Manual for Bodhisattvas

The Way of the Bodhisattva

^{Bodhicharyavatara — by Shantideva}

Like the Book of Proverbs - the Bodhicharyavatara is a timeless work of wisdom, the longevity of which is due to the quality of its verse as much as to its wisdom. In the whole of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, there is no single treatise more deeply revered or widely practiced than Bodhicharyavatara.

Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions, The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicharyavatara) is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment and to generating the qualities of love, compassion, generosity and patience.

This text has been studied, practiced, and expounded upon in an unbroken tradition for centuries, first in India, and later in Tibet.

Presented in the form of a personal meditation in verse, it outlines the path of the Bodhisattvas - those who renounce the peace of individual enlightenment and vow to work for the liberation of all beings and to attain buddhahood for their sake.

Composed in the eighth century, it became an instant classic in the curricula of the Buddhist monastic universities of India, and its renown has grown ever since. It is a handbook on how to realize the nature of existence and of compassion that arises from such realization.

The Bodhicharyavatara roughly translates to A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life.

A Bodhisattva is an enlightened being on their way to attaining full Buddhahood (renounce nirvana) for the benefit of all sentient beings.

The text has ten chapters that explain how to develop bodhicitta - the enlightened mind. This collection contains meditation exercises and moral instruction for bodhisattvas to practice as they engage in their work.

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