How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

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Bodhiparmalat
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How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

Post by Bodhiparmalat »

First question:

How are the six (or ten) paramitas related to the ten bhumis?

Second, kind of related question:

Back when I relied mostly on theravada teachings, the idea of reaching nirvana was equated with leaving samsara behind and ending our own suffering. But ever since I took on reading and enjoying different mahayana teachings, with its bodhisattva ideal, I sort of struggle to understand if and when exactly in the path (which paramita or bhumi) does suffering end, or is at least diminished for a bodhisattva. Is there a point or moment along the bodhisattva path where the sutras or commentaries teach suffering ends (or is at least diminished)? Or does the suffering of all, including the bodhisattva, can only be diminished when all sentient beings reach enlightenment? Also: does the notion of non-abiding nirvana relate to this question?

Thanks, everybody! Also, thanks to the admins for allowing my questions to be posted!

:namaste:
muni
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Re: How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

Post by muni »

Hi there,

Good point. What means Paramitas, it is not something a person understands, does..there are on the internet many explanations, which can help to lead to the wish of guidance.

I don't know how the Bhumis would not be automatically related, perhaps since the Paramitas are without the concept “I as subject” + verb + “you-they-whatever- object”. And therefore dependence-emptiness inseparability.
But habits are so rusty strong, the idea of I do this for those sentient beings, I know that, I am right and he is right and….they not…I think that is why teachings are regularly saying to not too much examine phenomena (grasping), to not so investigate in these, which keeps habits busy in finding faults and rights constantly in “other” as then the perception is one of all kind of REAL existences or objects on their own ( good-bad, wrong-right, virtuous-no virtuous, beautiful and not), and so with their particular characteristics. Some phenomena ( chocolate) are pleasing me other not. Damned! => suffering. Helpful would be to investigate and "see" root of mind, nature is said.

Paramitas is not so simple because of human habits, they however allow the stop of suffering. Suffering due to this subject-object dichotomy (samsara) and then the verb like for example thinking about him, I am doing this for them, I am patiently for them, I am diligence for him… It opens simply our very naturally heart; emptiness which is rejecting nothing, need not to accept anything => Dependence-Emptiness. Emptiness-clarity….It is not one knowing about but “be the meaning of the Buddha”. To stop our suffering and help as much as it is possible. These "non-actions"( because of lacking the concepts subject-verb-object) are devoid of likes-dislikes = which is our own suffering.
At least this is the example which is us shown, whether we follow in these footsteps, depends on many factors. Keeping courage, doing our best while being careful for all, our self as well included; because no any exclusion as dependence-emptiness is, no any.

It is however asking diligence, while habits are dancing as Mara.

:namaste:

muni
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Re: How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

Post by muni »

In practicing the paramitas, bodhisattvas progress along the bhumis, the stages of realization.
https://www.lionsroar.com/the-great-reversal-july-2013/ :reading:
muni
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Re: How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

Post by muni »



I hope the sound is good enough to can listen.

:smile:
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Bodhiparmalat
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Re: How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

Post by Bodhiparmalat »

Great responses, muni! Thank you so much!

:namaste:
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Virgo
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Re: How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

Post by Virgo »

muni wrote: Mon May 28, 2018 11:42 am

I hope the sound is good enough to can listen.

:smile:
Behind Khenpo Tsewang is Tsasum Lingpa, and to his right is Kenchen Palden Sherab.

Kevin...
muni
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Re: How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

Post by muni »

So wonderful, Kevin! I hadn't seen that. :smile:

I find here just some words (in which the Paramitas are somehow reflecting as well )from Kanchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche, Amazing Compassionate teacher.
It is important to realize that enlightenment is totally dependent upon your own effort. It is not something that a teacher can give you or that you can find outside yourself. Your mind has an enlightened nature which can only manifest by your own effort and actions. You have the natural capacity to be enlightened, and it is in your hands whether or not you actualize this opportunity.

The best way to actualize enlightenment is to develop bodhichitta. Bodhichitta is a Sanskrit word; bodhi means “enlightenment” and chitta means “mind” or “thought.” When you develop the thought of enlightenment, you are training your mind so that you will be able to truly benefit other beings.

Compassion: Wishing That Others Be Free of Pain.
Last edited by muni on Tue May 29, 2018 10:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

Post by muni »

Thank you for this reminding topic Bodhiparmalat. :anjali:
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Re: How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

Post by Losal Samten »

Candrakirti's Madhyamakavatara goes over the ten bhumis and their corresponding paramitas very nicely.

The first realisation of the illusory nature and the non-arising of dharmas is why the first bhumi is called "the joyous". Still, a bodhisattva has only eliminated all afflictions at the eighth bhumi, and after that all that remains is to clear the knowledge obscurations.

So, for the individual, suffering ends, but taken as a whole, samsara always proliferates.
Lacking mindfulness, we commit every wrong. - Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche
འ༔ ཨ༔ ཧ༔ ཤ༔ ས༔ མ༔
ཨོཾ་ཧ་ནུ་པྷ་ཤ་བྷ་ར་ཧེ་ཡེ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ།།
ཨཱོཾ་མ་ཏྲི་མུ་ཡེ་སལེ་འདུ།།
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Re: How are the paramitas related to the bhumis? Also: Is there an end to suffering?

Post by Virgo »

Bodhiparmalat wrote: Sun May 27, 2018 1:10 am
Second, kind of related question:

Back when I relied mostly on theravada teachings, the idea of reaching nirvana was equated with leaving samsara behind and ending our own suffering. But ever since I took on reading and enjoying different mahayana teachings, with its bodhisattva ideal, I sort of struggle to understand if and when exactly in the path (which paramita or bhumi) does suffering end, or is at least diminished for a bodhisattva. Is there a point or moment along the bodhisattva path where the sutras or commentaries teach suffering ends (or is at least diminished)? Or does the suffering of all, including the bodhisattva, can only be diminished when all sentient beings reach enlightenment? Also: does the notion of non-abiding nirvana relate to this question?

Thanks, everybody! Also, thanks to the admins for allowing my questions to be posted!

:namaste:
Hi Bodhiparmalat,

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=13438&start=40

Kevin...
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