A Wisdom Archive on Shantideva

Shantideva (sometimes Santideva) was an 8th-century Indian Buddhist scholar at Nalanda University and an adherent of the Madhyamika philosophy. Contrary to Tibetan biographies written about him, Shantideva became a king in southeastern Bangladesh, which has been shown through archaeological discoveries which record him as the first king of the Deva dynasty, a line of Buddhist rulers of the Samatata territory who considered the Bodhi ...

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Buddhist Quotes: A Pearl in a Dustbin
 
As a blind man feels when he finds a pearl in a dustbin, so am I amazed by the miracles of awakening rising in my consciousness. It is the nectar of immortality that delivers us from death, the treasure that lifts us from death, the treasure that lifts us above poverty into the wealth of giving to life, the tree that gives shade to us when we roam about scorched by life, the bridge that takes us across the stormy river of life, the cool moon of compassion that calms our mind when it is agitated, the fun that dispels darkness, the butter made from the milk of kindness by churning it with the dharma. It is a feast of joy to which all are invited.
 
- adapted from the Bodhicharyavatara by Shantideva

 
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(See also: Buddhism Archives, Buddhist Quotes, Inspirational Quotes, Love Quotes, Friendship Quotes, Life Quotes )

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The Bodhicaryavatara, sometimes glossed as A Guide of to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, is a famous Buddhist text written by Shantideva, around year 700. It has ten chapters dedicated to the development of an enlightened mind through the so called six perfections. The book also describes the benefits of the wish to reach enlightenment. A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way Of Life - Chapter summary. Chapter one: the benefits of the wish to reach full enlightenment for others Including:

• A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way Of Life - Chapter summary
• A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way Of Life - Translations available

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In Buddhist thought, bodhicitta (Ch. 菩提心, pudixin, Jp. bodaishin) is the motivation of a bodhisattva. Etymologically, this is the combination of the words Bodhi or enlightenment, and Citta - mind, and is sometime translated as mind of enlightenment. Bodhicitta is invariably taught to be selfless determination, as the purpose of enlightenment is not for ones-self, but for the benefit of all beings. According to the teachings of Shantideva and his followers, there are two aspirations of Bodhicitt ...

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There are a great variety of Buddhist texts. Buddhists place varying value on them: attitudes range from worship of the text itself, to dismissal of some texts as falsification of the ineffable truth. They therefore cannot be called "scripture" in the sense of other religions. The texts can be categorized in a number of ways, but the most fundamental division is that between canonical and non-canonical texts. The former, also called the Sutras (Sanskrit) or Suttas (Pali), are held to be, literally or metaphoricall ... Including: Buddhist texts - Canonical texts Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts Buddhist texts - Texts of the Nikaya Schools Buddhist texts - Sutta Buddhist texts - Abhidharma Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts Buddhist texts - Mahayana texts Buddhist texts - Perfection of Wisdom Texts Buddhist texts - Saddharma-pundarika Buddhist texts - Pure Land Sutras Buddhist texts - The Vimalakirti Nirdesha Sutra Buddhist texts - Samadhi Sutras Buddhist texts - Confession Sutras Buddhist texts - The Avatamsaka Sutra Buddhist texts - Third Turning Sutras Buddhist texts - Tathagatagarbha class sutras Buddhist texts - Collected Sutras Buddhist texts - Transmigration Sutras Buddhist texts - Discipline Sutras Buddhist texts - Sutras Devoted to Individual Figures Buddhist texts - Proto-Mahayana Sutras Buddhist texts - Non-canonical texts Buddhist texts - References Buddhist texts - Vajrayana Texts Buddhist texts - Buddhist tantras Buddhist texts - Other products of the Vajrayana literature

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Compassion: Cultivating Positive Emotions
All major traditions in the world agree that negative emotions cause both physical and mental suffering. To be happy and free of suffering we need to cultivate positive attributes like compassion, generosity and loving-kindness. Buddhism acknowledges that outer circumstances are often beyond our control.
 

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