The Paramita of Wisdom

Subhuti asked, “Is it possible, O Lord, to hear the perfection of wisdom, to distinguish and consider her, to make statements and to reflect about her? Can one explain, or learn, that because of certain attributes, tokens or signs this is the perfection of wisdom, or that here this is the perfection of wisdom, or that there that is the perfection of wisdom?”

spiritual_illustration__buddha_by_budhufakir-d4cowx7The Lord replied, “No indeed, Subhuti. This perfection of wisdom cannot be expounded or learned, or distinguished, or considered, or stated, or reflected upon by means of the skandhas, or by means of the elements, or by means of the sense-fields. This is the consequence of the fact that all Dharmas are isolated, absolutely isolated. (Dharma, here, means absolute Truths of Reality. dmm) Nor can the perfection of wisdom be understood otherwise than by the skandhas, elements, or sense-fields. For just the very skandhas, elements, and sense-fields are empty, isolated, and calmly quiet. It is thus that the perfection of wisdom and the skandhas, elements and sense-fields are not two, nor divided. As a result of their emptiness, isolatedness and quietude they cannot be apprehended. The lack of a basis of apprehension in all Dharmas, that is called  ‘perfect wisdom.’ Where there is no perception, appellation, conception or conventional expression, there one speaks of ‘perfect wisdom.’”
Ashtasaharsrika VII, 177

Notes
Our challenges regarding the 6th paramita of Wisdom as beings in relative conventional reality are these (to name a few):

  1. We view the paramitas (perfections) as that which we are to perfect, to do better and to constantly refine. But a paramita is a quality of Being. It is what we are.
    – Human beingness is generous, there is nothing to perfect. To quote SAMS, “Perfect Being is perfect doing.”
    – Human beingness is undistracted, continuous thus in joyous perseverance.
    – Human Beingness is not limited by nor reliant upon the constructs of time to accomplish anything nor to measure anything by, thus human Beingness is perfectly patient and cannot be otherwise.
    – Human Beingness is not deluded by the construct of duality, thus not by separateness or single self-identity either. Thus, human Beingness is perfectly ethical in that ethics is an ethos of a thriving wholeness, a thriving interconnected and inter-dependent livingness comprised of many yet all ONE.
    – Human Beingness is a state of perfect awareness thus concentration is perpetual and unmistaken. The qualities of concentration – calm open awareness and focus-view – are qualities of awareness, thus of human Beingness expressing.
    – Human Beingness is empty of the qualities of self and devoid of characteristics other than perfect wisdom. Human Beingness is a perfect perpetual flowing of energy as is needed in perfect manner. It is the sense of self, fabricated and reinforced by the skandhas, that calls wisdom a thing, confounds it with knowing, and looks for it here and there. Just as human Beingness is already what and who a person is, and the fabricated temporary sense of self is not, just so wisdom is what and how All IS and never was not. Wisdom cannot be pointed at or even pointed out; it is empty and infinite, and already here in all that exists. “All that appears, all that exists, … has one ground, two paths, and two results. It is the display of awareness (wisdom) and ignorance (delusion of self). … May all beings know the inexpressible ground.” quote from the Aspiration of Samantabhadra
  2. We predicate the possible by the tangible and thereby limit what is possible (in mind and truth). Wisdom is infinitude because it is emptiness. Wisdom is the direct experience that there is only space-energy moving from one state to another, from non-particulated to particularized. The particularized is ever understood to be energy, void of the particular appearance and characteristics that it is currently manifesting. As such,  energy is understood to be void of here and now, thus continuous and uninterrupted in its nature. Its nature being uninterrupted, voidness is all possibilities, empty of constraints. Tangibility is ever limit. Seeking emptiness in the characteristics of form will only reveal more characteristics because emptiness is infinitude, source of all characteristics but not self describable by those characteristics.
  3. We are unsatisfied. Being in a consistent unsatisfied or mildly and changing satisfied state, we seek satisfaction in the changeable mind. That will bring temporary frustration or satisfaction only to become a further seeking. Our challenge is that, in our deluded state of mind, wisdom must fit with a deluded mind. But the perfection of wisdom is not a perfected wisdom, and wisdom is not a better knowing or a compassionate action. Wisdom is the complete state of all-that-is and that state or pure nature is satisfaction, indeed pure luminous bliss. Thus, due to the human state of dissatisfaction (dukkha), we seek satisfaction in particular ways and desire a particular experience, yet Wisdom is the livingness of all experience as the only possible excellence that there is.

Graphic: Buddha from DeviantART

About Donna Mitchell-Moniak

Visit www.blazinglight.net for additional meditations and blog posts.
This entry was posted in About meditation, Mahayana and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

7 Responses to The Paramita of Wisdom

  1. Anne kennedy says:

    Reading this made my mind go round & round in a constant searching for the truth of wisdom which of course it never found. Even though I can’t always grasp the concepts & I’m slowly realizing I’m not meant to as they are always there. AAAHHHH!

    Much love,
    Anne

  2. Anne kennedy says:

    The last & shouldn’t have been there as it changes the meaning of the sentence.

    Much love,
    Anne

  3. Celinda says:

    Simply want to say your article is as astonishing. The clarity to your
    post is simply great and i could think you’re a professional in this subject.
    Fine with your permission let me to clutch your RSS feed to stay
    up to date with coming near near post. Thank you 1,000,000
    and please carry on the gratifying work.

  4. Pingback: The Equality of the Buddhas | Blazing Light, Love's Song

  5. Pingback: Upcoming: Tibetan Buddhist Imagery webinar and course | Blazing Light, Love's Song

Leave a Reply