“By definition, a ‘perfectionist’ is someone who likes to accomplish something perfectly, and finds it difficult to accept anything less than flawless.
“No, the Buddha was not a ‘perfectionist’. He did not have any illusions about perfection. He truly understood the world and was very clear about imperfections in life.
“However, the Buddha taught a way to the perfection of morality, mentality, and wisdom – one which He termed the “Noble Path” (Pāli, ‘Ariyamagga’) to purification. Anyone who journeys along that Path can achieve eradication of defilements and attain perfect freedom from ‘Dukkha’.
“The Buddha took a long time to reach that perfection Himself. Thereafter, He was distinguished as ‘Vijja-carana sampanno’ – One who had perfect knowledge of the world and with faultless conduct – ‘the Perfect One’.”
– Excerpt from a Q&A Session with Nalanda founder Bro Tan.
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