(Sanskrit, "perfections" or literally, "that which has reached the other shore") In Buddhism, the paramitas are six or ten virtuous qualities or states of consciousness and also the path to perfect them. They are (1) charity,
or alms-giving (dana); (2) discipline, or observance of precepts
(sila); (3) forbearance, or patient resignation (ksanti); (4) energy or
exertion (virya); (5) concentration or meditation (dhyana); and (6)
wisdom (prajna). Although there are usually said to be six paramitas,
sometimes their number is expanded to ten (with the addition of
expedients/means, vows/prayer, power, and knowledge/pristine
awareness).
