ''
anapanasati'' (breath-meditation), this results in a "heightened awareness," "overcoming distracting and disturbing emotions."
Alternate formulations
Other descriptions of Buddhist essentials can also be found.
Anupubbikathā
Another formula is ''anupubbikathā'', "graduated talk, in which the Buddha talks on generosity (''
dāna
Dāna (Devanagari: दान, IAST: Dānam) is a Sanskrit and Pali word that connotes the virtue of generosity, charity or giving of alms in Indian philosophies.
In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, dāna is the practice of cultivati ...
''), virtue (''
sīla''), heaven (''
sagga''), danger of sensual pleasure (''
ādīnava'') and renunciation (''
nekkhamma
''Nekkhamma'' (Sanskrit: नैष्क्राम्य, Naiṣkrāmya) is a Pali word generally translated as "renunciation" or "the pleasure of renunciation" while also conveying more specifically "giving up the world and leading a holy life" ...
''). When the listener is prepared by these topics, the Buddha then delivers "the teaching special to the Buddhas,"
[Majjhima Nikaya 56, ''To Upali'', verse 18. Bhikkhu Nanamoli & Bhikku Bodhi.]
the
Four Noble Truths (''cattāri ariya-
saccāni''), by which arises "the spotless immaculate vision of the Dhamma."
In the Tibetan Lamrim teachings, the Bodhisattva-path, with its training of the six perfections, is added to this formula.
Atthakavagga
The
Atthakavagga, one of the oldest books of the
Sutta Pitaka, contained in the
Sutta Nipata
The ' () is a Buddhist scripture, a sutta collection in the Khuddaka Nikaya, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism.
Sections
The ''Sutta Nipāta'' is divided into five sections:
Uraga Vagga ("The Chapter on the Serpent")
Cūla Vagg ...
, does not give a clear-cut goal such as
Nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
, but describes the ideal person. This ideal person is especially characterized by ''suddhi'' (purity) and ''santi'' (calmness).
Commentaries on the Atthakavagga, namely the ''Mahaniddesa'' and the commentary by
Buddhaghosa, show the development of Buddhist ideas over time. Both commentaries place the Atthakavagga in their frame of reference, giving an elaborated system of thought far more complicated than the Atthakavagga itself.
Theravada tradition - Path of purification
The classical outline of the Theravada path to liberation are the ''Seven Purifications'', as described by
Buddhaghosa in the
Visuddhimagga
The ''Visuddhimagga'' (Pali; English: ''The Path of Purification''), is the 'great treatise' on Buddhist practice and Theravāda Abhidhamma written by Buddhaghosa approximately in the 5th century in Sri Lanka. It is a manual condensing and sys ...
. These purifications are:
# Purification of Conduct (''sīla-visuddhi'')
# Purification of Mind (''citta-visuddhi'')
# Purification of View (''ditthi-visuddhi'')
# Purification by Overcoming Doubt (''kankha-vitarana-visuddhi'')
# Purification by Knowledge and Vision of What Is Path and Not Path (''maggamagga-ñanadassana-visuddhi'')
# Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Course of Practice (''patipada-ñanadassana-visuddhi'')
## Knowledge of contemplation of rise and fall (''udayabbayanupassana-nana'')
## Knowledge of contemplation of dissolution (''bhanganupassana-nana'')
## Knowledge of appearance as terror (''bhayatupatthana-nana'')
## Knowledge of contemplation of danger (''adinavanupassana-nana'')
## Knowledge of contemplation of dispassion (''nibbidanupassana-nana'')
## Knowledge of desire for deliverance (''muncitukamyata-nana'')
## Knowledge of contemplation of reflection (''patisankhanupassana-nana'')
## Knowledge of equanimity about formations (''sankharupekka-nana'')
## Conformity knowledge (''anuloma-nana'')
# Purification by Knowledge and Vision (''ñanadassana-visuddhi'')
## Change of lineage
##
The first path and fruit
##
The second path and fruit
##
The third path and fruit
##
The fourth path and fruit
The "Purification by Knowledge and Vision" is the culmination of the practice, in
four stages
Ye Tianshi (1667–1747) was a Chinese medical scholar who was the major proponent of the "school of warm diseases". His major work, ''Wen-re Lun'' (Discussion of Warm Diseases) published in 1746, divided the manifestations of diseases into four s ...
leading to
liberation.
