Light of Asia - Buddhism

1 EBUDDHANET'SBOOKLIBRARYE-mail: site: Dharma Education Association Edwin ArnoldLight of AsiaLight of Asia2 Contents Sir Edwin Arnold Edwin Ariyadasa 3 Author Preface Sir Edwin Arnold 9 Book the First Prince Siddhartha s birth and his youth 13 Book the Second Display of skills & wedding of Prince Siddhartha 31 Book the Third Prince Siddhartha sees the omens 53 Book the Fourth The great renunciation 79 Book the Fifth Ascetic Siddhartha s quest for truth 103 Book the Sixth End of austerities and enlightenment 128 Book the Seventh The B uddha s visit to Kapilavatthu 159 Book

2 The Eighth The Buddha s Demise 181 Glossary 2103 In the sumptuous Buddhist lit-erature of the world, Light of asia , by Sir Edwin Arnold, is without any doubt, an unique work. It is primarily because, this is the only original poem written in English on the Buddha, throughout the long history of Buddhism . This dis-tinction is quite necessary to be established, because thereare translations of original Pali works into English and other languages. Some of these are outstanding instances of spiritual poetry. Sir Edwin Arnold, the Author of this epic poem, was ini-tially persuaded to compose this sacred work, as a result of his deep and abiding desire to aid in the better and more wholesome mutual understanding between East and West.

3 His discovery and profound appreciation of the peren-nial philosophies of ancient India, could form a subject for a substantial research paper. In his early youth in Eng-land, Edwin Arnold felt the fi rst stirrings of the Muse. His adept command over poetic expression, won him the New-gate Prize at the University College, Oxford in 1852, for his poem The Feast of the Belahazzar .Sir Edwin Arnold4 Edwin Arnold was born in Sussex, England on July 10, 1832. He received his primary education at Royal College, Rochester. Later on he studied at King s College, London.

4 During his days at this place lie won a scholarship that took him to Oxford. He was twenty-four when he came over to India to assume duties as Principal, Deccan College, Poona. From the fi rst, the host culture overwhelmed him with its nobility and variegated manifestations. With him, it was not merely the casual surprise that the initial meeting with a strange culture engenders in a new comer to a way of life and thought, different from one s own. Eventually, his surprise evolved into enchantment, escalating progressively into last-ing admiration.

5 To get to the heart of this ancient and exotic culture, Edwin Amold the Indian Civil Servant started exploring the age-old languages of India Pali and Sanskrit mostly, to be able to experience the new culture from inside. He sought the help of Pandits (savants) who revealed to him the secret knowledge and eternal wisdom locked up within these eso-teric words. Doors, that usually remain closed for the rou-tine bureaucrat began to open wide mysteriously to Edwin Arnold. With befi tting awe and reverence, he approached the grand epics of India Ramayana and Maha When one delves deeply into the philosophic profundi-ties of India, one cannot help but discover the religious institutions of renunciation and asceticism, which form an essential part of the Indian spiritual system.

6 From there, it is just a matter of course to the discovery of the Greatest Ascetic and the Renunciate par-excellence of India Gotama the Buddha. His admiration quickly graduated into a self-imposed duty. He resolved that what he has discovered through his exploratory effort, of the core and the substance of the Indian Philosophic tradition should be communicated to his own people in their language. He worked assiduously. His Light of asia according to him, was composed, in the brief intervals of days without leisure. Edwin Arnold s Light of asia , fi rst appeared in 1879 when lie was 47.

7 The book has had numerous reprints since then. Millions of readers, the world over, would have savoured the spiritual ecstasy of absorbing the lyrical word of Edwin Arnold on the life and the teachings of the Buddha. In its diction and rhythm, Edwin Arnold s Light of asia , resonates with echoes of the Organ roll of Milton s Music. It Is quite evident that Edwin Arnold was profoundly 6impressed by the poetic quality by John Milton s great reli-gious epics. Reading Edwin Arnold s Light of asia , is a rich expe-rience in high poetry. His poetry swathes the character of Prince Siddhartha and later the Buddha, The Supremely En-lightened One in a scintillating mantle of spiritual heroism.

8 The telling detail in Light of asia , especially in such descriptions as the education of the Prince displays an astounding and painstaking effort at pursuing the relevant research. Fully aware that the life of the Buddha can in no way be told in poetry with a perfectly objective mind, Edwin Arnold narrates his epic from the viewpoint of a Buddhist votary. Sir Edwin Arnold s other works are overshadowed by his widespread reputation as the author of Light of asia . Among his other works are:* The Book of Good Counsels (from the Sanskrit of Hitopadesa ).

9 * Indian Song of Songs (from Jayadeva s Gita Govinda) 1875.* Song celestial Bhagavat Gita) 1885.* Indian Idylls (from Mahabharata 1883.* Pearls of the He also wrote a poem on Christ entitled Light of the World . Sir Edwin Arnold is also the Author of a work enti-tled A History of the Administration of India, under Mar-quis of Dulhonsie. In later years, on his return to England, Edwin Arnold became leader-writer for the Daily Telegraph. Light of asia was written during his Daily Telegraph days. Towards the end of his life Sir Edwin Arnold resided in Japan.

10 His third wife was a Japanese lady. The two works Seas and Lands (1891) and Japonica 1892, record his impressions of Japanese life. The British Government honoured him by conferring the title on him in 1888. A writer, contributing a piece to the Sinhala weekly Budusarana in Sri Lanka, on February 12, 1996 states that Sir Edwin Arnold visited Sri Lanka, to study Buddhism . The article states that he learnt the Sinhala Language as well. This writer is of the view that Sir Edwin Arnold became a Buddhist. It is quite evident however, that Sir Edwin Arnold attempted to create an enthusiasm for a Buddhist revival in Sri Lanka and Japan.