Translation of
Byang chub sems dpa'i spyod pa la 'jug pa'i tshig 'grel 'jam dbyangs bla ma'i zhal lung bdud rtsi'i thig pa
Khenpo Kunpal (1862-1943), student of Patrul Rinpoche and Mipham the Great, wrote this famous extensive word and meaning commentary (tshig don gyi 'grel pa) with a topical outline (sa bcad) to Śāntideva's Chonjuk (Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra).
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Contains chapter or part
A Short Account of the Commentarial Tradition in Tibet
This article, part of the translators' introduction from the translation of The Nectar of Manjushri's Speech by the Padmakara Translation Group, provides a concise overview of the commentarial tradition surrounding Śāntideva's Bodhicaryāvatāra in Tibet. It traces the text's introduction to Tibet in the eighth century, highlighting its rapid translation and subsequent revisions. The study outlines the development of Tibetan commentaries on the text, noting two periods of particular scholarly interest: the thirteenth–fourteenth centuries and the nineteenth–early twentieth centuries. It also touches on the text's importance across different Tibetan Buddhist schools and its role in the Rime movement, which sought to revive interest in diverse Buddhist traditions.
This chronological framework proves valuable for understanding how the Bodhicaryāvatāra was received, studied, and commented upon in Tibet over more than a millennium. By highlighting key figures and schools involved in its transmission and interpretation, the article provides a starting point to explore the many commentators and traditions involved in the diffusion of the Bodhicaryāvatāra in Tibet. Moreover, it contextualizes the text's importance within broader historical and cultural developments in Tibet, such as the early diffusion of Buddhism into Tibet, the development of Tibetan scholastic traditions, and the arising of the nonsectarian Rime movement in Eastern Tibet. This broader perspective allows readers to appreciate the Bodhicaryāvatāra not just as a philosophical text but as a living tradition that has played a significant role in shaping Tibetan Buddhist thought and practice.
Article
Patrul Rinpoche: A Brief Sketch
Fletcher, Wulstan, and Helena Blankleder (Padmakara Translation Group), trans., "Patrul Rinpoche." In The Nectar of Manjushri's Speech: A Detailed Commentary on Shantideva's Way of the Bodhisattva. By Kunzang Pelden, xiv–xvii. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2007.
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