Аннотация:BUDDISM IN CREATIONS OF JAYASHANKAR PRASAD
The paper discusses an attitude of Jayashankar Prasad (1889- 1936), a classic of Hindi literature, towards Buddhism, the way the writer interpreted and used ideas of this world religion in different genres: poetry, drama, short stories and novel. Being a devoted Shaivite, at the same time he was attracted by Buddhism, its history, philosophy and humanistic ideals.
On the basis of short stories “Column of Emperor” (CakravartI kA stambh), “Hurricane” (AndhI), novel “Iravati”, some poems and dramas the paper shows a change of Prasad’s attitude towards Buddhism: from interested and positive attention (to Buddha himself and Ashoka in particular), deep research of the epoch of origin and development of Buddhism in his historical dramas to presentation of a “neutral” – distant author-narrator (in “Andhi), opposition of Shivadvaita and Buddhist philosophical concepts in his one-act play “One Gulp” (Ek ghunt) and poem “Kamayani” to stressing the difference between followers of Hinduism and Buddhism and aversion of manners and behavior of Buddhism followers in some of his historical dramas and “Iravati”.
Interpreting Buddhism heritage, Jhayashankar Prasad created different heroes – from power-seeking rulers to devoted followers of Buddha’s teaching, discussed vital and urgent social-political problems (for example, struggle for national independence and creation of an image of a true ruler) and eternal moral and ethical problems.
In this way, the writer reached different tasks: his creations of high literary quality had ideology of the Enlightenment and helped to improve society. They were based on ancient, very valuable for the nation heritage and gave an example to contemporary generation, reconstructing the ideal, which could exist or just was imagined as existing in the past. At the same time, the development of Independence movement could also influence the attitude of Prasad to Buddhism. Prasad, being a key figure of Hindi literary movement of the first three decades of the 20-th century, was one of the first Hindi writers who “rediscovered” Buddhism and, being inspired by love to India’s glorious past, appreciated its humanistic ideas but remained a devoted Hindu.