This modern translation of an essential Mahayana Buddhist text captures the meaning and musicality of Shantideva's original verse and provides readers with an accessible guide to its profound depths.

This is a fresh translation of, and commentary on, Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva, perhaps the most renowned and thorough articulation of the bodhisattva path. Written by the eighth-century Indian monk Shantideva, Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva is a guide to becoming a bodhisattva, someone who is dedicated to achieving enlightenment in order to benefit all beings. Accomplished translator Khenpo David Karma Choephel communicates the power of Shantideva's insights through careful attention to both the meaning and the rhythmic pulse of each stanza, all the while providing necessary context and practical advice for modern readers.

After presenting the full translation, Khenpo David Karma Choephel then introduces readers to the text, explaining the key points of each chapter with clarity and wisdom. Combining a uniquely poetic translation with detailed analysis, this book is a comprehensive guide to developing oneself in service of others. Teachings that have been at the heart of Mahayana practice for centuries are given new life, and the supporting commentary makes the text accessible and applicable to practitioners. Readers interested in the bodhisattva path will find this a comprehensive resource filled with captivating verse and incisive interpretations.

Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva: A New Translation and Contemporary Guide, Shantideva, Khenpo David Karma Choephel (Translator), Shambhala Publications, Paperback, 304 pp, $21.95

Shantideva (8th c.) was a scholar from the monastic university Nalanda, one of the most celebrated centers of learning in ancient India. He is renowned as the author of Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva, which legend says is a teaching that he delivered as he rose into the sky and vanished.

Khenpo David Karma Choephel is Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche's main English-language translator as well as the translator of many books on Tibetan Buddhism. He studied Buddhist philosophy at the Vajra Vidya Institute in Namo Buddha, Nepal, and Sarnath, India, and earned the title of Khenpo, essentially a PhD in the Tibetan system.

CONTENTS: Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva
Translator's Preface		vii
Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva
1.	Explaining the Benefits of Bodhichitta	3
2.	Confessing Misdeeds	9
3.	Embracing Bodhichitta	19
4.	Teachings on Carefulness	25
5.	Guarding Awareness	33
6.	Transcendent Patience	49
7.	Teachings on Diligence	69
8.	Teachings on Meditation	81
9.	Transcendent Prajna	109
10.	Dedication	135
A Contemporary Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva by Khenpo David Karma Choephel
Introduction		147
1.	Benefits: The Inspiration for Bodhichitta	153
2.	Confession: Preparing for the Bodhisattva Vow	163
3.	Embracing Bodhichitta: Taking the Bodhisattva Vow	171
4.	Carefulness: The Basis of Practice	177
5.	Awareness: The Essence of Discipline	185
6.	Patience: Overcoming Anger	197
7.	Diligence: Enthusiasm for Practice	207
8.	Meditation: Cultivating Bodhichitta	215
9.	Prajna: Understanding the True Nature	227
10.	Dedication: Transcending Our Limited Vision	257
Resources for Further Study		263
Abbreviations		265
Glossary		267
Notes		271
Bibliography		279
Index		283