Francis Brassard is Assistant Professor of Religion at Berry College, Georgia.

List of Abbreviations

Introduction

1. Bodhicitta and the spiritual path of the Bodhisattva

1. Methodological considerations
2. Santideva's Bodhicaryavatara

i. The text
ii. Santideva
iii. Prajñakaramati

3. Review of literature

i. Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki
ii. Sangharakshita

2. Bodhicitta as a desire for enlightenment

1. The idea of desire
2. Criticism of bodhicitta as an act of will

i. Citta (mind)
ii. Citta-utpada (arising of the mind)
iii. The two types of bodhicitta
iv. The ethical aspect of bodhicitta

3. Conclusion

3. Bodhicitta as an object of concentration

1. Arguments in favor of bodhicitta as an object of concentration

i. Derivatives of the Sanskrit verbal roots vgrah (to take) and vdhr (to hold)
ii. The practice of meditation
iii. Implications related to the idea of bodhicitta as an object of concentration

2. Criticism of bodhicitta as an object of concentration

4. Bodhicitta as cultivation of awareness

1. The nature of religious language

i. The functional aspect of religious language
ii. The metaphysical aspect of religious language
iii. The ethical aspect of religious language

2. The cultivation of awareness

i. Examples of the cultivation of awareness
ii. The feeling of detachment
iii. The breaking up of distinctions

3. The practice of devotion

i. Saddha/sraddha

4. Conclusion

5. The aspect of renunciation

i. The klesas (mental afflictions) and the cultivation of awareness
ii. Ksantiparamita (the Perfection of patience)
iii. The workings of the mind

6. The aspect of conversion

i. Viryaparamita (the Perfection of endeavor)

7. The aspect of contemplation

Conclusion

Notes
Bibliography
Index