Cultivating Bodhicitta: Wisdom and Compassion in Śāntideva's Introduction to the Awakened Life

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Cultivating Bodhicitta: Wisdom and Compassion in Śāntideva's Introduction to the Awakened Life
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"Bodhisattva," or in Pāli, bodhisatta, is a compound of bodhi, meaning "awakening"—as in the Bodhi tree—and sattva, meaning "being." Beginning already in the Pāli Canon, a bodhisattva has been understood as one who makes the intention to liberate beings from suffering. In Śāntideva's words, that the Dalai Lama is so fond of quoting: "As long as space abides and as long as the world abides, so long may I abide, destroying the sufferings of the world." To realize this intention, the aspiring bodhisattva seeks to cultivate a mind characterized by stability, insight, and an openness and compassion for others. This mind, bodhicitta (literally, "awakened mind") is attained through practicing virtues, or perfections. Śāntideva's Bodhicaryāvatāra is an introduction to these practices. Read more here

Citation
Edelglass, William. "Cultivating Bodhicitta: Wisdom and Compassion in Śāntideva's Introduction to the Awakened Life." Insight Journal (2015). https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/article/cultivating-bodhicitta/.
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Classical WorksAbout this item
An "Introduction to Bodhisattva Practice," the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra is a poem about the path of a bodhisattva, in ten chapters, written by the Indian Buddhist Śāntideva (fl. c. 685–763). One of the masterpieces of world literature, it is a core text of Mahāyāna Buddhism and continues to be taught, studied, and commented upon in many languages and by many traditions around the world. The main subject of the text is bodhicitta, the altruistic aspiration for enlightenment, and the path and practices of the bodhisattva, the six perfections (pāramitās). The text forms the basis of many contemporary discussions of Buddhist ethics and philosophy.