Bodhicaryāvatāra: Governing the Bodhisattvas Way of Life

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Bodhicaryāvatāra: Governing the Bodhisattvas Way of Life
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Description

Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra [is] a great work [that] was composed by Shantideva, a Buddhist master at the monastic University of Nalanda in Northern India. Shantideva's Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra holds a unique place in Mahāyāna Buddhism akin to that of the Dhammapada in Hīnayāna Buddhism and the Bhagavad Gīta in Hinduism. In combining those rare qualities of scholastic precision, spiritual depth, and poetical beauty, its appeal extends to a wide audience of Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. Composed in India during the 8th century of the Christian era, it has since been an Inspiration to millions of people throughout the world.

Shantideva [was] a monk [who] was strictly observing the code of monastic discipline and was a realized Tantric adept. He was a realised soul, a bodhisattva motivated by the awakening mind, the wish to achieve buddhahood. Buddhahood is, quite simply, the state of being Buddha. It is an expression of complete, perfect enlightenment (samyak sambodhi) or that beyond which it is, impossible to go. As such, it is the highest goal and attainment. Precisely because Mahāyāna philosophy presumes that all beings are already Buddha, this term reflects the concern to manifest the perfectness in everyday life.

A bodhichitta is a mind infused with the aspiration to attain the state of buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings. This is the entrance to and the motivation behind the bodhisattva's way of life. The perfect condition of human existence is in which one has freedom from unfavourable states of being and is endowed with the conditions conducive to leading a spiritual life. Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra consists of about 914 ślokas contained in ten chapters.

In India at that time Mahāyāna Buddhism was well established and in the thousand or so stanzas of this text we find a concise yet comprehensive account of the principle features of this doctrine. In the first chapter Shantideva introduces the aspirant to the Awakening Mind and inspires him to develop it.

Shantideva in [the] Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra exhorts us to regulate and govern our lives in accordance with the bodhisattva way of life. As a practitioner of [the] Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra, with this precious human body, this precious human brain, every minute is something special. So, the proper utilization of time is very important. The meaning of proper utilization means, if one can serve other people, other sentient beings. If not, at least, restrain from harming others. In such practice, one automatically gains not only merit, but also one's daily life will be more peaceful and happier. (Adapted from Source Apr 8, 2021)

Citation
Chitkara, M. G., ed. Bodhicaryāvatāra: Governing the Bodhisattvas Way of Life. Encyclopaedia of Buddhism: A World Faith Vol. 18. New Delhi: APH Publishing, 2007.
Interconnections
1 Modern commentary of
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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.
1 Partial translation of
Shantideva high res brighter cropped.jpg
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.