It's said, someone wishing to become Lord Buddha, doesn't achieve Nirvana until he fulfill his Paramita and goes to last birth (in Theravada tradition). So, while he fulfill his Paramita, - does he consciously do that (avoiding the Nirvana)? (like stopping meditation mid session thinking I should stop now). or - it happens automatically (like, he loses the ability to achieve Nirvana while fulfilling Paramita)? (if, this is the method, that implies that he loses the ability to achieve Nirvana midway, because of a past life decision). or - the midway decision occur randomly and from like 100 beings who fulfil Paramita to achieve state of Lord Buddha, some give up or randomly achieve Nirvana as an Arahant and some give up or randomly achieve Nirvana as a Pacceka Buddha. And, others achieve state of Lord Buddha. So, **what is the process here?** Thanks 🙏.

For some context, I have been practicing the paramitas in daily life—one each day, and then repeating them when they're done. But I felt the need to include a few other things that were missed in ancient times, but are probably important, at least in the beginning, in the modern world. So, I'm looking for a list of such virtues that I can add to my daily practice list. Few examples could be confidence non-deceitfulness fearlessness etc. Any suggestions ?

It's said that after the Bodhisatta become Buddha, he was kind of surprised how himself came to that position, across vast amount of time, alternate views, other paths, misleading views. (basically infinite number/amount of spaghetti) **So, how he did it?** **What kind of thinking / practice oneself do in order to achieve / make that kind of determination?** **How oneself find it's way across this vast nonsense?** **How oneself fight against all odds, yet tell nobody?** Above all questions may seem different, but they all ask the same basic question. That's why they all are in same stack question. *I am not making this question up, that's what my heart is asking for few years now.*

It's said Bodhisattva is very kind and he decided to keep in the Samsara until he fulfill his Pāramitā and become Buddha, so others can free from Samsara by listening to him. Even he could attain Nirvana at past Buddhas, that he didn't. **How he did it?** **What kind of thinking was there?** **How he decided keep suffering / keep live in Samsara, for others?** **It can't be just kindness. Can be?** Reference :- There's no linkage between people, they are just individual consciousness in vast universe. There's no actual family, friends. So how could there be kindness? Not normal kindness. But to play **most dangerous game** of, playing in the Samsara for saving others.

Is compassion really a good translation for *Karuna*? I've been fooled by "patience " before, now I'm sort of suspicious of the other common translations for the paramitas. Does karuna in addition to feeling other people's pain also entail regret? In "A Few Good Men" by Nattier, she talks about people on the Bodhisattva path developing karuna by doing a 3 part ritual that is a repentance ritual. This seems far removed from imaginatively feeling the pain of others. Could it be that Karuna and English compassion, don't cover the same semantic ground?

How can we have determination with this impermanent world, if determination is one of the paramitas? "*I will do that thing (A) whatever happens*" is determination. But something else (B) can happen on the way that makes (A) a useless thing. So, how can I have determination in the right way?

What are habits, and why do they stick? Lord Buddha said that we even bring habits into next lives. Why does that happen? How come it is powerful enough to continue from life to life? There are some variations of habits. Some needs mental effort (like studying, or meditating etc.), some needs physical effort (exercising etc.), and some doesn't need any effort, meaning that every day actions (eating, playing etc.). (By effort i mean the energy needed to do something, and habits requires less actual effort to do something). I have the general idea about how habits works. We may be able to find shortcuts, and get new ideas when we do things repeatedly. But, it is hard to understand the way our habits vary. Can anyone give me a clear / deep explanation about habits? Or are habits conditioned by impermanence, cause and effect or karma that I should accept as the nature of existence/the world? If it is, please post the name of respective sutta where Lord Buddha talked about habits, so I will be able to believe it without doubts. Kind regards.

