Fetch The Way Of The Bodhisattva Formulated By Śāntideva Available As Volume

book made me a Buddhist and a Christian at the same time, What I love about Buddhism is that it doesn't try to pin God down or even call him "God," but they teach ways to experience him/her.
Most memorable phrase: "the wandering elephant of the mind" I felt as though I could not give this book a rating, I was very in the middle the entire time, It will remain in my book shelf because there were quite a few stanzas that I highlighted, the discussion of the Madhyamika school in theth chapter, and the definitions section in the back.


There were many views that are presented in this translation that I do not agree with nor want to incorporate into my life.
I am grateful that I read it once, but I have no intention of reading it a second time asides for the portions I already highlighted.

Some sections sounded quite selfdeprecating and nihilistic, Others provided great imagery of compassion, This book could benefit from more selfmetta, How can one be compassionate to others without having compassion for ones nonself first Bodhicharyavatara or The Way of the Bodhisattva, is a classic work of Mahayana tradition of Buddhism written by the Indian Buddhist master Santideva a member of the famed Nalanda university of ancient India.
Santideva's beautiful verses, originally written in Sanskrit and later translated into Tibetan contains profound meditations on many themes of Mahayana Buddhism, The chapters can be divided into three stages, the first three are designed to stimulate the bodhichitta desire for enlightenment, the next three are instructions on how to prevent the attitude from being dissipated and finally the next three are ways in which bodhichitta can be intensified.


A bodhisattva refers to an enlightened being who delays niravana in order to help others become enlightened, For this reason the central theme of the work is compassion and why it is absolutely necessary for becoming a bodhisattva, Apart from compassion, it also deals with other themes like the virtue of patience, theory of impermanence and the nature of ego.
There are many translations and commentaries on this work and further reading would definitely help get a better understanding, Most of the work would be comprehensible for people even slightly familiar with Buddhist teachings but chapter'wisdom' needs further explanation, If I'm not mistaken santideva is primarily addressing monks or those soon going to be one and because of that reason some of the teachings seem a bit too austere for a casual reader.
But this is one of those books that need to revisited time and again in order to truly grasp the wisdom it offers.


"Those who harm me rise against me
It's my karma that has summoned them,
And if through this these beings go to hell,
Is it no it I who bring their ruin

Because of them, and through my patience,
All my sins are cleansed and purified.

But they will be the ones who, thanks to me,
Will have the long drawn agonies of hell,

Therefore I am their tormentor!
Therefore it is they who bring me benefit!
Thus with what perversity, perncious mind,
Will you be angry with your enemies

Bodhi: enlightenment/awakening
Sattva: Buddhist being/person.
Hindu goodness, positivity, truth, wholesomeness, serenity, wholeness, creativity, constructiveness, balance, confidence, peacefulness, and virtuousness
Chitta: attitude/mind/consciousness

Having encountered the idea of the Bodhisattva in college, I finally got around to reading one of the greatest works on the concept.
The current Dalai Lama has said of the Shantideva, “If I have any understanding of compassion and the practice of the bodhisattva path, it is entirely on the basis of this text that I possess it”.
Thats a pretty strong recommendation, eh

The chapters of the work are:
, The Excellence of Bodhichitta
, Confession
. Commitment
. Awareness
. Vigilance
. Patience
. Heroic Perseverance
. Meditation
. Wisdom
. Dedication

In general, chaptersdescribe the arising or dawn of Bodhichitta enlightened or awakened mind or attitude, Chaptersconcern the maintenance of Bodhichitta, chaptersdiscuss ways to intensify it with chapter, the “Wisdom” chapter, arguing for the interconnectedness and mystery of all things, including identity.
Chapteris a closing dedication,

In college I loved the idea of someone achieving enlightenment but “staying in the trenches” to help others, After reading this, Im not sure thats exactly

what being a Bodhisattva is about, I think the goal is to develop ones own virtue and thereby alleviate the suffering of others through the mystery of interconnectedness.
Its very difficult to work toward your own enlightenment and remain humble about your ability to help others, but you must take ego out of the equation.
You arent helping others because youre better than them or more “woke,” youre fundamentally working on yourself and hoping that this allows your presence to heal others.
I think its something along the lines of a favorite quote of mine by Maya Angelou:
”I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
”

The keystone verse of the work is:
All the joy the world contains
Has come through wishing happiness for others.

