A study of the wisdom chapter (Prajńāpāramitā pariccheda) of the Bodhicaryāvatārapańjikā of Prajńāpāramitā

Abstract

This thesis is a study of the heart of Prajiiakaramati's Bodhicaryavatarapanjika: the only commentary preserved in Sanskrit on Santideva's Bodhicaryilvatara, one of the most popular and influential texts in Mahayana Buddhism. The primary purpose of the thesis is an annotated translation of the Prajfiaparamitil Pariccheda (Wisdom Chapter) of the Bodhicaryavatarapanjika. The translation is based on Louis de La Vallee Poussin's edition of the Sanskrit text with close reference to the Tibetan a translation. The annotations present material necessary to understand PrajiinkaratI\,ti's comme}ary both regarding the terminology he uses and the context in which he was writing. The annotations identify sources of quotations and parallel passages in other texts, and provide references to scholarly material on the subject matter treated by Prajiiakaramati. While the reference point for the translation has been the Sanskrit text the Tibetan translation has been studied as an aid to the translation. Note has been made of where the Sanskrit and Tibetan texts diverge and some variant readings have been offered on this basis. There is an appendix containing an edited version of the Derge (sDe dge) and Peking editions of the Tibetan translation. A short introduction outlines the scope of the work, presents the known facts concerning Santideva and PrajiUikaramati and their works, and discusses scholarly research done on Prajiink:aramati's commentary.