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Śāntideva's Life and Works
Delve deeper into Śāntideva's life stories and historical context. Content coming soon. Please be patient.
Śāntideva's Life and Cultural World
Śāntideva's life is shrouded in legend, as most of what we know about him comes from the various hagiographies written in the centuries after his time. But much can be understood about his life based on his religious and cultural environment and the education he received at the famed Buddhist university of Nalanda, in northern India.
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Śāntideva's Works: An Overview
The Bodhicaryāvatāra and the Śikṣāsamuccaya both discuss the generation of the mind of enlightenment for the benefit of sentient beings and prescribe practices one must perform in order to attain buddhahood. As such, both texts are designed to elicit a transformation in the reader. While they are stylistically and structurally unique, the two texts are thought to be mutually illuminating, and for this reason it is often recommended that they be studied together.
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Influence and Reception of Śāntideva's Works
The Bodhicaryāvatāra and the Śikṣāsamuccaya were composed in India in Sanskrit and made a significant impact on the understanding of Mahāyāna Buddhism and the bodhisattva path there. Both works spread beyond the Indian subcontinent and became especially important in Tibet, inspiring commentaries as well as other works by famous teachers. While it has been the Bodhicaryāvatāra that has received more adoration and attention historically, both texts continue to inspire scholars and practitioners around the globe.
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The Bodhisattva Path According to Śāntideva
Śāntideva's Bodhicaryāvatāra is undoubtedly one of the great classics of Indian Mahāyāna Buddhism. What sets it apart from other highly esteemed exemplars of Buddhist philosophical literature is its pragmatic approach to the bodhisattva path, making it both accessible and relatable to generations upon generations of aspiring practitioners.
The Path
Bodhicitta, the mind of enlightenment or awakening (byang chub kyi sems), is an altruistic intention, suffused with compassion, that aspires to free all beings from suffering and is motivated by the determination to work toward the attainment of complete enlightenment in order help others reach that same state.
The Path
The Six Perfections
The six perfections, or pāramitā, are the primary constituents that make up the path in the Mahāyāna tradition based on the sūtras. They represent the different facets of the bodhisattva conduct, as specific areas of attention that are initially practiced in succession, yet are structured in order to produce a cumulative effect.
The Path
The Path of the Bodhisattva
Explore the path of the bodhisattva as laid out in the Bodhicaryāvatāra, Śāntideva's treatise about conduct, meditation, and the view.
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Overviews of Śāntideva's Works
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Explore the Themes
The Outlines
Explore the outlines of Śāntideva's main works: MIRO MIND MAPS HERE!
