The six perfections in the Mahayana tradition: meditation and wisom
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the six perfections: meditation and wisdom, why they are important and how they can be developed.
Key learning points
- The six perfections (paramitas) are virtues that guide how a Bodhisattva should live their life.
- The perfections help Buddhists progress toward Buddhahood and ultimately achieve enlightenment.
- Meditation is the fifth of the six perfections and is vital in developing insight and wisdom.
- The sixth perfection is wisdom, the realisation that all phenomena is empty of inherent existence (sunyata).
Keywords
Bodhisattva - an enlightened being, who postpones their final escape from samsara in order to help living beings
Buddhahood - reaching enlightenment
Meditation - a spiritual experience that opens a person up to the highest state of consciousness
The six perfections/paramitas - ethical principles in Mahayana Buddhism to lead a being to enlightenment
Wisdom - insight into the true nature of reality
Common misconception
Wisdom means gaining intellectual knowledge or philosophical understanding.
In the context of the perfections, wisdom isn’t about collecting facts or debating philosophy, it is about experiencing the truth of emptiness (sunyata).
Teacher tip
Teach the five skandhas/aggregates, interdependent arising/origination and the Heart Sutra to consolidate the learning in this lesson.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The perfections are important for Bodhisattvas working towards Buddhahood.
Q2.The perfection of helps Buddhists endure hardship without anger.
Q3.What is a way a Buddhist can develop energy (virya)?
Q4.In Mahayana Buddhism, what is a Bodhisattva?
Q5.Why is patience important for someone following the Bodhisattva path?
Q6.What is the real meaning of using energy in Buddhism?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match each Buddhist term to its meaning.
an enlightened being, who postpones their final escape from samsara
reaching enlightenment
ethical principles to lead a being to enlightenment
Q2.According to the Dhammapada, wisdom from meditation.
Q3.Which perfection is about realising the emptiness of all things?
Q4.Some people think wisdom is just gaining knowledge. What is the Buddhist view?
Q5.What analogy did Thich Nhat Hanh use to explain sunyata?
Q6.The skandhas are form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness.
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: The six perfections in the Mahayana tradition: meditation and wisom, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: The six perfections in the Mahayana tradition: meditation and wisom, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Buddhism: Practices unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.