The Bodhisattva Path To Unsurpassed Enlightenment

Ārya Asanga’s Bodhisattvabhūmi, or The Stage of a Bodhisattva, is the Mahāyāna tradition’s most comprehensive manual on the practice and training of bodhisattvas—by the author’s own account, a compilation of the full range of instructions contained in the entire collection of Mahāyāna sutras. A classic work of the Yogācāra school, it has been cherished in Tibet by all the historical Buddhist lineages as a primary source of instruction on bodhisattva ethics, vows, and practices, as well as for its summary of the ultimate goal of the bodhisattva path—supreme enlightenment. Despite the text’s seminal importance in the Tibetan traditions, it has remained unavailable in English except in fragments. Engle’s translation, made from the Sanskrit original with reference to the Tibetan translation and commentaries, will enable English readers to understand more fully and clearly what it means to be a bodhisattva and practitioner of the Mahāyāna tradition.

A complete translation of Asanga's classic work on the distinguishing qualities of bodhisattvas that describes how to awaken, develop, and perfect the mind of enlightenment in the Great Vehicle, or Mahayana, Buddhist tradition. Arya Asanga, famous for having been the conduit through which the teachings contained in the Five Texts of Maitreya were received and recorded, is also considered to be the author in his own right of several other foundational works of Yogācāra philosophy. One of these, considered the definitive text of the Yogācāra school of Buddhism, is the encyclopedic synthesis of Mahayana Buddhist doctrines and practices known as the Yogācārabhūmi, or "Stages of Spiritual Practice." The Bodhisattvabhūmi, or "Stages of the Bodhisattva Path," is one portion of that massive work, though it is considered a stand-alone text in the Tibetan traditions--for example, it is counted among the six core texts of the Kadampas. However, despite the text's centrality to the Yogācāra school and its seminal importance in the Tibetan traditions, it has remained unavailable in English except in piecemeal translations; Engle's translation will therefore be especially welcomed by scholars and students alike.

Bodhisattvas are dedicated to one thing: helping people on the path towards Enlightenment. The bodhisattvas know that they are not apart from the rest of life. Seeking Enlightenment for themselves alone can never satisfy as they witness the suffering that is all around them. Their vision is to work endlessly in the service of living beings. This Guide introduces a panoply of figures: Tara, the rescuer; Manjusri the Bodhisattva of Wisdom; and Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion; among others.

Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions, The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicharyavatara) is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment and to generating the qualities of love, compassion, generosity, and patience. This text has been studied, practiced, and expounded upon in an unbroken tradition for centuries. Presented in the form of a personal meditation in verse, it outlines the path of the Bodhisattvas—those who renounce the peace of individual enlightenment and vow to work for the liberation of all beings and to attain buddhahood for their sake. This version is translated from the Tibetan and includes a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a translator’s preface, a thorough introduction, a note on the translation, and three appendices of commentary by the Nyingma master Kunzang Pelden.

Compilation of Ch'ogyam Trungpa Rinpoche's Vajradhatu Seminary teachings in three volumes.

Infinite Compassion, Endless Wisdom introduces us to the many Buddhist practitioners who have, for centuries, selflessly labored for the benefit of others. They are bodhisattvas people who work not only for their own enlightenment and self-improvement, but have vowed to lead all beings down the path to liberation as well. From the great bodhisattvas that adorn shrine rooms, whose lives are confined to myth and legend, to those Buddhist masters who shaped the religion we know today, Infinite Compassion, Endless Wisdom shares their lives, their teachings, and their practice.

Enter into the presence of a wise Buddhist master through this modern distillation of a spiritual classic. The most enduring and widely read spiritual work to emerge from Buddhism's classical age in India is surely Shantideva's Bodhisattva Way of Life. Among its many fans is the Dalai Lama, who quotes from it frequently. Here much-loved monk and meditator Rene Feusi distills Shantideva's masterpiece verse by verse. Reflecting both the lyricism of the original verses and their wealth of inspiring reflections on the virtues to be cultivated by bodhisattvas, The Beautiful Way of Life is a brilliant condensation of a masterpiece and a lucid entryway into timeless insights. Feusi also provides tips for using the verses in a series of guided contemplations.

The third volume of Steps on the Path to Enlightenment, Geshe Sopa's commentary on Tsongkhapa's Lamrim Chenmo, introduces the reader to the path of the bodhisattvas. The volume begins with an explanation of what distinguishes the Mahayana practitioner from all other Buddhists-bodhicitta, the desire to attain enlightenment in order to benefit other sentient beings. The nature of bodhicitta, an essential practice for persons of great spiritual capacity, is described in depth, and Geshe Sopa then provides a detailed, contemporary commentary on the two methods to develop this attitude: the "sevenfold cause-and-effect personal instructions" based on the teachings of the lineage descended from Atisa, and the "training to exchange self and other" based on Santideva's Engaging in the Bodhisattva's Deeds. Bodhicitta is an incredibly important attitude, but the attitude alone is not enough to attain enlightenment; a practitioner must perform actions motivated by bodhicitta, in other words, the six bodhisattva perfections. After a general introduction, this volume contains a detailed explanation of the first four perfections: generosity, ethical discipline, patience, and joyful perseverance. Here we find only a brief summary of the final two perfections, meditative stabilization and wisdom, to prepare the reader for the detailed discussion of these topics in the last two volumes of the series. To tie all these practices together, the volume concludes with an explanation of how Mahayana practitioners help others to mature spiritually: the four ways to gather disciples.