5 Other Paramitas

What I am going to write about in this journal post is something that may seem as a surprise for a Zen priest to express. Especially with all of Zen’s great emphasis on zazen as the primary mode of Buddhist practice. Some folks seem to be stuck on the paramita of Meditation. “if we are not practicing meditation, then we are not really practicing Buddhism” seems to be the general attitude. I’ve heard, many times, disparaging views on chanting practice, offering merit, views on rebirth in the 6 realms, and a consistent awkwardness around the topic of “spirits”. The last two topics I’ll save for another journal post, but I would like to focus on the chanting, and offering of merit practices.

First, there are 6 paramitas. Zen, or Dhyana is only one of them. This seems to be forgotten as of late. Perhaps it is the craze around “mindfulness” and what it can do for “me” to make my life easier, or better. Mindfulness is not going to fix everything for you. It is, but one of the 6 paramitas, or perfections of Buddhist practice. The other 5 are:

generosity- dana paramita

morality- sila paramita

patience- ksanti paramita

effort- virya paramita

wisdom- prajna paramita

These are all equally the practice of a Buddha. All the paramitas are important. All paramitas are connected to each other and are required for the actions of a Buddha. Generosity without wisdom can create painful results. Morality without effort will not produce much. Wisdom without patience can be recklessness. Meditation without generosity is self-centered. Chanting that is done in gratitude to the Buddhas and ancestors is a practice of wisdom, effort, patience, morality, generosity, and meditation. Being focused on the Dharma through words, sound, and music brings the peace of enlightenment.

The effort required to chant the sutras, dharanis, and mantras is virya paramita. The patience to finish the chanting and to understand the sutras is ksanti paramita. While chanting we are keeping our body, speech, and mind virtuous with the practice of the precepts, this is the morality of sila paramita. The wisdom that is in the sutras, through chanting, permeates our senses and enables us to gain the wisdom of the Buddhas, this is prajna paramita. The act of chanting is the single minded focus of body speech and mind. This is a form of dhyana paramita or “mindfulness” meditation. Finally, the dedication of the merit that our practice may accumulate, any reward, good results, or peace to be obtained should be dedicated to all sentient beings. To our friends, family, loved ones, and enemies alike. All beings in the 10 directions, 6 worlds and 3 times. This is the generosity of dana paramita.

There are many schools of Buddhism. Many temples, zen centers, and communities that focus on many aspects of Buddhist practice. My school, Soto Zen, is just one of them. I firmly believe that you can be a not only a Buddhist, but a Soto Zen Buddhist and not sit zazen at a temple, or zen center. There is a place in the temple for a family coming to chant as a completely full practice of Soto Zen. There is a place for the family that comes to celebrate the holidays, share a meal, chant sutras, and dedicate the merit to their departed fiends, families, loved ones, and people they have difficulties with. This is practicing Zen Buddhism. To think that only those who come to sit zazen in the zendo are really practicing Soto Zen is dualistic thinking. Zen practice is not limited to siting, standing, or lying down. If we are only practicing Buddhism, or zen when we are sitting on the zafu, then we are not becoming Buddhas.