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.
