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Bodhisattva Awakening
An Explanation of Shantideva's Guide
Part of Tibetan Classics
Translated by Thupten Jinpa and Julia Stenzel
Published by Wisdom Publications
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About the Book
A beloved Tibetan master of the fourteenth century explains the most celebrated guide to Mahayana Buddhist practice.
The Tibetan master Thokme Sangpo (1295–1369) is revered by all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, who usually refer to him with the honorific Gyalse, meaning “bodhisattva,” for his deep devotion to the bodhisattva ideal. He is most known for his Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, a short verse text frequently taught by the Dalai Lama and other teachers as a succinct guide to the path of enlightened altruism. But Thokme Sangpo’s commentary on Shantideva’s famous Guide to the Bodhisattva Way is also a classic of Tibetan literature. With many English translations, the seventh-century Guide is quoted more than any other work for its poetic distillations of key Buddhist truths. And when Tibetan lamas give teachings on the Guide, they consult Thokme Sangpo.
Thokme Sangpo walks readers through Shantideva’s ten chapters of verses with brisk prose explanations organized in a detailed thematic outline. From the inspiring early chapters extolling the bodhisattva’s vast aspirations, through the practice of the six perfections aimed at realizing transcendent wisdom, this first-ever English translation will inspire as it illuminates and deepens readers’ appreciation for one of Buddhism's greatest contributions to world literature. Thupten Jinpa’s introduction unpacks key features of the so-called bodhisattva ideal and provides details about the life of Thokme Sangpo and his place in the Tibetan imagination.
The Tibetan master Thokme Sangpo (1295–1369) is revered by all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, who usually refer to him with the honorific Gyalse, meaning “bodhisattva,” for his deep devotion to the bodhisattva ideal. He is most known for his Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, a short verse text frequently taught by the Dalai Lama and other teachers as a succinct guide to the path of enlightened altruism. But Thokme Sangpo’s commentary on Shantideva’s famous Guide to the Bodhisattva Way is also a classic of Tibetan literature. With many English translations, the seventh-century Guide is quoted more than any other work for its poetic distillations of key Buddhist truths. And when Tibetan lamas give teachings on the Guide, they consult Thokme Sangpo.
Thokme Sangpo walks readers through Shantideva’s ten chapters of verses with brisk prose explanations organized in a detailed thematic outline. From the inspiring early chapters extolling the bodhisattva’s vast aspirations, through the practice of the six perfections aimed at realizing transcendent wisdom, this first-ever English translation will inspire as it illuminates and deepens readers’ appreciation for one of Buddhism's greatest contributions to world literature. Thupten Jinpa’s introduction unpacks key features of the so-called bodhisattva ideal and provides details about the life of Thokme Sangpo and his place in the Tibetan imagination.
Product Details
- Publisher: Wisdom Publications (October 27, 2026)
- Length: 392 pages
- ISBN13: 9798890700667
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Raves and Reviews
“Santideva's universally beloved Guide to the Bodhisattva Way (Bodhicaryavatara) has received over a hundred Tibetan commentaries, few of them as inspiring or influential as The Ocean of Excellent Discourses of Thokmé Sangpo (1295–1369), which is distinctive for its incorporation of the Indian commentators and its unusually lucid presentation of the chapter on wisdom. Julia Stenzel and Thupten Jinpa's fine translation and analysis of Thokmé Sangpo's text is a vital contribution to our understanding of the reception of Santideva’s classic in Tibet, and will be appreciated equally by scholars of Indian and Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism and by practitioners intent on unlocking the greatest single exposition of the path of the wise and compassionate bodhisattva.”
– Roger R. Jackson, John W. Nason Professor of Asian Studies and Religion, emeritus, Carleton College
“As one of the greatest exponents of the Kadam mind-training tradition, Gyalsé Thokmé Sangpo is revered by all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. His commentary on the Guide to the Bodhisattva Way was especially prized by the great nineteenth-century master Paltrul Rinpoché, who often taught it in his tireless propagation of Santideva’s teaching. As a result, Thokmé Sangpo has exerted a lasting and pervasive influence on the nonsectarian commentarial tradition that subsequently developed into the present age. Previously inaccessible to Western readers, this wonderful commentary is now at last available. And we are fortunate to have it in such a fine translation.”
– Wulstan Fletcher, Padmakara Translation Group
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