Shantideva
Shantideva is the Madhyamaka master of Nalanda whose Bodhicaryavatara (“Way of the Bodhisattva”) became — after the Diamond Sutra perhaps — the most beloved Buddhist text of the last two centuries, East and West.
Life
The Tibetan tradition (Taranatha’s history) tells of a monk at Nalanda who appeared to do nothing — “three realizations,” the monks mocked — until commanded to recite scripture from the throne; he chanted the Bodhicaryavatara, vanishing as he reached the perfection chapter. The story is legend; the text, its citation by 8th-century writers, and a handful of historical mentions anchor a real Nalanda author.
Teachings/Works
The Bodhicaryavatara’s ten chapters trace the bodhisattva’s path: generating bodhicitta, confessing faults, watchfulness, patience (chapter 6’s meditation on anger is the classic), diligence, meditative calm, and the perfection of wisdom (chapter 9, a Prasangika Madhyamaka summa) — closing with the dedication of all merit to all beings (“May I be the medicine for the sick…”). The Shikshasamuccaya, his anthology of sources, survives as a doxography.
Legacy
Tibet’s four schools memorize him; the Dalai Lama calls the Bodhicaryavatara his primary teacher. Western translation began in 1892 and flowered in the 20th century; chapter 6 entered global mindfulness culture.
Verification notes
- Biography is legend; dating to the 8th century rests on citation history.
- Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).