Bodhicaryāvatāra of Śāntideva with the Commentary Pañjikā of Prajñākaramati

This volume presents Śāntideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra as a major Sanskrit Buddhist text of Mahāyāna ethical and philosophical literature. The editorial introduction discusses the textual history of the work, including its transmission, manuscript basis, Tibetan and Chinese references, and the relation between the root text and Prajñākaramati’s Pañjikā. The editor notes the importance of establishing a reliable Sanskrit text because the Bodhicaryāvatāra circulated in different recensions and because the commentary plays a major role in clarifying difficult readings. The work is framed as a manual for entering and practicing the Bodhisattva way: it begins with the arising and praise of bodhicitta, proceeds through purification, confession, vow-taking, moral vigilance, mindfulness, patience, energy, meditative discipline, and wisdom, and culminates in the dedication of merit to all sentient beings. The text’s first eight chapters are mainly practical, ethical, and devotional, emphasizing the transformation of conduct and intention. The ninth chapter shifts into a more philosophical register, articulating Madhyamaka reasoning on emptiness and the critique of substantialist views. The tenth chapter returns to the devotional and universal aspiration of the Bodhisattva, dedicating all merit toward the relief of suffering and the attainment of awakening by all beings. By combining Śāntideva’s verses with Prajñākaramati’s commentary, this edition serves both as a primary source for Mahāyāna practice and as a scholastic resource for the study of Buddhist Sanskrit, Bodhisattva ethics, and Madhyamaka philosophy.