A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life (Bodhicaryavatara)

A guide to the Bodhisattva ideal and the process of enlightenment, this edition of the classic Buddhist treatise “will stand for many years as the standard English translation” (Publishers Weekly) In the whole of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, there is no single treatise more deeply revered or widely practiced than A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Composed in the eighth century by the Indian Bodhisattva Santideva, it became an instant classic in the curricula of the Buddhist monastic universities of India, and its renown has grown ever since. Santideva presents methods to harmonize one's life with the Bodhisattva ideal and inspires the reader to cultivate the perfections of the Bodhisattva: generosity, ethics, patience, zeal, meditative concentration, and wisdom. From Library Journal These two volumes present perspectives on the Boddhisattva ideal, the distinguishing characteristic of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes the desire for enlightenment as an act of altruism toward all beings. A Guide to the Boddhisattva Way of Life is a classic of Tibetan Buddhism, composed in the eighth century by a Buddhist monk. The Wallaces (a professor and a student in religious studies, at Stanford Univ.) translated this work with careful attention to Tibetan and Sanskrit versions, which makes their translation unique. The main text has been re-created from Sanskrit with attention to the Tibetan. Where the nuances in the originals differ significantly, the translation of the Tibetan version is given in the notes. The Thirty Seven Practices of Boddhisattvas is a transcription of oral teaching by a Buddhist scholar and teacher. The text on which the teaching is given is a set of verses written in the 14th century by a Tibetan Buddhist monk. Like the first title, this work seeks to elucidate the day-to-day practice of the Boddhisattva. The original verses are short and fairly clear, and the commentary by Rinchen makes the meaning and the demanding character of the Boddhisattva ideal and realistic for the contemporary reader. The two titles offer insight upon insight as to the way life should be led. Rinchen's is perhaps the more accessible to general readers. For the price, any library with an interest in Buddhism would do well to acquire both.?Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., N.Y. Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. Review "Will stand for many years as the standard English translation of this key Tibetan Buddhist text."—Publishers Weekly "The Wallaces have produced a concise, literal, and elegant translation. The extant Sanskrit edition frequently differs from the one used in Tibet a millennium ago, and the Wallaces have noted these differences in copious footnotes. These features make their translation both highly readable and an excellent source for scholars of the original languages."—Tricycle From the Publisher Santideva's classic treatise, the Bodhicaryavatara, translated here as A GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVAS WAY OF LIFE, has been the most widely read, cited, and practiced text in the whole of the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Ur ston rin chen grub, a renowned Tibetan scholar of the thirteenth century, wrote in his HISTORY OF BUDDHISM IN INDIA AND TIBET that according to the Buddhist tradition, one hundred commentaries on the Bodhicaryavatara were extant in India, but only eight of them were translated into Tibetan. Moreover, His Holiness the Dalai Lama comments that the Bodhicaryavatara is the primary source of most of the Tibetan Buddhist literature on the cultivation of altruism and the Spirit of Awakening, and his recent comprehensive work entitled THE WORLD OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM frequently cites this text. The Bodhicaryavatara has also been a widely known and respected text in the Buddhist tradition of Mongolia, and it was the first Buddhist text translated into classical Mongolian from Tibetan by Coiji Odser in 1305. Although the Bodhicaryavatara has already been translated several times into English, earlier translations have been based exclusively on either Sanskrit versions or Tibetan translations. To the best of our knowledge, no earlier translation into English, including the recent translation by Kate Crosby and Andrew Skilton, has drawn from both the Sanskrit version and its authoritative Sanskrit commentary of Prajnakaramati as well as Tibetan translations and commentaries. Our present translation is based on two Sanskrit editions, namely, Louis de la Vallee Poussins edition (1901) of the Bodhicaryavatara and the Panjika commentary; and it is also based on the Tibetan Derge edition, entitled the Bodhisattvacaryavatara, translated by Sarvajnadeva and dPal brtsegs. We have also consulted two Tibetan commentaries to the work: sPyod jug rnam bshad rgyal sras jug ngogs by rGyal tshab dar ma rin chen and Byang chub sems paI spyod pa la jugpaigrel bshad rgyalsras rgya mtshoI yon tan rin po che mi zad jo bI bum bzang by Thub bstan chos kyi grags pa. As becomes apparent throughout the text, contrary to popular assumption, the recension incorporated into the Tibetan canon is significantly different from the Sanskrit version edited by Louis de La Vallée-Poussin and P.L. Vaidya. This would seem to refute the contention of Crosby and Skilton that the canonical Tibetan translation by Blo Idan shes rab was based on the Sanskrit version available to us today. Moreover, pronouncements concerning which of the extant Sanskrit and Tibetan versions is truer to the original appear to be highly speculative, with very little basis in historical fact. This translation attempts to let these versions speak for themselves as closely as the English allow leaving our readers to make their own judgments concerning the degree of antiquity, authenticity, and overall coherence of the Sanskrit and Tibetan renditions of Santidevas classical treatise. In terms of our methodology, we have primarily based our translation on the Sanskrit version and its commentary, though we have always consulted the Tibetan translation and its commentaries. Thus, the main text constitutes a translation of both the Sanskrit and Tibetan versions where they do not differ in content. However, in those verses where the Tibetan differs significantly from the Sanskrit, we have included English translations of the Tibetan version in the footnotes to the text. Explanatory notes drawn from the Panjika commentary and other sources have also been given in the footnotes to the text. Many of the Sanskrit verses of this text are concise and at times cryptic, and they often entail complex syntax. thus, at times we were forced to take certain freedoms in our translation in order to make English intelligible. We hope that this translation will contribute to the greater understanding and appreciation of this classic treatise by Santideva and that it will inspire others in the further study of this text and other works attributed to this great Indian Buddhist contemplative, scholar, and poet. Vesna A. Wallace B. Alan Wallace Half Moon Bay, California July 1996 From the Back Cover "...will stand for many years as the standard English translation of this key Tibetan Buddhist text."--Publishers Weekly In the whole of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, there is no single treatise more deeply revered or widely practiced than A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Composed in the eighth century by the Indian Bodhisattva Santideva, it became an instant classic in the curricula of the Buddhist monastic universities of India, and its renown has grown ever since. Santideva presents methods to harmonize one's life with the Bodhisattva ideal and inspires the reader to cultivate the perfections of the Bodhisattva--generosity, ethics, patience, zeal, meditative concentration, and wisdom. About the Author Shantideva was a scholar in the eighth century from the monastic university Nalanda, one of the most celebrated centers of learning in ancient India. According to legend, Shantideva was greatly inspired by the celestial bodhisattva Manjushri, from whom he secretly received teachings and great insights. Yet as far as the other monks could tell, there was nothing special about Shantideva. In fact, he seemed to do nothing but eat and sleep. In an attempt to embarrass him, the monks forced Shantideva's hand by convincing him to publicly expound on the scriptures. To the amazement of all in attendance that day, Shantideva delivered the original and moving verses of the Bodhicharyavatara. When he reached verse thirty-four of the ninth chapter, he began to rise into the sky, until he at last disappeared. Following this, Shantideva became a great teacher. B. Alan Wallace has authored, translated, edited, and contributed to more than forty books on Tibetan Buddhism, science, and culture. With fourteen years as a Buddhist monk, he earned a BA in physics and the philosophy of science and then a Ph.D. in religious studies. After teaching in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he founded the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies to explore the integration of scientific approaches and contemplative methods.