少室六門 1.87

1.87

Question: As the sūtras say, the six pāramitās are also called the six crossings, namely dāna, śīla, kṣānti, vīrya, dhyāna, and prajñā. Now you say that the purification of the ṣaḍ-indriya is called pāramitā; how do these correspond? Furthermore, what is the meaning of the six crossings? Answer: If you wish to cultivate the six crossings, you should purify the ṣaḍ-indriya and subdue the six thieves. Being able to abandon the eye-thief and depart from all visible forms is called dāna; being able to restrain the ear-thief from negligence regarding sound-objects is called śīla; being able to subdue the nose-thief, treating pleasant and foul scents equally, being at ease and gentle, is called kṣānti; being able to control the tongue-thief, not craving various tastes, praising and expounding [the Dharma], is called vīrya; being able to subdue the body-thief, remaining serene and unmoved regarding tactile desires, is called dhyāna; being able to tame the mind-thief, not according with avidyā, and constantly cultivating the wisdom of awakening, is called prajñā. 'Crossings' means transport. The six pāramitās are like a boat or raft that can transport sentient beings to the other shore; therefore they are called the six crossings.