Freeindia > Biographies > Great Poets > Dr. Acharya Shanti Dev
Acharya Shanti Dev
Shri Shanti Dev, Sanskrit poet and the author of 'Bodhicharyavatar' a classic of MahayanaBuddhism was born in 687 A. D. in the royal family of Gujarat. His father was KingKushalaVarman and mother Vajrayogini.
On his father's death Shanti Dev, who was then known as shanti Varman, became heir to the throne. But a few days before his coronation, Bodhisattva Manjushri appeared to him in a dream and beckoned him to follow the path of Dharma. On waking up, Shanti Dev left the place quietly.
After travelling for 21 days, he reached Nalanda and studied the Buddhist scriptures, mastering Sanskrit and Pali. It is said that he started writing poems in Sanskrit. The scholars in the University challenged him to write philosophical work in verse. Shanti Dev's reply was the 'Bodhicharyavetar', his masterpiece, which describes the various stages in the life of a Bodhisattva, who need not necessarily be a monk or even a celibate. The essential quality to develop is the Bodhichitta, the Mind of Enlightenment, which has a single goal-to enter the stream and become a Spiritual Son of the Buddha. the sorrows of this world become blessings in the spiritual path.
Translated into major world language Bodhicharyavatar is recited daily by millions to monks and laymen, professing MahayanaBuddhism in the Hiumalayan border States ofIndia from Ladakh and H. P. in north-west to Arunachal Pradesh in the North-East, as also in Mongolia and China. The Bodhicharyavatar in 10 Chapters containing 913 verses achieves a unique quality of perfection both as Sanskrit poetry and as a philosophical treatise, elucidating the Madhyamika system of Buddhist philosophy, whose chief exponent was the celebrated Acharya Nagarjuna. 'Shiksha Samuchaya' weaves over one hundred Sutras around 27 verses and is a complementary work to 'Bodhicharyavatar'.
It is said that Shanti Dev defeated many scholars of eminence in debates and composed other works namely, Shiksha Samuchaya', a compendium of Mahayana Sanskrit Sutras in Sanskrit, and Sutara Samuchaya'. Not only was he a great saint and scholar he was also a great benefactor of the poor and the lowly, and an apostle of peace and goodwill. At the time of a famine in gujarat he is said to have worked as a social worker and provided food to thousands of starving persons. On another occasion he intervened to prevent a bloody quarrel between two factions.
He is said to have realised and declared 'Everything is like space'. He passed away at the age of 78.
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