The emphasis in this system is on understanding the three marks of existence,
dukkha,
anatta,
anicca
Impermanence, also known as the philosophical problem of change, is a philosophical concept addressed in a variety of religions and philosophies. In Eastern philosophy it is notable for its role in the Buddhist three marks of existence. It i ...
. This emphasis is recognizable in the value that is given to
vipassana
''Samatha'' (Pāli; sa, शमथ ''śamatha''; ), "calm," "serenity," "tranquillity of awareness," and ''vipassanā'' (Pāli; Sanskrit ''vipaśyanā''), literally "special, super (''vi-''), seeing (''-passanā'')", are two qualities of the ...
over
samatha
''Samatha'' (Pāli; sa, शमथ ''śamatha''; ), "calm," "serenity," "tranquillity of awareness," and ''vipassanā'' (Pāli; Sanskrit ''vipaśyanā''), literally "special, super (''vi-''), seeing (''-passanā'')", are two qualities of the ...
, especially in the contemporary
vipassana movement
The Vipassanā movement, also called (in the United States) the Insight Meditation Movement and American vipassana movement, refers to a branch of modern Burmese Theravāda Buddhism that promotes "bare insight" (''sukha-vipassana'') to attain ...
.
Sarvastivada tradition
The
Sarvāstivāda Vaibhāṣika school developed an influential outline of the path to awakening, one which was later adapted and modified by the scholars of the Mahayana tradition. This was called the "five paths" (''pañcamārga),'' and can be seen in their Abhidharma texts as well as
Vasubadhu's ''
Abhidharmakośa'' (AKBh).
[Watanabe, Chikafumi (2000), ''A Study of Mahayanasamgraha III: The Relation of Practical Theories and Philosophical Theories.'' Ph.D. dissertation, The University of Calgary, pp. 38–40.]
The five paths are:
# ''Mokṣa-bhāgīya'' (The state leading up to release) or ''Saṃbhāra-mārga'' (path of accumulation). According to Vasubandhu, this entails morality, learning the teaching and the practice of the four foundations of mindfulness.
# ''Nirveda-bhāgīya'' (The state leading up to penetration) or ''Prayoga-mārga'' (The path of preparation). Vasubandhu's AKBh says that here one observes the
four noble truths in terms of its sixteen aspects.
# ''
Darśana-mārga'' (The path of seeing or insight). According to the AKBh, in this path one continues to observe the four noble truths until one realizes it and abandons eighty eight afflictions (
kleshas).
# ''
Bhāvanā-mārga'', (The path of cultivation). According to the AKBh, in this stage, one continues to practice and abandons 10 further
kleshas.
# ''Aśaikṣā-mārga'' (The path of no more learning or consummation). One is fully freed of all obstructions and afflictions and are thus perfected or fulfilled (''niṣṭhā'').
Bodhisattva path
Mahāyāna
''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing br ...
Buddhism is based principally upon the path of a bodhisattva. Mahāyāna Buddhism encourages everyone to become bodhisattvas and to take the
bodhisattva vows. With these vows, one makes the promise to work for the complete enlightenment of all
sentient beings
Sentience is the capacity to experience feelings and sensations. The word was first coined by philosophers in the 1630s for the concept of an ability to feel, derived from Latin '' sentientem'' (a feeling), to distinguish it from the ability to ...
by following the bodhisattva path. The path can be described in terms of the six perfections or in terms of the five paths and ten bhumis.
Six paramitas
The six paramitas are the means by which Mahayana practitioners actualize their aspiration to attain complete enlightenment for the benefit of all. In
Mahāyāna
''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing br ...
Buddhism, the
Prajñapāramitā Sūtras, the ''
Lotus Sutra
The ''Lotus Sūtra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮華經; sa, सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्रम्, translit=Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram, lit=Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...
'' (''Skt., Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra''), and a large number of other texts, list the six perfections as follows:
# ''
Dāna
Dāna (Devanagari: दान, IAST: Dānam) is a Sanskrit and Pali word that connotes the virtue of generosity, charity or giving of alms in Indian philosophies.
