การสร้างบารมีให้ก้าวหน้าต้องอาศัยสมบัติ 6 ประการที่เกื้อหนุนกัน ตั้งแต่การได้เกิดเป็นมนุษย์ไปจนถึงการมีความเห็นถูกต้อง ซึ่งเป็นพื้นฐานให้บารมีทั้ง 10 หมุนไปข้างหน้าได้อย่างต่อเนื่องAdvancing the perfections rests on six great assets that support one another, from being born human to holding right view. Together they form the foundation that lets all ten perfections turn forward without interruption.
The teacher explained the six great assets that form the foundation for driving the perfections forward.
What Are the Six Great Assets?
The six are: first, the asset of birth — being born human, which is extremely rare and requires great merit, since only humans have the most convenient opportunity to accumulate it. Second, the asset of timing — being born while the Buddha's teaching still exists, giving the chance to study and find faith in the Triple Gem. Third, the asset of country — living where a large population upholds Buddhism as its main faith and applies the teaching to daily life. Fourth, the asset of family — being born into a household that has faith and confidence in the Buddha's teaching. Fifth, the asset of physical endowment — having a sound body, in good health, with all faculties intact, fit for building the perfections. And sixth, the asset of right view — holding correct understanding of how to live and grasping the law of karma.
Each Asset in Detail
Being born human is no small matter, since experiencing the results of merit and demerit in other realms can take millions of years; the chance to cycle back into a human birth is thus extremely rare. The asset of timing means being present while the Buddha's teaching still exists in the world, which makes the surrounding atmosphere far more conducive to wholesome action. The asset of country narrows this further — whether the specific country, province, or community serves as a hub radiating that goodness outward. The asset of family concerns how much a household's upbringing favors nature. The asset of physical endowment is the body's readiness for studying and practicing Dhamma. And the asset of right view is itself a fruit of past karma: if one has habitually created wholesome causes before, a greater proportion of the wholesome will now be steering one toward studying the Dhamma.
From Generosity to Equanimity: How the Ten Perfections Connect
Once all six assets are in place, the ten perfections link together in sequence. It begins with the perfection of generosity — dissolving the that locks the heart small. Becoming one who brings good fortune to others leads to the perfection of precepts, which brings safety and . Greater purity leads to the perfection of renunciation, drawing us into increasingly subtle inner dimensions, which connects us to our inner knowing and leads to the perfection of wisdom — seeing the danger in and the value in the wholesome. Seeing that value sparks vision and inspiration, leading to the perfection of effort, sustained striving. But when that effort meets suffering it can't easily push through, the steps in, forging an "austerity" that lets us endure and clear each obstacle in turn. Facing suffering with leads to the perfection of truth — accepting reality as governed by the law of karma and . Once established in that truth, the mind becomes an "element of accomplishment": whatever it resolves upon comes to be, leading to the perfection of resolve. From there, one can support others more broadly — the perfection of — and finally the perfection of equanimity, which keeps the mind balanced, unmoved by the pleasure and displeasure of those around it. The six great assets, then, are what allow these ten perfections — the very engine driving our life through the cycle of rebirth — to keep turning forward without pause.