[upekkha100]

When I hear the word “parami”, what comes to mind is the 10 parami of a Bodhisatta. However, this word has also been used in reference to regular people(those who are not Bodisatta).

Example: “a special divine sense of hearing acquired by people who had accrued great parami in their past existence,”

What does parami mean in that context?

Is it the work and effort one did in their recent past lives via cultivating the Path or cultivating even things like sila, anariya jhana and anariya abhinna powers?

[Lal]

You can read the following post and see whether it answers your questions. I just revised it:
Pāramitā and Niyata Vivarana – Myths or Realities?

[Akvan]

Hi Lal,

There is a small discrepancy in the post (https://puredhamma.net/myths-or-realities/paramita-and-niyata-vivarana-myths-or-realities/) or how I have understood it.

In the third point of section 1 you mention;
1. Attaining magga phala — including Arahantship — do not have such requirements (Paramitha)

However in the last point you mention;

1. Furthermore, one striving to attain the Arahanthood (or Nibbāna) is also fulfilling pāramitā.

Can you clarify this please?

[Lal]

Sorry. I did not catch that in #1 when I revised it today.

Just revised it to: “Attaining magga phala — including Arahantship — do not have such set requirements (at least I have not seen).”

[upekkha100]

Thanks for that Lal.

This post especially: Difference between a Wish and a Determination (Paramita) answered my question.

Particularly the following parts:
-“To become an Arahant one needs to make a commitment and maintain it over many, many lives. We all are likely to have made that commitment in one or more lives; of course we do not know. And if we had made such a commitment and have worked on it over many lives, it may be possible to fulfill it in this very life. Even otherwise, we can make a real effort to maintain that “paramita” and strengthen it.”

-“Some make firm determinations to become a deva, a brahma, an emperor, or just to be rich; there are millions of things that people wish for, and sometimes make firm determinations on. Some of them can come true in this lifetime itself, especially if that is a firm commitment coming from previous lives. Normally the word “paramita” is reserved for those commitments that target Nibbana. ”

-“In physics, there is a simple law that says, “every action has a reaction”. In Buddha Dhamma, there is an even more generalized law: when one keeps doing something, an invisible energy buildup occurs that will result in a kamma bhava(a potential energy) that will bring about a result (even a birth) of similar kind.”

[Author]

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