The Way of the Bodhisattva

The Bodhicaryāvatāra ("A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life") is a 10-chapter verse text composed in Sanskrit by the 8th-century Indian monk Śāntideva, a teacher at Nālandā monastery. It sets out the Mahāyāna path from the initial generation of bodhicitta — the aspiration to awaken for the sake of all beings — through the six perfections, culminating in a long ninth chapter on emptiness and a closing dedication. It is among the most-quoted Mahāyāna texts in the Tibetan tradition.

The Padmakara Translation Group's Shambhala edition, first published in 1997 and revised in 2006, is the most widely read English version. It includes a foreword by the 14th Dalai Lama, a thorough introduction, and three appendices of commentary by the Nyingma master Kunzang Pelden. Stephen Batchelor's earlier translation and the Crosby-Skilton Oxford World's Classics edition (1995) are the principal alternatives for academic readers.

Contents

Reception

The text is the source of two passages the 14th Dalai Lama has cited as foundational to his own practice and has taught publicly more than any other (the verses on patience and on exchanging self with other). The Padmakara Translation Group's Shambhala edition (1997, revised 2006) is the most widely read English version; Stephen Batchelor's earlier translation and the Crosby-Skilton Oxford World's Classics edition (1995) are the principal alternatives. Western scholars have engaged with the ninth chapter primarily as a debate-text within the Madhyamaka tradition; popular Western readers most often quote the eighth chapter on patience.

Frequently asked

What is The Way of the Bodhisattva?

It is Śāntideva's 8th-century Sanskrit verse text, composed at Nālandā monastery, setting out the Mahāyāna path from the initial generation of bodhicitta through the six perfections — generosity, ethics, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom — to a final dedication of merit for all beings.

Which English translation is most widely read?

The Padmakara Translation Group's Shambhala edition — first published in 1997 and revised in 2006 — is the most widely read English version. It includes a foreword by the 14th Dalai Lama and appendices of commentary by the Nyingma master Kunzang Pelden. The Crosby-Skilton Oxford World's Classics edition and Stephen Batchelor's earlier translation are the principal academic alternatives.

Why are Chapters 6 and 8 so widely taught?

The 14th Dalai Lama has cited the chapter on patience (Chapter 6) and the chapter on meditation and exchanging self for other (Chapter 8) as the two passages most foundational to his own practice. Western scholars engage with Chapter 9 (Wisdom) as a debate-text on Madhyamaka philosophy, while general readers most often return to the patience verses.