Renarrating the miraculous teachings
 Damayanthi Jaykody is known to the Sinhala reading public as a
contributor of religious material renarrated from old sources to create
a sense of well being resulting in the spread of religious thought and
inspiration.
Her latest addition to this repertoire is titled as Ape
Bosathananvahanse Ashcharyavatmai Adbhutamai (Our Bodhisatta is indeed
miraculous! Wonderful!). The traditional literary sources maintain the
vision that the very birth of a noble person like the Buddha is
miraculous and wonderful.
The two religious terms appear in religious literary works to denote
the greatness of the Buddha and to ascertain high calibre of the noble
qualities of the Buddha. The terms in reference are ascharya and adbhuta,
which could be understood as ‘miraculous’ and ‘wonderful’.
They too appear in Pali as accharyo and abbhuta. Prior to the birth
of the Buddha in human form he is cited as to have been born in heavenly
forms, indicating
Book info
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* Title : Ape Bosatanan Vahanse
Asharyavatmai! Adbhutai!
* Author : Damayanthi Jayakody
* Genre : Children’s literature
* Page count : 47 (A4-size pages)
* Price : Rs. 250
* Publisher : Dayawansa Jayakody
Publishers |
those forms of the gods and king of gods in Tusita heaven. Then from
heavenly world the Bodhisatva came to be born as a supreme human being.
This covers the birth of Prince Siddhartha as conceived in the womb of
Queen Mahamaya.
Quite a number of miracles has happened coinciding the birth of
Prince Siddhartha. They are sensitively renarrated by the author
Damayanthi Jayakody. The writer attempts to compare those being who so
suffer in this world with those who transcend that state. The comparison
makes the reader feel that the birth of a great and noble human being
ushers in happiness even to those who suffer in hell. This enables the
reader to feel that in the worldly life one could visualize two places:
hell and heaven.
The belief in miracles is a multi-aspected factor that is shown in
most creative works in folklore and religion. By renarrating some of
them the writer makes the reader enter into a realm of happiness devoid
of worries and material encumbrances. The birth, renunciation,
enlightenment, numerous occurrences where the Buddha conquered his
opponents and various other factors interlinked throughout the life span
of the Buddha represent a series of wonder, mystery and miracle. Even
the mother of a great being is featured as a noble human character.
The way she gives birth to the noble human being too is featured as a
miracle and unusual, for she gives birth not in the normal manner in
which other mothers do. At the moment of delivery, miracles happen, such
as earth-trembles. The heavenly bodies appear and accept the noble
child. The writer outlines in her narrative the series of wonder and
mystery that happened.
The narrative attitude of the writer too is packed with a layer of
faith and healing. The intention seems serene. The copiously illustrated
well presented text may be an ideal religious gift to the child as well
as an adult. The religious texts whether written in the form of
narratives or not are meant to help the world usher in an inner bliss to
this individual living in sorrow and agony. This short work could be
classed as one such contribution helping the individual to gain this
state of bliss, which is anticipated as a balm to the pains of mind and
body.
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