बोधिसत्त्वचर्यावतार Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra kindle ´ eBookFree ´ Śāntideva

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बोधिसत्त्वचर्यावतार Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra kindle ´ eBook Free ´ Śāntideva · [PDF] ✅ बोधिसत्त्वचर्यावतार Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra Author Śāntideva – Gym-appFoundly liberating effect on the mind The poem invokes special positive states of mind moves us from suffering and conflict to happiness and peace and gradually introduces us to the entire Mahayana Buddhist path to enlightenment Tharp I have now been studying Buddhist philosophy as a practicing Buddhist in the Mahayana tradition for many years The Bodhisattva Way of Life is without any doubt in my mind the most meaningful and useful teaching I have read This epic poem by the well loved Buddhist Saint Santideva was of such assistance to my understanding of relevant aspects of other Mahayana commentaries to Buddha's teaching that it takes pride of place in my heart mind and on my shrineProbably the most fascinating and complex component is the celebrated ninth chapter on wisdom Admittedly it is daunting in its complexity and it is not easily followed Santideva begins this chapter by pointing out that the whole of the Bodhicaryavatara Path of the Bodhisattva and all the methods for purifying the mind and generating the virtues of vigilance patience courage and so on are geared toward wisdom Naturally he defines wisdom as the direct realization of emptiness or absolute Bodhicitta Without achieving this first coherently argues the true practice of compassion is not possibleFrom the point of view of metaphysics I understand that Santideva was an adherent of the Prasangika Madhyamika the Middle Way Conseuence school of Buddhist philosophy The basic position of Madhyamika is that reason itself is fundamentally flawed and insufficient to achieve ultimate wisdom Santideva steps gracefully through the argument that there is a radical lack in the fundamental structure of reason itself something that prevents us from attaining a true knowledge of the absolute In the final analysishe points out poetically all rational formulations however ingenious contain within themselves paradox and inconsistency the very seeds of their own refutation Thus he as a devotee of the Prasangika Madhyamika position does not advance a position of his own but rather puts forward a body of doctrines which are essentially a system of philosophical criticismHis techniue is to take a dogmatic assertion the doctrine of the self the theory of causation or the existence of a divine creator etc and to gradually and incisively refute it He does not do this however by putting forward an alternative view but rather he gradually and exuisitely exposes by intricate logical steps the theory's own incoherence Ultimately the assertion so treated is reduced to an absurdity and is shown to be uneual to its original claim In the end he reveals all theories even Buddhist theories as innately irrationalIn doing this he reduces to total silence the restless uestioning intellect From this position an intellectual stillness arises as conceptual elaboration is annihilated It is by reaching this position he asserts that is is possible for the insight which lies beyond theory to arise In this way he prepares us for the experience of shunyata emptiness itselfThe most remarkable feature of the ninth chapter I think is that it shows that the wisdom of emptiness is not merely relevant to Bodhisattva training it is indispensable Indeed Santideva demonstrates that far from being a matter of rarefied metaphysics or academic discussion separated by monastery walls from the concerns of practical existence the Madhyamika view is fundamentally a vision and a way of life It is the ultimate heart and soul of the Buddha's teaching In the twenty or so stanzas at the end of the ninth chapter Santideve shows precisely how the absence of this profound wisdom lies at the root of samsara and the sorrows of the world Poignantly he concludes his message with these verses of great beauty and pathosWhen shall I be able to allay and uenchThe dreadful heat of suffering's blazing firesWith plenteous rains of my own blissThat pour torrential from clouds of merit?My wealth of merit gathered inWith reverence but without conceptual aimWhen shall I reveal this truth of emptinessTo those who go to ruin through belief in substance