All the misery the world contains
Has come through wanting pleasure for oneself,.

There are also teachings on anger and sin, James:NLT says, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires, ” Shantideva agrees. According to the translators introduction, “Aside from a purely external and as it were artificial indignation, put on for educational purposes which has compassion as its motive and is acted out by one whose mind is under control anger has absolutely no place in the scheme of spiritual development.
It is totally inimical to mental training and will ruin and annihilate in an instant all the progress and merit gained”, Romans:NLT says that “the wages of sin is death” and in the movie “The Shack” we are told that sin is its own punishment.
Shantideva seems to agree:
“But if, in search of happiness, my works are evil,
Then no matter where I turn my steps,
The knives of misery will cut me down
The wage and retribution of a sinful life.
.



Potent Quotables:

For all anxiety and fear,
All sufferings in boundless measure,
Their source and wellspring is the mind itself.
.

The hostile multitudes are vast as space
What chance is there that all should be subdued
Let but this angry mind be overthrown
And every foe is then and there destroyed.
.

To cover all the earth with sheets of hide
Where could such amounts of skin be found
But simply wrap some leather round your feet,
And its as if the whole earth had been covered!.


We can never take
And turn aside the outer course of things,
But only seize and discipline the mind itself,
And what is there remaining to be curbed,

This mind of mine, a wild and rampant elephant,
Ill tether to that sturdy post: reflection on the Teaching.

And I shall narrowly stand guard
That is might never slip its bonds and flee,.

And when you yearn for wealth, attention, fame,
A circle of admirers serving you,
And when you look for honors, recognition
Its then that like a log you should remain.
.

When useful admonitions come unasked
To those with skill in counseling their fellows,
Let them welcome them with humble gratitude,
And always strive to learn from everyone.
.

When enemies or friends
Are seen to act improperly,
Be calm and call to mind
That everything arises from conditions.
.

If those like wanton children
Are by nature prone to injure others,
What point is there in being angry
Like resenting fire for its heat.


Come what may,
Ill hold fast to the virtuous path
And foster in the hearts of all
An attitude of mutual love.
.

The satisfaction that is mine
From thinking “I am being praised,”
Is unacceptable to common sense,
And nothing but the silly ways of children.


All enemies are helpers in my bodhisattva work
And therefore they should be a joy to me,
The fruits of patience are for them and me,
For both of us have brought it into being,
And yet to them they must be offered first,
For of my patience they have been the cause,.

The wise man does not crave,
For from such craving fear and anguish come,
And fix this firmly in your understanding:
All that may be wished for will by nature fade to nothing,.

They indeed, possessed of many wants,
Will suffer many troubles, all for very little:
Mouthfuls of the hay the oxen get
As recompense for having pulled the cart!.


If this “I” is not relinquished wholly,
Sorrow likewise cannot be avoided,
For if he does not keep away from fire,
A man cannot escape from being burned,.

If objects show that consciousness exists,
What, in turn, upholds the truth of objects
If both subsist through mutual dependence,
Both thereby will lose their true existence.
.

May every being ailing with disease
Be freed at once from every malady,
May all the sickness that afflicts the living
Be instantly and permanently healed,
May those who go in dread have no more fear,
May captives be unchained and now set free,
And may the weak receive their strength,
May living beings help each other in kindness,.

And now as long as space endures,
As long as there are beings to be found,
May I continue likewise to remain
To drive away the sorrows of the world.