In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, dāna is the practice of cultivati ...
pāramitā'': generosity, the attitude of giving
# ''
Śīla pāramitā'' : virtue, morality, discipline, proper conduct
# ''
(kshanti) pāramitā'' : patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance
# ''
Vīrya pāramitā'' : energy, diligence, vigor, effort
# ''
Dhyāna pāramitā'' : one-pointed concentration, contemplation
# ''
Prajñā pāramitā'' : wisdom, insight
Five paths and ten bhumis
Five paths
The Mahayana commentary the ''
Abhisamayalamkara'' presents a progressive formula of
five paths (''pañcamārga'',
Wylie Tibetan ''lam lnga'') adopted from the Sarvastivada tradition's Abhidharma exposition. The Five Paths as taught in the Mahayana are:
#The path of accumulation (''saṃbhāra-mārga'', Wylie Tibetan: ''tshogs lam''). Persons on this Path:
## Possess a strong desire to overcome suffering, either their own or others;
## Renunciate the worldly life.
#The path of preparation or application (''prayoga-mārga'', Wylie Tibetan: ''sbyor lam''). Persons on this Path:
## Start practicing
meditation
Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...
;
## Have analytical knowledge of
emptiness
Emptiness as a human condition is a sense of generalized boredom, social alienation and apathy. Feelings of emptiness often accompany dysthymia, depression, loneliness, anhedonia,
despair, or other mental/emotional disorders, including schizoid ...
.
#The path of seeing (''
darśana-mārga'', Wylie Tibetan: ''mthong lam'') (Bhūmi 1). Persons on this Path:
## Practice profound
concentration meditation on the nature of reality;
## Realize the emptiness of reality.
## Corresponds to "stream-entry" and the first Bodhisattva Bhumi.
[Robert E. Buswell Jr., Donald S. Lopez Jr.; The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism: ''pañcamarga'']
#The path of meditation (''
bhāvanā-mārga'', Wylie Tibetan: ''sgom lam'') (Bhūmi 2–7). Persons on this path purify themselves and accumulate
wisdom
Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity is the ability to contemplate and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as unbiased judgment, compassion, experiential self-knowle ...
.
#The path of no more learning or consummation (''aśaikṣā-mārga'', Wylie Tibetan: ''mi slob pa'I lam'' or ''thar phyin pa'i lam'') (Bhūmi 8–10). Persons on this Path have completely purified themselves.
Ten Bhumis
The "bodhisattva bhūmis" ("enlightenment-being grounds/levels") are subcategories of the Five Paths. The Sanskrit term ''
bhūmi
Bhumi ( sa, भूमि, Bhūmi), also known as Bhudevi and Vasundhara, is a Hindu goddess who is the personification of the Earth. She is a consort of the god Vishnu. According to Vaishnava tradition, she is the second aspect of Vishnu's conso ...
'' literally means "ground" or "foundation", since each stage represents a level of attainment and serves as a basis for the next one. Each level marks a definite advancement in one's training that is accompanied by progressively greater power and wisdom. The ''
Avatamsaka Sutra'' refers to the following ten bhūmis:
# The Very Joyous (Skt. ''Paramudita''), in which one rejoices at realizing a partial aspect of the truth;
# The Stainless (Skt. ''Vimala''), in which one is free from all defilement;
# The Luminous (Skt. ''Prabhakari''), in which one radiates the light of wisdom;
# The Radiant (Skt. ''Archishmati''), in which the radiant flame of wisdom burns away earthly desires;
# The Difficult to Cultivate (Skt. ''Sudurjaya''), in which one surmounts the illusions of darkness, or ignorance as the
Middle Way;
# The Manifest (Skt. ''Abhimukhi'') in which supreme wisdom begins to manifest;
# The Gone Afar (Skt. ''Duramgama''), in which one rises above the states of the
Two vehicles;
# The Immovable (Skt. ''Achala''), in which one dwells firmly in the truth of the
Middle Way and cannot be
perturbed by anything;
# The Good Intelligence (Skt. ''Sadhumati''), in which one preaches the Law freely and without restriction;
# The Cloud of Doctrine (Skt. ''Dharmamegha''), in which one benefits all
sentient beings
Sentience is the capacity to experience feelings and sensations. The word was first coined by philosophers in the 1630s for the concept of an ability to feel, derived from Latin '' sentientem'' (a feeling), to distinguish it from the ability to ...
with the Law (
Dharma), just as a cloud sends down rain impartially on all things.
