The Six Paramitas for Everyday Life
The Six Paramitas are not just ideals. They are the art of living with an awakened heart.
2 Sessions | October 25 & November 8 | Live on Zoom | $108 ⚠️ Enrollment closes October 18, 2026 — Limited Availability
What if the challenges of your everyday life — the difficult relationships, the moments of impatience, the temptation to give up, the restless searching for meaning — were not obstacles to your spiritual practice?
What if they were the practice itself?
That is the radical, liberating heart of the Bodhisattva Path — one of Mahayana Buddhism’s most profound and transformative teachings. And at its center lie six luminous perfections — the Six Paramitas — ancient guidelines for living with generosity, integrity, patience, joyful effort, meditative awareness, and wisdom in every moment of every day.
Not on the cushion only. Not in the temple only. But here — in your kitchen, your workplace, your relationships, and your most difficult moments.
This is the path that transforms ordinary life into awakening.
ABOUT THE COURSE
Buddhism 101: Walking the Bodhisattva Path — The Six Paramitas for Everyday Life is a warm, engaging, and deeply accessible two-session live Zoom course exploring one of Mahayana Buddhism’s most beloved and practically powerful teachings.
The Bodhisattva is not a distant, mythological figure. A Bodhisattva is anyone who has made the courageous aspiration to awaken — not just for their own benefit, but for the benefit of all beings. And the Six Paramitas are the practical, beautiful, day-by-day expression of that aspiration in action.
Drawing from The Six Paramitas: Perfections of the Bodhisattva Path by the revered Chan Master Sheng Yen — one of the twentieth century’s foremost Buddhist teachers and scholars — and guided by BFF’s own Rev. G.R. Lewis, M.A., this course brings these timeless teachings off the page and into your actual life.
Whether you are brand new to Buddhism or a seasoned practitioner looking to deepen your practice, this course meets you exactly where you are. Open to everyone. No prerequisites required.
THE SIX PARAMITAS — WHAT YOU WILL EXPLORE
Over two richly engaging live sessions you will discover:
🌸 Generosity (Dana) — the first and most fundamental perfection. The difference between giving with characteristics and giving without — and why true generosity begins with releasing self-attachment
⚖️ Morality (Sila) — ethical living not as rigid rule-following but as the natural expression of compassion. The Five Precepts, the Bodhisattva Precepts, and how moral conduct becomes a gift to all beings
🌊 Patience (Ksanti) — perhaps the most immediately practical paramita. The three kinds of patience, the difference between worldly and world-transcending patience, and how wisdom transforms the way we meet conflict, difficulty, and pain
🔥 Diligence (Virya) — the paramita of joyful, sustained effort. How vows strengthen practice, how the Four Proper Exertions keep us on course, and how the Bodhisattva practices diligence not for self-improvement but for the benefit of all
🧘 Meditation (Dhyana) — far more than sitting on a cushion. The five levels of dhyana, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, and how Mahayana meditation extends into every moment of daily life
💎 Wisdom (Prajna) — the crown of all six perfections. Why prajna is essential to every other paramita, the difference between general and specific wisdom, and how awakening to the nature of reality transforms everything
HOW THIS COURSE IS DIFFERENT
Most Buddhist courses teach the Six Paramitas as concepts — definitions to understand, lists to remember.
This course brings them to life.
Through guided discussion, reflection, and real-life application — supported by thoughtful Reading Guide assignments and home practice — you will discover how each paramita speaks directly to the challenges and opportunities of your own everyday experience. Your relationships. Your work. Your moments of frustration, grief, joy, and longing.
The Six Paramitas are not just ideals to aspire to. They are practical tools — refined over centuries of lived Buddhist wisdom — for meeting life with greater clarity, resilience, kindness, and an increasingly open and awakened heart.
THE REQUIRED TEXT
The Six Paramitas: Perfections of the Bodhisattva Path by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Written by the late Venerable Chan Master Sheng Yen — one of the twentieth century’s foremost Buddhist teachers, scholars, and meditation masters — this beautifully clear and practical guide explores each of the Six Paramitas in depth, showing how they work together as a complete path of awakening and how they can be practiced meaningfully in the midst of ordinary daily life.
Please obtain and begin reading your copy before the first class session on November 8th.
[Link to Download the free PDF book here]
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
This is a structured program — not a casual book club. Students are warmly asked to:
- Read The Six Paramitas by Chan Master Sheng Yen and complete all Reading Guide assignments before each class. The 1st assignment is due at the 1st class.
- Attend both live Zoom sessions
- If located in Connecticut — attend BFF’s Sunday Morning Meditation & Talk gatherings (75% attendance encouraged)
- If located outside Connecticut — connect with a local Buddhist group if one is available
- Practice what is learned — in meditation, in daily life, and in relationships
Community practice is an essential ingredient of the Buddha’s path. We cannot do it alone — the sangha (community of practitioners) is one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism, and it will support and deepen your learning in ways that study alone cannot.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Rev. G.R. Lewis, M.A. has served as BFF of Connecticut’s Guiding Dharma Teacher since 2001. A former student of the Venerable Thich Tri Hong and the esteemed late Dr. (Rev.) Taitetsu Unno — North America’s foremost Shin Buddhist teacher — he has practiced Buddhism for over 30 years and brings a rare combination of scholarly depth, personal warmth, and genuine lived experience to every class.
For his full biography, visit our Our Teachers page.
WHAT YOU WILL WALK AWAY WITH
By the end of this course you will:
✔ Have a clear, grounded understanding of the Six Paramitas and their place in Mahayana Buddhism ✔ Know how to bring each paramita into your daily life — in relationships, work, and practice ✔ Have a deeper understanding of the Bodhisattva ideal and what it means to walk this path ✔ Possess practical tools for meeting life’s difficulties with patience, wisdom, and compassion ✔ Feel genuinely inspired and equipped to deepen your Buddhist practice going forward ✔ Be part of a warm, engaged community of fellow travelers on the path
PRACTICAL DETAILS
📅 Session 1: Sunday, October 25, 2026 📅 Session 2: Sunday, November 8, 2026 🕕 Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM Eastern 💻 Format: Live on Zoom — unique link sent upon registration 💵 Investment: $108 ⚠️ Enrollment closes: November 1, 2026 📖 Required Text: The Six Paramitas by Chan Master Sheng Yen 🌍 Open to all — no prerequisites, no prior experience needed. Beginners and seasoned practitioners equally welcome.
REGISTRATION
⚠️ Enrollment is limited. Early registration is strongly encouraged to secure your place and allow time to obtain and read the required text before the first session.
By registering you confirm agreement to BFF’s Refund Policy, Disclaimer of Responsibility, Code of Conduct, and Image Release Agreement as detailed on the registration ticket.