Meditation, Mindfulness and the Awakened Life: An Updated Look at the Bodhicaryavatara of Shantideva

The Bodhicaryavatara is one of the most significant works in Mahayana Buddhist literature. Written entirely in verse, the text is a remarkable piece of didactic Sanskrit poetry, extolling the bodhisattva ideal and guiding a Buddhist practitioner along the complete Mahayana path, culminating in the attainment of enlightenment. The text is generally thought to have been written in the 8th century at the Buddhist university of Nalanda by the Indian master and monk Santideva. With this updated translation, we see that Shantideva as a superbly sophisticated ethical and philosophical theorist.