Tibetan Buddhism
Lam Rim
Lam Rim describes the stages of the path. Tsong Khapa mentions three essential elements:
* The aspiration for awakening
*
Bodhicitta
In Mahayana Buddhism, bodhicitta, ("enlightenment-mind" or "the thought of awakening"), is the mind (citta) that is aimed at awakening ( bodhi), with wisdom and compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings. Bodhicitta is the defining qua ...
, the aspiration to attain this for all living beings
* Insight into
emptiness
Emptiness as a human condition is a sense of generalized boredom, social alienation and apathy. Feelings of emptiness often accompany dysthymia, depression, loneliness, anhedonia,
despair, or other mental/emotional disorders, including schizoid ...
Annuttara-yoga tantras
In the highest class of tantra, two stages of practice are distinguished, namely generation and completion. In some Buddhist tantras, both stages can be practiced simultaneously, whereas in others, one first actualizes the generation stage before continuing with the completion stage practices.
Generation stage
In the first stage of generation, one engages in deity yoga. One practices oneself in the identification with the meditational Buddha or deity (''
yidam
''Yidam'' is a type of deity associated with tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism said to be manifestations of Buddhahood or enlightened mind. During personal meditation (''sādhana'') practice, the yogi identifies their own form, attributes and mi ...
'') by visualisations, until one can meditate single-pointedly on ''being'' the deity.
Four purities
In the ''generation stage'' of Deity Yoga, the practitioner visualizes the "Four Purities" (Tibetan: ''yongs su dag pa bzhi''; ''yongs dag bzhi'')
[yongs su dag pa bzhi]
(accessed: January 3, 2008) which define the principal Tantric methodology of Deity Yoga that distinguishes it from the rest of Buddhism:
# Seeing one's body as the body of the deity
# Seeing one's environment as the
pure land or
mandala
A mandala ( sa, मण्डल, maṇḍala, circle, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for e ...
of the deity
# Perceiving one's enjoyments as bliss of the deity, free from attachment
# Performing one's actions only for the benefit of others (bodhichitta motivation, altruism)
[Kalachakranet (2006), ''Tantric Practice'']
(Source: January 3, 2008)
Completion stage
In the next stage of completion, the practitioner can use either the ''path of method (thabs lam)'' or the ''path of liberation ('grol lam)''.
At the path of method the practitioner engages in
Kundalini yoga practices. These involve the subtle energy system of the body of the
chakras and the energy channels. The "wind energy" is directed and dissolved into the heart chakra, where-after the
Mahamudra
Mahāmudrā (Sanskrit: महामुद्रा, , contraction of ) literally means "great seal" or "great imprint" and refers to the fact that "all phenomena inevitably are stamped by the fact of wisdom and emptiness inseparable". Mahāmudr ...
remains, and the practitioner is physically and mentally transformed.
At the path of liberation the practitioner applies
mindfulness, a preparatory practice for
Mahamudra
Mahāmudrā (Sanskrit: महामुद्रा, , contraction of ) literally means "great seal" or "great imprint" and refers to the fact that "all phenomena inevitably are stamped by the fact of wisdom and emptiness inseparable". Mahāmudr ...
or
Dzogchen, to realize the inherent
emptiness
Emptiness as a human condition is a sense of generalized boredom, social alienation and apathy. Feelings of emptiness often accompany dysthymia, depression, loneliness, anhedonia,
despair, or other mental/emotional disorders, including schizoid ...
of every-'thing' that exists.
Four yogas of mahāmudrā
Mahāmudrā' literally means "great seal" or "great symbol". The name refers to the way one who has realized mahāmudrā. "Mudra" refers to the fact that each phenomenon appears vividly, and "maha" refers to the fact that it is beyond concept, imagination, and projection.
