Shikshasamucchaya

Shantideva

The Shikshasamucchaya (Skt. Śikṣāsamuccaya) or Compendium of Training or Compendium of Precepts (wyl. bslab pa kun btus) by Shantideva presents clearly and in detail the conduct that Bodhisattvas should embrace at all times. It is the longest of the three texts written by Shantideva, the Sutrasamucchaya being the shorter one and the Bodhicharyavatara the middle length text. (Nagarjuna's text called Shikshasamucchaya, mentioned by Shanitdeva in the Bodhicharyavatara, is no longer available.)

Gendün Chöpel discovered an Indian manuscript of the Shikshasamucchaya at Sakya Monastery.

Outline

The text has nineteen chapters:

1. The paramita of generosity (sbyin pa'i pha rol tu phyin pa)
2. The paramita of discipline (tshul khrims kyi pha rol tu phyin pa)
3. Protecting the teacher of Dharma and so on (chos smras pa la sogs pa bsrung ba)
4. An explanation of harm (gnod pa bstan pa)
5. Thoroughly abandoning harm (gnod pa rnam par spang ba)
6. Protecting the body (lus bsrung ba)
7. Protecting possessions and merits (longs spyod dang bsod nams bsrung ba)
8. Purifying negativity (sdig pa sbyang ba)
9. The paramita of patience (bzod pa'i pha rol tu phyin pa)
10. The paramita of diligence (brtson 'grus kyi pha rol tu phyin pa)
11. Praise of remaining in solitude (dgon par gnas par brjod pa)
12. Thoroughly purifying the mind (sems yongs su sbyang ba)
13. The close application of mindfulness (dran pa nye bar gzhag pa)
14. Purifying the body (lus yongs su dag pa)
15. Purifying possessions and merits (longs spyod dang bsod nams dag pa)
16. Dedication of merit (dge ba yongs su bsngo ba)
17. The benefits of prostrations and so on (phyag 'tshal ba la sogs pa'i phan yon)
18. Recollection of the Three Jewels (dkon mchog gsum rjes su dran pa)
19. Increasing merit (bsod nams 'phel ba)

Translations

• Śāntideva, Śikṣā Samuccaya: A Compendium of Buddhist Doctrine, translated by Cecil Bendall and W.H.D Rouse, 1922