On seeing the image of Buddha
 Quite
a number of narratives, both short and long have been written on the
life and times of the Buddha. They have a special place in the
repertoire of creative literature not as mere spiritual readings but as
imaginative prose and verse creations, which kindle a certain degree of
religiosity in the mind of the reader.
The latest in this addition to the said genre of creative writing
comes with a title Budun dutuvemi Ovun Denetin, which may literally
mean, ‘I saw the Buddha through their eyes’. Authored by Sanath
Nanayakkara, this is an attempt made to present four major episodes
which centre round imaginative experiences; one comes across during the
time of the Buddha.
They are Ven. Assaji, one of the five great disciples of the Buddha,
Prajapathi Gotami, who brought up future Buddha known as Prince
Siddhartha, Devadatta, and the brother in law of Prince Siddhartha, who
later entered into the order of Buddha, and happened to be the arch
enemy of the Buddha. The last character is Ven. Ananda who is said to be
the Chief Attendant of the Buddha who looked after all the activities
retaining a great sense of patience.
All these characters are made to uncover their experiences, enhancing
the reader to grasp the value of the Buddha in comparison with some of
the other characters who lived during the time of the Buddha.
The creative attempt presumably is to foster further historical and
religious knowledge imparting the essence of what the Buddha taught
during his life time. If we are to consider in a synoptic manner what
Ven. Assaji narrates is different from what Ven. Ananda or Devadatta as
a close relative and later monk narrates.
More emphasis is laid on the dialogues that ensue between people as
regards the search for the protagonist the Buddha. There are times when
the reader feels tired on account of the overdrawn situation as
authorial commentaries which I feel is nevertheless part and parcel of
how a particular writer looks at his subject material. The work would
have been in a way edited on this particular count minimizing some of
the inevitable repetitions.
This is specially observed in the long episode that commenced the
work with the reflections of Ven. Assaji. A sense of sensitive feminine
recognition is seen seeping into the body of the narrative as laid down
through the eyes of Prajapathi GOatmi. She is portrayed as a mother cum
superior human being who paved the way for Prince Siddhartha to gain a
higher form of thanking which resulted in the great renunciation.
The third episode of the narrative of Devadatta is more or less a
simplified version of his anger and ill will towards the enlightenment.
The emergence of the new order Devadatta with his retinue of followers
inclusive of Kokalika and a certain therein named Thulla Nanda too
emerge as subplot holders of the main narrative.
The last creative episode, where the Venerable Ananda narrates his
view of Buddha, is touching and vividly reflected as an interactive
series of human interest situations. The reasons for Ven. Ananda to be
the chief attendant of Buddha is clarified.
Then comes his sense of observations, where the two tragic feminine
portrayals of Patachara and Kisagothami are brought to the forefront.
Interlinked too are the minor events of the Buddha, in his journeys form
place to place culminating in his lat visit, which lasts for about four
months.
The final episode of how the Buddha passed away is suggested the
beginning of a conflicting among the clergy, so much so that he
character of Subhadra too emerges in a flash.
The writer more or less resembles a creative compiler of source
material taking four types of characters, perhaps identically different
to each other from the point of view of their attitude towards the
Buddha.
I did not see much of a sensitive depth as regards the creative
process of the writer, though the observable factor is the skill in
gathering source material that goes into the weaving of a creative web.
The four episodes are the four viewpoints of four individuals who
matter ultimately as viewers of the Buddha as linked to them over a
particular period of the life of the Buddha.
All in all this is a new perspective and interpretation to the
traditional Pali scriptures such as Udana, Thera Gatha and Theri Gatha.
These sources, no doubt, would have been of immense use in weaving the
way the great disciples have seen the Buddha.
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