Mahāmudrā is sometimes divided into four distinct phases known as the four yogas of mahāmudrā. They are as follows:
# One-pointedness;
# Simplicity, "free from complexity" or "not elaborate";
# One taste;
# Non-meditation, the state of not holding to either an object of meditation nor to a meditator. Nothing further needs to be 'meditated upon' or 'cultivated at this stage.
These stages parallel the
four yogas of dzogchen semde. The four yogas of Mahāmudrā have also been correlated with the Mahāyāna
five Bhumi paths.
Zen
Although the Rinzai Zen-tradition emphasises
sudden awakening over the study of scripture, in practice several stages can be distinguished. A well-known example are the
Ten Ox-Herding Pictures which detail the steps on the Path.
''Two Entrances and Four Practices''
The ''
'', attributed to
Bodhidharma, refers the entrance of principle (理入 lǐrù) and the entrance of practice (行入 xíngrù).
* "Entrance of principle" refers to seeing through the obscurations of our daily mind and manifesting our true nature, that is,
Buddha nature
Buddha-nature refers to several related Mahayana Buddhist terms, including '' tathata'' ("suchness") but most notably ''tathāgatagarbha'' and ''buddhadhātu''. ''Tathāgatagarbha'' means "the womb" or "embryo" (''garbha'') of the "thus-gone ...
; it is referred to in one short passage:
* "Entrance of practice" deals with practicing a "detached perspective on the varying circumstances of one's own life," through different daily practices. In the section on the latter, the four practices are listed as being at the core of Bodhidharma's teaching. These are:
** Practice of the retribution of enmity: to accept all suffering as the fruition of past transgressions, without enmity or complaint.
**Practice of the acceptance of circumstances: to remain unmoved even by good fortune, recognizing it as evanescent.
**Practice of the absence of
craving: to be without craving, which is the source of all suffering.
**Practice of accordance with the Dharma: to eradicate wrong thoughts and practice the
six perfections
6 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
6 or six may also refer to:
* AD 6, the sixth year of the AD era
* 6 BC, the sixth year before the AD era
* The month of June
Science
* Carbon, the element with atomic number 6
* 6 Hebe, an asteroid
Peop ...
, without having any "practice"
According to John R. McRae, "the "entrance of principle" refers to interior cultivation, mental practice undertaken deep within the individual's psyche, and the "entrance of practice" refers to practice undertaken actively and in interaction with the world." Yet, McRae also notes that it's not clear what exactly the "entrance of principle" entailed. The phrase "wall contemplation," ''biguan'', is not explicated. Later tradition graphically depicted it as practicing ''
dhyana'' while facing a wall, but it may be a metaphor, referring to the four walls of a room which prevent the winds from entering the room.
Sudden and gradual
In the 8th century the distinction became part of a struggle for influence at the Chinese court by
Shenhui
Heze Shenhui (Chinese:菏泽神會/神会; Wade–Giles: Shen-hui; Japanese: Kataku Jinne, 684–758) was a Chinese Buddhist monk of the so-called "Southern School" of Zen, who "claimed to have studied under Huineng."
Shenhui is notable for his s ...
, a student of
Huineng
Dajian Huineng (); (February 27, 638 – August 28, 713), also commonly known as the Sixth Patriarch or Sixth Ancestor of Chan (traditional Chinese: 禪宗六祖), is a semi-legendary but central figure in the early history of Chinese Chan Buddhi ...
. Hereafter "sudden enlightenment" became one of the hallmarks of Chan Buddhism, though the sharp distinction was softened by subsequent generations of practitioners. Once the dichotomy between sudden and gradual was in place, it defined its own logic and rhetorics, which are also recognizable in the distinction between Caodong (Soto) and Lin-ji (Rinzai) chán. But it also led to a "sometimes bitter and always prolix sectarian controversy between later Chán and
Hua-yen exegetes".
In the
Huayan classification of teachings, the sudden approach was regarded inferior to the Perfect Teaching of Hua-yen.
Guifeng Zongmi
Guifeng Zongmi () (780–1 February 841) was a Tang dynasty Buddhist scholar and bhikkhu, installed as fifth patriarch of the Huayan school as well as a patriarch of the Heze school of Southern Chan Buddhism. He wrote a number of works on the ...
