Description
The Bodhicaryāvatāra, composed by the eighth-century Nalanda monk Śāntideva, is a key Mahāyāna Buddhist text outlining the Bodhisattva path. Written in verse, it is structured around the six perfections (pāramitās) and divided into ten chapters, covering topics such as ethical discipline, meditation, and wisdom. The ninth chapter expounds the Mādhyamaka doctrine of emptiness (śūnyatā), a core Mahāyāna philosophical concept. Śāntideva claims no originality, stating that his verses follow Mahāyāna sūtras (Wallace & Wallace, p. 15).
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