**... in letting her chose which kind she would like to be?** Valued Upasaka, Upasika, Dear seekers for the way to Awakening and Readers, Atma (polite addressing of the own person toward householders, where Atma dwells) has started the transcribtion and translation of a very seldom teaching in modern and western world in regard of the Maha Manala Sutta by Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera, still not finished. Most stories are taken from the Jataka, some references already found. In redard of "To Look After Feed And Take Care Of The Wife And Children Is Most Blissful/highest protection" it contains a story that goes this: >Sujata, the sister of Visakha Maha Upasika, married the son of Anata Pindika. She was not only wealthy but was also charming. In the home of Anata Pindika she became disagreeable to almost every member of the family and to the servants as well. She was very quarrelsome and had her own say mostly because of her conceit. > >One day Anata Pindika offered food to the Lord Buddha and his Bhikkhus and during the meal, she made a commotion in the household. The Lord Buddha,knowing the nature of the woman enquired about her dispute, which disrupted the peace of the home. The Lord Buddha then asked her, “There are seven classes of wives; have you any knowledge to which class you belong?” She replied that she did not know. The Lord Buddha said, “A wife not in any way agreeable but finding every chance to quarrel with her husband or members of his family, is a quarrelsome wife. A wife whose outlook in life is bent on squandering away the fortune of her husband in gambling or drinking, is a thievish wife, a wife who takes good advantage of the kindness of her husband, adopts a superior outlook in a manner so as to gain control over him in any matter concerning his family or his outside activities, is a domineering wife; but when a wife looks after her husband’s interest with tender care and devotion like a mother over her child, this kind of wife is a motherly one; again a wife who by nature is obedient and shy like a sister to a brothers belongs to a sisterly type; and a wife who shares in like manner the happiness of misfortune of her husband is at once a friendly one; finally a wife who lives in tolerance of the whims and dislikes of her husband and serves him faithfully throughout, is a servantly type. >In the light of the truth Sujata gained the realization of the fruits of the First Path (Sotapatti). >Continuing the sermon, the Lord Buddha remarked that among the first three classes of wives, their existence after death would be in a hellish state, suffering untold pain in the unconsuming fire or tortment. The remaining four classes of wives would enjoy even in their present lives, the store of happiness and after death, their existence would be in a continued state of bliss in the realm of heaven. 1. Does anybody know the reference in the Suttapitaka (thinking Atma came accross one time there)? 2. Does anybody know which Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera wrote this book and some infos, biography and picture of him? Maybe even contact possibility, if still alive? 3. If inspired and knowing also the references of other stories in the book, willing to research them, feel invited to take on this possibility. (If somebody feels inspired to help prove reading and/or translating further, one should feel welcome to take this possibility. Topic as well as sources can be found here: [Mangala Sutta Uannana - Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera(draft)](http://sangham.net/index.php/topic,309.msg649.html#msg649) *(Note, this question and content is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commerzial use or other purpose of wordily gains.)*

In our local group we are working with Dön Dün Chu, the 70 points (from Abhisamayalankara) by Jetsün Chökyi Gyaltsan . In I.7 (putting on the armor) the 6 paramitas are mentioned. It is said that they interlock in a cross product, meaning there are actually 36 resulting traits to consider in your practise. 1. generosity, giving of oneself (sbyin-pa) 2. virtue, morality, discipline, proper conduct (tshul-khrims) 3. patience, tolerance, forbearance, acceptance, endurance (bzod-pa) 4. energy, diligence, vigor, effort (brtson-’grus) 5. one-pointed concentration, contemplation (bsam-gtan) 6. wisdom, insight (shes-rab) Now, I have my problems understanding two things: where is the difference between n\*m and m\*n? And what is n\*n (reflexive)? I could not find any sources on that and my teacher had no time to answer this in detail. The reflexive relations only make sense to me as in "generosity *in general*" for example but I heard there is more to it. Maybe I need starting help as in how to connect each point with the others.

I have heard, therefore I am yet to discover in Tipitaka, that to achieve certain stream winner stages, one needs to fulfill paramithä. Could you please give me the names of some sutta which I can read further on this (or the Tipitaka vagga / section). Ten Paramithä 1. Däna 2. Sîla 3. Nekkhamma 4. Pañña 5. Viriya 6. Khanthi 6. Sacca 8. Adhitthana 9. Mettha 10. Upekka Thanks in advance!

I came along with this (http://www.aathaapi.net/dwncounter.php?number=29) detailed description of the Buddhas (during vag and mano pradani era of Gautama Bodhisattva) before the 28 Buddhas. 512000 in number to be exact. I have also heard about this fact in some texts as well. Is this stated in the pali canon? What are the sutras?

Where can I find sutras describing about the 10 paramithas and the 3 types of paramithas in the pali cannon? I couldn't find a proper sutra on it.

I understand the English dictionary definition of patience, the ability to wait. When reading about the paramitas, it seems like this word in the original language covered forbearance, i.e. the ability to suffer other people's anger and insults calmly, in addition to the sense of be capable of waiting. Was patience added to the list because of the huge time required to achieve full Buddhahood? Or is patience a sloppy translation and is this paramita really about forbearance? Anyhow, in personal practice, if it means the ability to wait, then it isn't *actionable* since, patient or not, there is little risk of me reaching full Buddhahood on any given day.