On the Buddhacarita of Asvaghosa
By Sukumar Sen
Summary
Sukumar Sen’s article discusses the epic poem Buddhacarita (“Acts of the Buddha”) composed by the 1st–2nd century CE poet Asvaghosa. Sen summarizes the narrative of the poem, which recounts Siddhartha Gautama’s life from his birth as a prince, renunciation and enlightenment to the beginning of his teaching career. He comments on Asvaghosa’s Sanskrit style, noting its classical polish and use of kavya (ornate poetic) conventions. Sen compares the Buddhacarita with later biographies, highlighting how Asvaghosa integrates elements of courtly poetry with Buddhist themes, thereby appealing to a cultured audience. The article also discusses the poem’s transmission: only the first fourteen cantos survive in Sanskrit, with the remaining chapters known from Chinese and Tibetan translations. Sen analyses translation issues and suggests emendations to restore corrupt passages. He concludes that the Buddhacarita is both a literary masterpiece and a valuable source for early Buddhist legend, deserving of continued philological and literary study.
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Conclusion
Sen reviews Asvaghosa’s Buddhacarita, emphasizing its narrative of the Buddha’s life and its stylistic qualities as classical Sanskrit poetry. He notes that the poem survives partly in Sanskrit and partly in translations and discusses the challenges this poses for editors. By comparing versions, Sen illustrates Asvaghosa’s synthesis of courtly aesthetics with spiritual biography. The article underscores the text’s importance for literary history and for understanding early narratives about the Buddha.