, fifth patriarch of Hua-yen ànd Chán-master, devised his
own classification to counter this subordination. Guifeng Zongmi also softened the edge between sudden and gradual. In his analysis, sudden awakening points to seeing into one's true nature, but is to be followed by a gradual cultivation to attain
Buddhahood
In Buddhism, Buddha (; Pali, Sanskrit: 𑀩𑀼𑀤𑁆𑀥, बुद्ध), "awakened one", is a title for those who are awake, and have attained nirvana and Buddhahood through their own efforts and insight, without a teacher to point ...
.
Chinul, a 12th-century Korean Seon master, followed Zongmi, and also emphasized that insight into our true nature is sudden, but is to be followed by practice to ripen the insight and attain full Buddhahood. To establish the superiority of the Chán-teachings, Chinul explained the sudden approach as not pointing to mere emptiness, but to ''suchness'' or the
dharmadhatu.
This is also the standpoint of the contemporary
Sanbo Kyodan
is a lay Zen sect derived from both the Soto (Caodong) and the Rinzai ( Linji) traditions. It was renamed Sanbo-Zen International in 2014. The term ''Sanbo Kyodan'' has often been used to refer to the Harada-Yasutani zen lineage. However, a ...
, according to whom kensho is at the start of the path to full enlightenment. This gradual cultivation is described by Chan Master Sheng Yen as follows:
Rinzai-Zen
In Rinzai, insight into true nature is to be followed by gradual cultivation. This is described in teachings such as
The Three mysterious Gates of Linji, and the
Four Ways of Knowing of
Hakuin
was one of the most influential figures in Japanese Zen Buddhism. He is regarded as the reviver of the Rinzai school from a moribund period of stagnation, focusing on rigorous training methods integrating meditation and koan practice.
Biograp ...
.
Sōtō-Zen
Although Sōtō emphasizes
shikan-taza, just-sitting, this tradition too had description of development within the practice. This is described by
Tozan, who described the
Five ranks of enlightenment.
See also
*
Four Noble Truths
*
Index of Buddhism-related articles
0–9
* 22 Vows of Ambedkar
A
* Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery
* Abhayamudra
* Abhibhavayatana
* Abhidhajamahāraṭṭhaguru
* Abhidhamma
* Abhidhamma Pitaka
* Abhijatabhivamsa
* Abhijna
* Acala
* Acariya
* Access to Insight
* Achar ( ...
*
Mushi-dokugo
, sometimes called , is a Japanese term used in Zen Buddhism which expresses the phenomenon known as "awakening alone, without a master".Faure, 48
Etymology
''Mushi-dokugo'' (無師独悟) is a Japanese term composed of four Chinese characters, ...
*
Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path (Pali: ; Sanskrit: ) is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth, in the form of nirvana.
The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: ...
*
Samatha
''Samatha'' (Pāli; sa, शमथ ''śamatha''; ), "calm," "serenity," "tranquillity of awareness," and ''vipassanā'' (Pāli; Sanskrit ''vipaśyanā''), literally "special, super (''vi-''), seeing (''-passanā'')", are two qualities of the ...
&
Vipassanā
''Samatha'' ( Pāli; sa, शमथ ''śamatha''; ), "calm," "serenity," "tranquillity of awareness," and ''vipassanā'' ( Pāli; Sanskrit ''vipaśyanā''), literally "special, super (''vi-''), seeing (''-passanā'')", are two qualities of t ...
*
Secular Buddhism
Notes
References
Sources
Printed sources
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Web-sources
External links
Seven Stages of Purification
Mahasi Sayadaw, ''The Progress of Insight (Visuddhiñana-katha)''Ve. Matara Sri Nanarama, ''The Seven Stages of Purification & The Insight Knowledges''
Lam Rim
Karin Valham, ''Lam.Rim Outlines''
Creation and Completion
*
ttp://www.dharmadownload.net/pages/english/Natsok/0010_Teaching_English/Teaching_English_0058.htm Jamgon Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye, ''The Essential Points of Creation & Completion, Part 2''
Mahamudra
Mahamudra Meditation Guide
{{Buddhism topics, state=collapsed
Comparative Buddhism