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Paramita

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

In Buddhism, a "perfection" or virtue cultivated on the path to enlightenment.

Detailed Definition
The Six or Ten Paramitas (e.g., generosity, morality, patience, wisdom) are the practices of a Bodhisattva, one who seeks enlightenment for all beings. They represent the culmination of the Buddhist path. In poetry, the paramitas provide a framework for exploring ideal human qualities and the transformative journey of selflessness. They are not just rules but profound states of being, offering rich imagery for poems about compassion in action, the strength of patience, and the pursuit of transcendent wisdom.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Mahayana Buddhist poetry, Paramita (perfection) guides the bodhisattva: “Generosity, patience—Paramita, ferry across suffering”; In Zen verse, Paramita is lived, not theorized: “One bowl of rice—Paramita of non-attachment”; In contemporary poetry, Paramita inspires action: “March for justice—Paramita of moral courage”; Poets list Paramitas as path: “Six perfections—Paramita, ladder to awakening.”
Additional Notes
Paramitas (“perfections”) in Mahayana Buddhism include generosity, ethics, patience, effort, concentration, and wisdom; they are not moral ideals but practices that dissolve ego; poets embody paramitas through acts of linguistic generosity—offering clarity, compassion, or silence—and through verse that models patience in ambiguity and wisdom in restraint.
Also Known As
Perfection (of Wisdom) Pāramitā
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