In Sanskrit ‘paramita’ literally means ‘having reached the other shore.’ Italso means ‘transcendence,’ or ‘perfection.’ If we exist on the shore ofsuffering, reaching the other shore would mean leaving suffering behind andbecoming enlightened. Hence, transcendence means to become free frommental afflictions, (the causes of suffering) and from suffering itself. The truepractice of the paramitas is to be free from self-attachment and self-cherishing.