A Commentary on the Awakening Mind
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A Commentary on the Awakening Mind
Article
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Description
The Bodhicittavivaraṇa (Commentary on the Awakening Mind) is a seminal work by the second-century Indian philosopher Nāgārjuna, widely regarded as the founder of the Madhyamaka school of Buddhist philosophy. In this concise yet profound treatise, Nāgārjuna elucidates the nature of bodhicitta—the altruistic aspiration to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings—weaving together both the conventional and ultimate dimensions of this awakened intention. The text explores how the cultivation of bodhicitta serves as the foundation of the bodhisattva path while simultaneously pointing to its ultimate nature as inseparable from emptiness (śūnyatā). Thupten Jinpa's English translation makes this important work accessible to modern readers seeking to understand the philosophical underpinnings of Mahāyāna Buddhist practice.
Citation
Jinpa, Thupten, trans. "A Commentary on the Awakening Mind." By Nāgārjuna. n.p.: Institute of Tibetan Classics, 2007.
Interconnections
1 Full translation of
The Bodhicittavivaraṇa (Tib. བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་ཀྱི་འགྲེལ་པ།, Eng. Commentary on the Awakening Mind) is a foundational Mahāyāna text comprising 112 verses, originally composed in Sanskrit, preceded by a prose introduction, traditionally attributed to the second-century master Nāgārjuna. This work serves as both a comprehensive Madhyamaka analysis and a practical guide for cultivating bodhicitta in its two dimensions: conventional bodhicitta as the compassionate aspiration for all beings' enlightenment, and ultimate bodhicitta as the direct realization of emptiness (śūnyatā). The text grounds ethical aspiration in ontological analysis, demonstrating how understanding the empty nature of phenomena naturally generates universal compassion, while also refuting competing philosophical positions including Vijñānavāda idealism, the tīrthika conception of self, and the śrāvaka understanding of the skandhas. Although scholarly questions persist regarding its authorship—particularly given the text’s apparent tantric elements, critique of Vijñānavāda, and absence of citation by Nāgārjuna’s principal commentators Buddhapālita, Candrakīrti, and Bhāvaviveka—the Bodhicittavivaraṇa has exerted profound influence across Indian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Its remarkable interpretive flexibility has allowed it to serve as a scriptural foundation for diverse philosophical schools and contemplative practices, from strict Prāsaṅgika philosophy to mahāmudrā and mind training (lojong), making it an essential text for both monastic and lay bodhisattvas throughout the history of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
1 Related
Teaching in New York, NY, USA on October 4: His Holiness gives a half-day afternoon teaching on Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhicitta (Jangchup Semdrel) organized by a Vietnamese group at the Manhattan Center.
