Shantideva

Śāntideva, also known as Shantideva, was a Buddhist monk and scholar traditionally dated to the 8th century CE in India. He is associated with Nalanda, the great Buddhist university in what is now Bihar, and is best known as the author of the Bodhicaryavatara, The Way of the Bodhisattva.

The Bodhicaryavatara is a verse text written in Sanskrit that lays out the path of the bodhisattva. It emphasizes the cultivation of bodhicitta, the motivation to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, and the practice of the six perfections: generosity, ethical discipline, patience, effort, concentration, and wisdom. A distinctive feature of the work is the practice of exchanging self for others (tonglen), seen as a method to transform self-centered attitudes into compassion.

The text has had a lasting influence on Mahayana Buddhism, especially within Tibetan traditions, where it is widely studied and commented upon. It has shaped ethical and philosophical discussions of compassion, altruism, and the bodhisattva ideal and has been translated into numerous languages.

While Śāntideva is regarded as the author of the Bodhicaryavatara, limited reliable biographical information survives. Later hagiographies provide various details about his life, but historical specifics remain uncertain. Nevertheless, his work is regarded as a foundational source for understanding bodhisattva practice and remains influential in Buddhist thought and practice today.