The 6 Perfections

The 6 Paramitas (Perfections) are the path leading one to Buddhahood, practiced by all Bodhisattvas in the universe. They are namely - Dana (giving), Sila (morality), Ksanti (patience), Viriya (zeal), Dhyana (concentration) & Prajna (wisdom). These 6 Paramitas encompasses the 84,000 methods of the Bodhisattva path, and nobody can achieve Samma Sambodhi (complete enlightenment) without fulfilling these perfections. Most Buddhists understand them as 6 different paths, but like all Dhamma, in reality there is only 1 Paramita. The Sutra of Contemplating Benefits say:

"If the Bodhisattva gives away all his defilements,
It is called Dana Paramita or the perfection of giving.
When false thoughts no longer arise in his mind,
It is called Sila Paramita or the perfection of morality.
No longer involving himself with the sensory universe,
It is called Ksanti Paramita or the perfection of patience.
Leaving behind all attachment to forms,
It is called Viriya Paramita or the perfection of zeal.
The mind being always flowing and never stagnating,
It is called Dhyana Paramita or the perfection of concentration.
Having realized the absolute truth, one abandons all sophistry,
Which is Prajna Paramita or the perfection of wisdom."

Thus you can see that the 6 Paramitas are actually: Giving away, Non-arising, Non-involvement, Leaving forms, Non-stagnation & No sophistry. All 6 Paramitas originate from the 1 Paramita - Giving. The rest are only empty names that vary according to different applications. But ignorant men do not see the truth and keep getting caught up with numbers, names & forms of the Dhamma. They create the Karma for birth & death and is trapped to the Samsaric cycle for an infinity due to their own clinging. If they only realize that when one defilement is given up, all defilements are also given up, one false thought no longer arise means all false thoughts no longer arise & so on & so forth; they would attain enlightenment right at this very moment. I hereby give you the perfection of giving - but are you ready to accept it?