Page 193 - Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated) and Symbols

e Five Faculties of Power are: (1) e faith to believe. (2) e

will to make the endeavour, (3) e faculty of reliable memory.

(4) e ability to concentrate one’s mind and (5) e ability to

maintain clear wisdom. ese five faculties are necessary powers

to attain Enlightenment.

e Perfection of the Six Paramitas for reaching the other shore

of Enlightenment are: e path of offering, the path of keeping

precepts, the path of endurance, the path of endeavour, the path

of concentration of mind, and the path of wisdom. By following

these paths, one can surely pass from the shore of delusion over

to the shore of Enlightenment.

e practice of Offering gets rid of selfishness; the practice of

the Precepts keeps one thoughtful of the rights and comforts of

others; the practice of Endurance helps one to control a fearful or

angry mind; the practice of Endeavour helps one to be diligent

and faithful; the practice of Concentration helps one to control a

wandering and futile mind; and the practice of Wisdom changes

a dark and confused mind into a clear and penetrating insight.

Offering and keeping Precepts make the foundation necessary

to build a great castle on. Endurance and Endeavour are the

walls of the castle that protect it against enemies from outside.

Concentration and Wisdom are the personal armour that pro-

tects one against the assault of life and death.

‘xtracted from ‘e eaching of uddha’ published by

ukkyo endo  yokai, okyo, apan.

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