La Buscadora Six Perfections part 1, week 1

I learned by exploring the internet that  the Ten Perfections come from the tradition of the Theravadin tradition which is predominant in southern Asia and the Six Perfections come from the Mahayana tradition which is found in Tibet and northern Asia.  With that in mind, I decided to stick with the Mahayana tradition since my classes are with the Dalai Lama.  With 11 weeks left in the class, I want to make sure I'm not getting any conflicting information. 

Other differences include:

Therefore, my main source of information and quotes comes from Bodhicitta.net.

The meaning for generosity is as follows:

"Practicing generosity means having the will to dedicate body, possessions and merits to others, and making the actions of body and speech with such virtuous impulse."

Giving has not been a very easy thing for me to do. I don't like to let go of something.  Actually, I like receiving and getting better. Thus, generosity is a good practice for me.

Generosity is willing to give from the heart, to release that to which we cling.  Not only do we cling to material items, but we also cling to our body which we will leave in the end anyway.

According to the article, which was written my Lama Zopa Rinpoche, practicing the other perfections  while practicing the six perfections is of utmost importance.  For example, by breaking the virtues of our body, speech and mind, we will begin to suffer.  We practice patience to those who "speak harshly or show displeasure" from our generosity is important.  "Without patience, there is the danger of ganger destroying the merits." Joyful perseverance is needed to continue our practice of generosity so we don't become lazy. Concentration by thinking about the benefits of generosity and the consequences of not being generous.  Finally, wisdom is used to discern "what should be practiced and what should be abandoned, lest the practice be made incorrectly, with corrupt actions.

In summary, today I will practice generosity with the other perfections in mind: virtues, patience, joyful effort, concentration, and wisdom.

Take an action, then let go of the results.

We know what to do, but do we do what we know?