Pāramitā
Pāramitā (Sanskrit, Pali: पारमिता) or pāramī (Pāli: पारमी), is a Buddhist term often translated as "perfection". It is described in Buddhist commentaries as noble character qualities generally associated with enlightened beings. "Pāramī" and "pāramitā" are both terms in Pali but Pali literature makes greater reference to "pāramī," while Mahayana texts generally use the Sanskrit "pāramitā." Etymology. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. describes the etymology of the term: Theravāda Buddhism. Theravada teachings on the "pāramīs" can be found in late canonical books and post-canonical commentaries. Theravada commentator Dhammapala describes them as noble qualities usually associated with bodhisattas. American scholar-monk  Thanissaro Bhikkhu describes them as perfections "(paramī)" of character necessary to achieve enlightenment as one of the three enlightened beings, a "samma sambuddha" a "pacceka-buddha" or an "arahant". Canonical sources. In the Pāli Canon, the "Buddhavaṃsa" of the "Khuddaka Nikāya" lists the ten perfections ("dasa pāramiyo") as: Two of the above virtues, "mettā" and "upekkhā", also are brahmavihāras, and two - "vīrya" and "upekkha" are factors of awakening. Historicity. The Theravāda teachings on the pāramīs can be found in canonical books ("Jataka tales", "Apadāna", "Buddhavaṃsa", "Cariyāpiṭaka") and post-canonical commentaries written to supplement the Pāli Canon at a later time , and thus might not be an original part of the Theravāda teachings. The oldest parts of the "Sutta Piṭaka" (for example, "Majjhima Nikāya", "Digha Nikāya", "Saṃyutta Nikāya" and the "Aṅguttara Nikāya") do not have any mention of the pāramīs as a category (though they are all mentioned individually). Some scholars even refer to the teachings of the pāramīs as a semi-Mahāyāna teaching added to the scriptures at a later time in order to appeal to the interests and needs of the lay community and to popularize their religion. However, these views rely on the early scholarly presumption of Mahāyāna  originating with religious devotion and appeal to laity. More recently, scholars have started to open up early Mahāyāna literature, which is very ascetic and expounds the ideal of the monk's life in the forest. Therefore, the practice of the pāramitās in Mahāyāna Buddhism may have been close to the ideals of the ascetic tradition of the śramaṇa. Traditional practice. Bhikkhu Bodhi maintains that, in the earliest Buddhist texts (which he identifies as the first four "nikāyas"), those seeking the extinction of suffering ("nibbana") pursued the noble eightfold path. As time went on, a backstory was provided for the multi -life development of the Buddha; as a result, the ten perfections were identified as part of the path for the bodhisattva (Pāli: "bodhisatta"). Over subsequent centuries, the "pāramīs" were seen as being significant for aspirants to both Buddhahood and arahantship. Bhikkhu Bodhi summarizes: Mahāyāna Buddhism. Religious studies scholar Dale S. Wright states that Mahāyāna texts refer to the "pāramitās" as "bases of training" for those looking to achieve enlightenment. Wright describes the Buddhist "pāramitās" as a set of character ideals that guide self-cultivation and provide a concrete image of the Buddhist ideal. The Prajñapāramitā sūtras (प्रज्ञापारमिता सूत्र), and a  large number of other Mahāyāna texts list six perfections: This list is also mentioned by the Theravāda commentator Dhammapala, who describes it as a categorization of the same ten perfections of Theravada Buddhism. According to Dhammapala, "Sacca" is classified as both "Śīla" and "Prajñā", "Mettā" and "Upekkhā" are classified as "Dhyāna", and "Adhiṭṭhāna" falls under all six. Bhikkhu Bodhi states that the correlations between the two sets shows there was a shared core before the Theravada and Mahayana schools split. In the "Ten Stages Sutra", four more pāramitās are listed: The "Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra" ("महारत्नकूट सूत्र, the Sutra of the Heap  of Jewels") also includes these additional four pāramitās with number 8 and 9 switched. Tibetan Buddhism. According to the perspective of Tibetan Buddhism, Mahāyāna practitioners have the choice of two practice paths: the path of perfection (Sanskrit: "pāramitāyāna") or the path of tantra (Sanskrit: "tantrayāna"), which is the Vajrayāna. Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche renders "pāramitā" into English as "transcendent action" and then frames and qualifies it: The pure illusory body is said to be endowed with the six perfections (Sanskrit: "ṣatpāramitā"). The first four perfections are skillful means practice while the last two are wisdom practice. These contain all the methods  and skills required for eliminating delusion and fulfilling other's needs. Also, leading from happy to happier states.