A Critical Study of the Third Canto of Buddhacaritam from an Epic Perspective
महाकाव्योचितदृष्ट्या बुद्धचरितस्य तृतीयसर्गस्य समीक्षात्मकमध्ययनम्
Dr. Trina Das
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Sanskrit, Bhatter College, Dantan (Autonomous), Dantan, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, India
Email: trina.sanskrit95@gmail.com
Page No: 28-34

Abstract: This research paper presents a critical analysis of the third canto, titled Saṃvegotpattiḥ (The Origin of Disquiet), of Aśvaghoṣa’s epic Buddhacaritam through the lens of classical Sanskrit poetics. Serving as the turning point of the epic, this canto vividly depicts Prince Siddhārtha’s spiritual awakening and subsequent detachment (vairāgya) upon encountering the four great signs: an old man, a diseased person, a corpse, and an ascetic. Methodologically, this study employs descriptive, analytical, and comparative frameworks, drawing from primary texts and classical treatises like Daṇḍin’s Kāvyādarśa and Viśvanātha’s Sāhityadarpaṇa. The paper evaluates how the canto fulfills epic conventions (mahākāvyalakṣaṇa) through descriptions of the city, royal highways, and the curiosity of citizens. Furthermore, it examines Aśvaghoṣa’s aesthetic synthesis of the Śānta (tranquil) and Karuṇa (pathetic) sentiments, alongside his philosophical integration of Buddhist concepts like the Four Noble Truths (Āryasatya) and impermanence (Kṣaṇikavāda), proving its timeless literary and social relevance.
Keywords: Buddhacaritam, Aśvaghoṣa, Saṃvegotpattiḥ, Mahākāvyalakṣaṇa, Vairāgya.