6 Paramitas: Ornaments of Awareness

From the 21 Tara statues at Tara Mandala

“We are briefly lent this precious human body’s White Sail,

Blown by intentions gentle winds.

Without turning back towards miserable samsaric deserts,

and making the error of missing this chance,

Try to receive virtues jewels by crossing the waves of ocean mind

To the serene continent of the Triple Gems,

Because doing this is more meaningful than anything else.”

~Thinley Norbu Rinpoche

Paramita means “crossing over” or “moving beyond” meaning that which is transcendent. There is this idea of crossing over the ocean, the ocean of suffering that is, and the waves of ocean mind with the white sail of our precious human birth. Sometimes you hear the paramitas describes as perfections. They are our spiritual wealth and qualities of our Buddha nature. They are the qualities which embrighten and perfect and ornament awareness. This is shown symbolically by the body of Buddhist Dieties ornamented with jewelry. The body of awareness is ornamented with earrings and necklaces, bracelets, etc. which symbolically display the paramitas of patience, generosity, discipline, courage, meditation and wisdom. Once can cultivate these qualities which are inherent in our undeluded pure nature by contemplating the meaning or purity of these symbols. As it says in one sadhana, “The pathway is the six perfections”. This is true from Sutra all the way through Dzogchen, as these six perfections have outer inner and secret meanings that grow more and more subtle with each yana as the mind is refined into its own most essential essence in the fully enlightened state. When contemplating meditational dieforms or yidamsof this sort, like the statue of Tara about, who are the display of enlightened energy, the mind is eventually able unlock and fully manifest these qualities which lie within its own continuum. Thinley Norbu Rinpoche’s Small Golden Key is a small book which goes into a detailed description of the various Samboghakaya ornaments. Making short aspirations while dressing and putting on jewelry may help to integrate these symbols: “May I wear the earrings of perfect discernment. May I dawn the necklace of generosity., etc.” Then your jewelry becomes a profound symbol and aid to mindfulness and wisdom.

“Clothe yourself in the symbols” ~TK 

Dana ~ Generosity ~ Necklace

Shila ~ Discipline ~ Bracelets

Shanti ~ Patience ~ Earrings

Virya ~ Perserverance ~ Belt or Bone Apron

Dhyana ~ Meditation/Concentration ~ Crown

Prajna ~ Wisdom ~ Female body or male body smeared with ashes*

*Meditation on a Yidam and Generation phase’s diety yoga has three main aspects: stable clarity, recollecting the purity and vajra pride. Recollecting the purity of the symbols works like a memory palace for calling to mind and eventually embodying the various aspects of the teaching. In the beginning this helps to stabilize and guide the wandering mind to at least wander around within the various contemplations of symbols within visualization. This develops concentration or Dhyana. The secret of deep relaxation is actually through deep concentration. After sufficient levels of concentration have been trained up and cultivated, then the mind naturally relaxes and becomes stable. 

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