Basics Of Buddhism: The 10 Perfections

The first skill that we will explore is that of generosity. Generosity is so powerful because it trains us to let go, freeing us from our attachments. It also gives us the feeling of abundance, as it tells our minds that we have enough. Finally, it connects us to those around us, valuing their wants and needs. In these ways, generosity is a ‘perfection.’ It’s not about being perfect, but rather about cultivating the quality of generosity as a support for both our freedom and our compassion, to improve the quality of our own lives and the lives of those around us.

Ethics are the foundation of spiritual practice, and they are all about relationships. Rather than thinking of ethical action as rules set by society, we will explore how it both frees us from remorse and negative self-image, and causes others to relax around us while creating harmony in our environment. To understand this more deeply, we will consider the mechanism of karma from a psychological perspective. What makes this exploration interesting is to look at what drives us when we act against our values; this application of mindfulness opens us up to growth and connection.

Although it may sound unappealing - like self-denial or asceticism - renunciation is best described as giving up lesser happiness in order to discover a greater one. Our culture has an addictive attraction to material objects and tends to equate pleasure with happiness. While there is nothing wrong with nice things, training in renunciation can show us that there is deeper and more lasting happiness to be found when we are not consumed by our cravings. We find more freedom in how we spend our time, and satisfaction with what we already have. We also find ourselves more available to connect in joy with others.

The goal of spiritual practice is to develop the kind of wisdom that helps us to see through the common causes of suffering and to be understanding and skillful in our response to the world. This is much richer than memorizing facts or truths. We begin by learning from others, and then we apply the theory in our own lives to see if it’s true. We develop insight and discernment into our internal world and how we relate to others. This ripens into realization, which transforms our mind into a state of deep clarity and peace, so that we see through the causes of our difficulty and are able to connect deeply with the world.

The thing about transformation is that it only happens through our own effort; nobody can do it for us. This requires sustained effort, it won’t happen if we go all out and then burn out exhausted. We need to put down our need for immediate results and try not to judge our practice on a daily basis. Instead, we can learn to delight in our successes, and gain confidence in our abilities. The trick is to train to try easy- to apply our mind in such a way that it actually feels good. This is the foundation for our spiritual practice and our skills in relationships.

Patience is valuable because it is the antidote to not only restlessness and agitation, but also irritation and anger, all of which leave us at risk to unskillful behavior and unhappiness. It’s essentially training in relaxing, accepting, and forgiving, which will make us kinder and more pleasant to ourselves and to others. We can learn to put down our expectations and judgments to enjoy more of life. We become less reactive and more resilient, which opens the door for us to penetrate the deep truths of being human.

The task of spiritual practice is to become true and authentic, to live a life of truth. The truth carries incredible power. Lies kill social solidarity but truth brings personal freedom and peace because it doesn’t lead to inner conflict. This allows for the perception of deeper truths about our inner world and our connection to all beings. While the process takes courage, the naming of the truth can literally set us free.

When you get to the end of your life, and you look back, what will make you feel that you lived a life worth living? To live well, we need to look closely at what matters to us and turn our resolve toward this end. This is completely personal, but in order to be a ‘perfection,’ it needs to lead us toward both our own happiness and connectivity to others. Resolve is less like striving and more like devotion to that which we find meaningful and valuable. Without this, our lives will feel empty and we will be dissatisfied.

The Buddha said that friendliness is the greatest protection. This is because when we release our animosity and resentment, folks relax around us; friendliness disarms anger. In addition, this attitude releases an endless flow of internal well-being. It is particularly important that we cultivate friendliness toward ourselves, as our internal relationship tends to get projected outward. The draw of friendliness is universal, as we all crave connection. But it can take some work to look at where our capacity for friendliness gets blocked and to gently dissolve our own barriers to happiness and to connection.

Equanimity refers to emotional balance and is considered one of the ‘sublime abodes.’ in Buddhist practice. In order to have inner well-being, we need to cultivate the ability to ride the ups and downs of life that we are all subject to - no one is exempt. From this place of centeredness and resilience, we can examine our inner and outer worlds with honesty and clarity, and develop true wisdom. For this reason, equanimity is said to be the ground for freedom and the protector of compassion.