Sugata Saurabha An Epic Poem from Nepal on the Life of the Buddha by Chittadhar Hridaya

by Lewis, Todd T.; Tuladhar, Subarna Man

• ISBN13: 9780195341829
• ISBN10: 0195341821
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-12-21
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The Sugata Saurabha is an epic poem that retells the story of the Buddha's life. It was published in 1947 in the Nepalese language, Newari, by Chittadhar Hridaya, one of the greatest literary figures of 20th-century Nepal. The text is remarkable for its comprehensiveness, artistry, and nuance. It covers the Buddha's life from birth to death and conveys his basic teachings with simple clarity. It is also of interest because, where the classical sources are silent, Hridaya inserts details of personal life and cultural context that are Nepalese. The effect is to humanize the founder and add the texture of real life. A third point of interest is the modernist perspective that underlies the author's manner of retelling this great spiritual narrative. This rendering, in a long line of accounts of the Buddha's life dating back almost 2,000 years, may be the last ever to be produced that conforms to the traditions of Indic classic poetry. It will not only appeal to scholars of Buddhism but will find use in courses that introduce students to the life of the Buddha.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

English Translation

Lumbin?

Family Tree

Nativity

Mother

A Pleasant Childhood

Education

Marriage

The Great Renunciation

Yashodhara

Attaining Enlightenment

Basic Teachings

The Blessed One in Kapilavastu

Handsome Nanda

The Great Lay Disciple

Twelve Years of Itinerant Preaching

A Dispute over Water

The Monastery Built by Visakha

Devadatta's Sacrilege

Entry into Nirvana

Perspectives For Understanding The Text

The Life of the Buddha: Previous Accounts of the Buddhist Textual Tradition

The K?vya Sanskrit Poetry Tradition in Sugata Saurabha and the Indic Aesthetic Tradition

The Nepalese Context and Newar Cultural Traditions: Influences on Sugata Saurabha

Chittadhar Hridaya: A Literary Biography of his Formative Years

The Domestication of Newar Traditions in Sugata Saurabha as those of the Ancient Sh?kyas

The Modern Confluence of Buddhism-s Kathmandu Valley: Reformist Therav?din and Traditional

Buddhist Doctrinal Emphases and Exposition in Sugata Saurabha

The Spell of Idealizations and the Revitalization of Newar Civilization

Bibliography

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