'One should speak confident, measured words, clear in meaning, delighting the mind, pleasing to the ear, soft and slow, and stemming from love' In his fifth talk devoted to the Bodhicaryavatara, Padmavajra explores chapter five 'The Guarding of Total Awareness'. In this chapter Shantideva makes vividly clear the importance of mindfulness and awareness of purpose in the Bodhisattvas life. Shantideva tells us about the centrality and power of the mind and the need for scrupulous attention to every detail of our lives. His discussion of mindfulness embraces the importance of mindfulness of the body and it's movements, mindfulness of things, as well as mindfulness of others. He also reveals how we can develop and protect mindfulness. Shantideva's discussion makes it clear that the development of total awareness is achieved through a life wholeheartedly devoted to the Bodhisattva training.