Becoming a Bodhisattva – introductions to the 6 perfections A person becomes a Bodhisattva by perfecting certain attributes in their lives. There are six of these that Mahayana Buddhists focus on and are called the six perfections: Generosity – to be charitable and generous in all that is done Morality – to live with good morals and ethical behaviour Patience – to practice being patient in all things Energy – to cultivate the energy and perseverance needed to keep going even when things get difficult (resilience) Meditation – to develop concentration and awareness Wisdom – to obtain wisdom and understanding Mahayana Buddhists believe there are earthly and transcendent Bodhisattvas – the ‘earthly’ ones continue to be reborn and live on Earth, while the ‘transcendent’ ones remain as spiritual or mythical beings. Mahayana Buddhists pray to these Bodhisattvas in times of need

#1 - Perfection of generosity The 6 perfections or paramitas #1 - Perfection of generosity The true generosity of spirit. It is giving from sincere desire to benefit others, without expectation of reward or recognition. There must be no selfishness attached. Even charity work done to "feel good about myself" is not true dana paramita #2 - Perfection of morality Buddhist morality is not about unquestioning obedience to a list of rules. An enlightened being is said to respond correctly to all situations without having to consult a list of rules. In the practice of morality, we develop selfless compassion. Along the way we practice renunciation and gain an appreciation for karma

#3 - Perfection of patience The 6 perfections or paramitas #3 - Perfection of patience Patience, tolerance, forbearance, endurance, or composure. It literally means "able to withstand." It is said there are three dimensions to patience: the ability to endure personal hardship; patience with others; and acceptance of truth. The perfection of patience begins with acceptance of the Four Noble Truths, including the truth of suffering (dukkha). Through practice our attention turns away from our own suffering and toward the suffering of others. Accepting truth refers to accepting difficult truths about ourselves -- that we are greedy, that we are mortal -- and also accepting the truth of the illusory nature of our existence #4 - Perfection of energy Energy or zeal. It is about making a courageous, heroic effort to realise enlightenment. To practice energy, we first develop our own character and courage. We engage in spiritual training. And then we dedicate our fearless efforts to the benefit of others.

#5 - Perfection of meditation The 6 perfections or paramitas #5 - Perfection of meditation Buddhist meditation is a discipline intended to cultivate the mind. meditation also means "concentration," and in this case great concentration is applied to achieve clarity and insight. meditation refers to a single-pointed concentration in which all sense of self falls away. Meditation is said to be the foundations of wisdom, which is the next perfection. #6 - Perfection of wisdom Wisdom is the direct realisation of sunyata or emptiness, however this wisdom cannot be understood by intellect alone, so how do we understand it? Through the practice of the other perfections – generosity, morality, patience, energy and meditation

#7 of 10 Upaya Paramita: Perfection of Skillful Means Very simply, upaya is any teaching or activity that helps others realize enlightenment. Sometimes upaya is spelled upaya-kausalya, which is "skill in means." One skilled in upaya can lead others away from their delusions. #8 of 10 Pranidhana Paramita: Perfection of Vow This one is sometimes called Perfection of Aspiration. In particular, it is about dedicating oneself to the bodhisattva path and living the bodhisattva vows.  #9 of 10 Bala Paramita: Perfection of Spiritual Power Spiritual power in this sense could refer to supernormal powers, such as an ability to read minds. Or, it could refer to the natural powers awakened by spiritual practice, such as increasing concentration, awareness and patience. #10 of 10 Jnana Paramita: Perfection of Knowledge The Perfection of Knowledge is the implementation of wisdom in the phenomenal world. We can think of this as something like the way a physician uses knowledge of medicine to heal people. This Perfection also ties together the previous nine so that they can be put to work to help others.