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The '''Bodhicharyāvatāra''', sometimes translated into English as ''A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life'', is a famous Mahāyāna Buddhist text written in Sanskrit by Shantideva (Śāntideva), a Buddhist monk at Nālandā Monastic University in India around 700 CE. It has ten chapters dedicated to the development of bodhicitta (the mind of enlightenment) through the practice of the six perfections (''Skt.'' Pāramitās). The text begins with a chapter describing the benefits of the wish to reach enlightenment. The sixth chapter on the Pāramitā of patience, (''Skt.'' , kshanti), is considered by many Buddhists to be the pinnacle of writing on this subject and is the source of numerous quotations attributed to Śāntideva.
Many Tibetan scholars have written commentaries on this text.

Contents

Chapter summary

Translations available

External links

Chapter summary

★ 1. The benefits of bodhicitta (the wish to reach full enlightenment for others)

★ 2. Purifying bad deeds

★ 3. Adopting the spirit of enlightenment

★ 4. Using conscientiousness

★ 5. Guarding awareness

★ 6. The practice of patience

★ 7. The practice of joyous effort

★ 8. The practice of meditative concentration

★ 9. The perfection of wisdom

★ 10. Dedication

Translations available

★ by Kate Crosby and Andrew Skilton, with commentary, ISBN 0-19-283720-6 (paperback) and ISBN 1-899579-49-4 (hardcover)

★ by Marion Matics (as ''Entering the Path of Enlightenment'')

★ by Stephen Batchelor (as ''A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life'')

★ by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

★ by Dr Alexander Berzin (as ''Engaging in Bodhisattva Behavior'')

External links

★ The Bodhicaryavatara at BuddhaNet

★ Engaging in Bodhisattva Behavior at The Berzin Archives

★ Shantideva Online

★ Bodhicharyavatara Series - Lotsawa House

★ Translation of five chapters of a famous Tibetan commentary by Khenpo Kunpal

★ Bodhicaryavatara: Sanskrit