The Buddhist teachings consist of many lists, stories, metaphors and analogies. As an oral tradition from anywhere from 100 – 500 years after the Buddha’s death – this is how these teachings were shared, carried across lands and eventually translated into the written word.
One of my favorite teachings is actually the prequel to the Buddha’s life; and it tells the story of a Brahman named Sumedha who had gone forth to be a wandering contemplative. He encounters the Buddha Dipamkara and is in awe to have met someone who is Awake.
The story goes that after going back to his cave, and contemplating on this meeting – these 10 wisdoms were said to have been downloaded to him; and there was an understanding that he would need to live many lifetimes in order to perfect them through compassion and connection to other beings.
After aeons of being reborn in the form of different animals, genders and ages where he would learn these 10 perfections of heart and mind, he was born into the body of Prince Siddhartha Gotama who would become the One who is Awake – the Buddha Shakyamuni that we know of today. These 10 perfections or Paramis only become perfections, when they consider another person. When we soften around our ego – centric lives and bring others to the forefront.
One of the most utilized metaphors in the Buddha’s teachings involves a boat that is crossing treacherous waters to get to the other side; from our suffering to our liberation. And so some friends and made up our own metaphor to remember the 10 paramis:
The Boat: Generosity, Sila, Renunciation
The Oars: Truthfulness & Resolve, Determination
The Current: Energy
The Buoyancy: Wisdom & Patience
The Protection: Metta
The Other Shore: Equanimity
The 10 perfections of the heart inspire us to live in a world where we remember how deeply our lives are intertwined, and that we belong to each other.
Join Booker’s LIVE Day of Practice on December 20th, 2025 here!
Discussion