Question

With the Ten Paramis reflection you did the other morning, I got a little stuck on the words defining your direction. Would you be able to give an example of this reflection?

Answer

Defining your direction. OK, in easier language so how does Generosity make it clearer what you need to do in your life? Is that easier? With this one, Generosity, how does understanding the Paramis help to make your direction clearer? Well, by understanding you need to develop in Generosity, it helps us perhaps by seeing more clearly what we can do in our life to be more generous. I think it's very similar to the third question Steve asked in the longer meditation, "What can you do in your life to help make your ...... grow?"

Apparently, from what I have read, the Bodhisattva, after he met the Buddha, of that time, and made a vow to become a Buddha, he went back up on the hill and started to reflect about the Ten Paramis for a long time. Because he realized that since he'd made a resolution to become a Buddha, he had to develop these Paramis. He reflected on Generosity and the different ways that he could develop Generosity, and all through the Paramis.

So, what we're just encouraging you to do with these is to know them, so they come to mind in your normal life. And so you can see when there are opportunities to develop them, because if they're not so clearly defined in your mind, they have a fuzzy, "Oh Paramis, yes I have to develop the Paramis," but you don't actually know them very well, you haven't actually reflected on them. Then you might miss opportunities when they present themselves to you. That's what we were asking you, especially in the third question and that one in the morning. So we can see more clearly in our life: this is an opportunity to develop the Paramis, this is an opportunity to deepen our direction, by thinking beforehand. And certainly if you've done that other reflection where you go through your life with, "To care and not to care," perhaps you'll know clearly how you live and the opportunities that you're missing.

Our apologies if there are any errors in the above text. If anything seems to be wrong or confusing in any way, please feel free to contact the teachers for further clarification.