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Ideas and Ideals of Asceticism in the Buddhacarita of Aśvaghoṣa

2020; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 47; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/0376983620968020

0975-5977

Gaurav Sharma,

Religion and Society Interactions

This article explores the ideas and ideals of asceticism by analysing the description of the ascetic practices and the āśrama in the Budhhacarita of Aśvaghoṣa. Although kāvya literature paints vivid pictures in front of our eyes and can give us valuable historical information, usually scholars and historians undermine its potential as a source to study the past. The kāvyas are vibrant than usually thought about and gives more chance and content to a historian to analyse and contextualise. The Buddhacarita of Aśvaghoṣa is an earliest extant kāvya work and a testimony of the fact that literature allows a poet to describe, comment, mock and sometimes reflect over the ideas and ideals of the society which he lives in. Through a very compelling narrative, Aśvaghoṣa presents the story of Sarvārthasiddha’s journey to enlightenment and his first-hand experience of what ascetic resolves are, how ascetics live, what are their goals and aspirations and finally the realisation that this old treaded path is not going to help him. The article analyses Sarvārthasiddha’s search for true recluse and tries to understand dialogues, dissensions, confluences and dichotomies between Buddhism and Brahmanism as portrayed by Aśvaghoṣa. Asceticism is a fascinating theme to explore and the story of the Buddhacarita of Aśvaghoṣa makes it more animated and alive.