Bodhisattvacharyavatara

by Andreas Kretschmar | 246,740 words

The English translation of the Bodhisattvacharyavatara (“entering the conduct of the bodhisattvas”), a Sanskrit text with Tibetan commentary. This book explains the bodhisattva concept and gives guidance to the Buddhist practitioner following the Mahāyāna path towards the attainment of enlightenment. The text was written in Sanskrit by Shantideva ...

Here, Khenpo Kunpal cites his explanations, literally ’the explanations that I received from him’ [gang gi zhal gsung]. This refers to all of the explanations and teachings Khenpo Kunpal received directly from Paltrül Rinpoche. From among Paltrül Rinpoche’s complete explanations, which are like undefiled essential nectar [zag med bdud rtsi’i bcud], Khenpo Kunpal wrote down only a fraction [cha shas] of these in this commentary. For this reason he calls his commentary a mere composition of letters [yi ge’i ’du byed]. Khenpo Kunpal thus adopts a posture of humility.

The supreme guru [bla ma mchog] refers again to Paltrül Rinpoche. Khenpo Kunpal is praying,

“Through the blessings of Paltrül Rinpoche and through the blessings of the three jewels, may this commentary help the doctrine and sentient beings [bstan pa dang ’gro la sman pa].”

The (three) jewels [dkon mchog rin po che] are, of course, the Buddha, the dharma, and the saṃgha.

The word ‘nectar’ [bdud rtsi] is used here as a metaphor to denote the ’nectar of the gods’ [lha’i bdud rtsi], which is said to have the power to cure all diseases. The undefiled essential nectar [zag med bdud rtsi’i bcud] of Paltrül Rinpoche’s teachings has the power to cure the disease of afflictions [nyon mong gi nad].

Khenpo Kunpal makes the aspiration to receive the blessings of his root guru and of the three jewels so that his commentary on the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra may help the doctrine and sentient beings [bstan pa dang ’gro la sman par byin gyi rlobs]. Thus he ends the metrical preface.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: