Readings of Śāntideva's Guide to Bodhisattva Practicentideva's eighth century work, the Guide to Bodhisattva Practice (Bodhicaryvatra), is known for its eminently practical instructions and its psychologically vivid articulations of the Mahyna path. It is a powerful, succinct poem into which are woven diverse Buddhist traditions of moral transformation, meditative cultivation, and philosophical insight. Since its composition, it has seen continuous use as a ritual, contemplative, and philosophical