(14) Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies Vol. 41, No. 1, December 1992
The Concept of Buddhism as Depicted in Buddhacarita and Saundarananda by Asvaghosa
Vedagya ARYA
Buddhism in itself is the exalted nature of subject-matter upon which it is difficult even for the most original minds to say anything like what may be new. But to my mind the Doctrines and Teachings of Buddhism are still very much relevant at the present context in the world where violence, bloodshed, terrorism, insecurity and starvation have reached their peak. Here it is not necessary to deal with each and every detail of Buddhist Doctorines as delineated by the great eloquent poet Asvaghosa in his two beautiful epics, Buddhacarita and Saundarananda, I intend only to touch on the light which illuminates the Four Noble Truths (Aryasatyani). Re- ferring to these the poet says: badhatmakam duhkham idam prasaktam duhkhasya hetuh prabhavatmako'yam/ duh.khaksayo nihsaranatmako' yam, tranatmako'yam prasamaya margah/(Saunda- rananda Canto 16.4 "There is suffering, which is continuous and whose essence is agony; there is cause of suffering, whose essence is the origination; there is the destruction of suffering, whose essence is escape and there is the path to tranquility where essence is protection."
All these Four Noble Truths are great achievements of Siddhartha who renounced the world in quest of the truth and led the ascetic life for six years. His escape from the royal enjoyments and the princely life made him enable to find out the way of escape from the grip of birth, disease, decay and death to set an example to the sufferers. Here one thing is worth mentioning that Siddhartha's way of escape was a far superior way of truth as well as a far better way of life. During the ascetic life he had the most difficult battle with Mara (Kupid) and the victory over
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Mara led to the attainment of Buddhahood which created the kingdom of righteousness. Thus he entered into the kingdom of righteousness where he was not called as an emperor or a monarch, but he was simply named Tathagata as the most perfect type of human and divine character. The Tathagata warned the people against the ills, namely, disease, decay, and death are the unavoidable accidents of human life which has its beginning in birth. Asvaghosa rightly and repeatedly refers to these in Buddhacarita: janmaduhkham jaraduhkham mrtyuduhkham punah punah/iti pasyan jagatsa- rvam muktaye yatnavan bhava//Canto 18,8 "By watching the whole world suffering from birth, old-age and death again and again one should be in persuit of salvation," These three-fold sufferings are universally accepted and these are in- cluded in the First Noble Truth of Duhkha. When Buddha attained enlightenment then he realised the root cause of Duhkha lying in Trsna (Thirst). This realisation is named as Second Noble Truth. Trsna or Thirst leads to re-birth. There is chain of causation, at least twelve causes, like ignorance, impression, consciousness, sensation, trsna etc. are linked with the Second Noble Truth. All of them to lead to suffering and sorrows. Trsna or desire burts out for several things, for example, desire for the
gratification of the senses and the passions; desire for the wealth and success in life. Thus trsna makes the people greedy, arrogant and tyrant. Our poet explains that the passion is like the blazing fire: na kamabhoga hi bhavanti trptaye havimsi diptasya vibhavasor iva/yatha yatha kamasukhesu vartate tatha tatheccha visayesu vardhate//Saundarananda, Canto 9. 43. "The enjoyments of the passions can never satisfy a man like the blazing fire
which can never be extinguished with oblations. The more one indulges in the sensuality the more does the desire grow for the objects of senses."
The Third Noble Truth is concerned with the cessation of suffering. This Truth indicates the complete detachment from trsna or desire. In other words it is the destruction of passions. In the end of causation of -526- (16) The Concept of Buddhism (V. ARYA) all desires, sorrow and suffering can be automatically destroyed. Asva.- ghosa expounds that desires in many forms are the cause of birth, there- fore, one should eradicate them if he wishes to be free from suffering. In Dhammapada a similar explaination is found: munca pure munca pacchato ma jjhe munca bhavassa paragu/sabbattha vimutta- manaso na puna jati jaram upehisi//verse 348 "Give,up what is before, giveeup what is after, give up what is in between, when you reach the other side of existence, if your mind is totally free, you will not again enter ' into birth and decay." The Fourth Noble Truth is called The Eight-fold Path or Astnnga Marga. This truth is the basis of all good qualities. In other words the fine moral powers are mentioned in it. The eight aspects (angas) of this path are generally as follows: Right views, Right aspirations, Right speech, Right conduct, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness and Right con- templation. Asvaghosa has slightly changed some of the aspects and classified the eight-fold path in three divisions in his Saundarananda: 1. Sla or Dhrti (the code of conduct) Sila is widely used in Buddhist scriptures. Referring to this the poet says: vakkarma samyak sahak ayakarma yathavada jivanayas ca suddhah/idam trayam vrttavidhau pravrttam Slasrayam karma parigrahaya//Canto 16, 31. "Right action of speech and body, and right livelihood are based on morals. These
three aspects (Angas) should be practised in the course of conduct for the pos- session of the actions." 2. Pra jfia or Mati (intutive wisdom) explaining this the poet affirms: satyesu duhkhadisu drstir arya samyag vitarkas ca parakramas ca/idam trayam jnana-vidhau pravrttam pra jnasrayam klesapariksayaya//S. Canto 16, 32. "The Noble Truths regarding suffering etc. right vision, right thought and right effort, these three, resting on intutive wisdom should be practised in the process of acquiring knowledge for the abolition of the miseries. 3. Sama or Samadhi (contemplation) indicating this the poet states: nyayena satyadhigamaya yukta samyak smrtih samyag atho samadhih/idam dvayam yogavidhau pravrttam samasrayam cittaparigrahaya//S. Canto 16, 33. -525- The Concept of Buddhism (V. ARYA) (17)
"To approach Truths properly right retention and right contemplation, these two based on tranquility should be practised in the system of Yoga for the.control of mind,: These afore-said Four Noble Truths as expounded by Asvaghosa are well convincing factors to form the conception of Buddhism. There is no doubt about their supermacy and universal acceptance, but it is difficult for a householder to practice them, especially in a hectic life of the present days. Anyhow, Asvaghosa described a simple doctrine of Buddhism which is named by the middle path (Madhyama Pratipada). All the afore-.said aspects of the Fourth Noble Truth are mentioned in J t. Middle path means to keep balance in every walk of life, viz. in eating, sleeping, enjoying things etc. While preaching in the city of Kashi the Tathagata says about the middle path: tapobhogau paritya jya madhyamargo' valambitah/maya duhkham adahkrtya suk- hasyapi paro hi yah//Buddhacarita, Canto 15,40. "I have given up penance and enjoyment and started to follow the middle path. I have suppressed sorrow and surpassed the happiness." In the end I submit that we should follow the middle path in order to attain Nirvana, that is to say, deliverance, if not from re-birth, but at least from the present days' suffering.
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