In Mahāyāna Buddhism, the Six Perfections (pāramitās) are presented as the core virtues that shape the bodhisattva path toward Buddhahood for the sake of all beings. They are generosity (dāna), ethical conduct (śīla), patience (kṣānti), energetic effort (vīrya), meditative concentration (dhyāna), and wisdom (prajñā). Generosity involves giving material support, protection from fear, and especially the Dharma, in a way that loosens attachment and self-centeredness. Ethical conduct means upholding moral discipline in body, speech, and mind, creating trust and a stable basis for deeper practice. Patience is the capacity to endure hardship and criticism without anger, preserving compassion even in adverse conditions. Energetic effort is the joyful diligence that sustains wholesome actions and spiritual practice over the long course of the bodhisattva career. Meditative concentration calms and focuses the mind, making it clear and pliant, while wisdom is the direct insight into emptiness and the true nature of phenomena.

These six are described not merely as abstract virtues but as the practical method by which a bodhisattva transforms from an ordinary being into a Buddha. They purify the mind of greed, anger, and ignorance by directly counteracting these tendencies and other specific defilements and weaknesses. Through them, the bodhisattva generates both merit and wisdom, removing mental obstacles that prevent enlightenment and building the capacity to help others effectively across countless lifetimes. The first five perfections embody compassionate activity, while wisdom illuminates them so that generosity, ethics, and the rest are not bound by ego or mistaken views. In this way, the perfections unite compassion and insight, turning the bodhisattva vow to liberate all beings from suffering into a lived discipline and a complete path from the shore of suffering to the shore of awakening.