The Sanskrit word 'paramita' means 'having reached the other shore'. It also means "transcendence' or 'perfection'. If we are now on the shore of suffering, reaching the other shore would mean leaving suffering behind and becoming enlightened. Hence, transcendence means to be free from mental afflictions, which are the causes of suffering, and from suffering itself. The true practice of the paramitas is to be free from self-attachment and self-cherishing...