Yasodharā, the wife of the Bōdhisattva : the Sinhala Yasodharāvata (the story of Yasodharā) and the Sinhala Yasodharāpadānaya (the sacred biography of Yasodharā)

Translations of two works from Sri Lanka on Yasodhara, the wife of the Buddha--an allusive and intriguing figure in Buddhist lore and literature. What about Buddha's wife? We all know that Prince Siddhartha left his wife and infant son to begin his journey to enlightenment. The Pali canon does not mention the woman he left behind. Yasodharā enters the commentarial tradition around the first century CE and lives on in the folk tradition, growing from a shadowy figure to a nun and arahat (an Enlightened One), even gaining magical powers. In this book, Ranjini Obeyesekere offers a translation of two works from Sri Lanka on this intriguing figure. The Yasodharāvata (The Story of Yasodharā) is a folk poem, whose best-known verses are Yasodharā's lament over the departure of her husband. The Yasodharāpadānaya (The Sacred Biography of Yasodharā) is an account of Yasodharā as a nun capable of miracles, who has traveled through saṃsāra with the Bodhisattva, and who is praised by him. Obeyesekere places these works within their historical and literary context and provides a glossary of Buddhist terms. What about Buddha's wife? We all know that Prince Siddhartha left his wife and infant son to begin his journey to enlightenment. The Pali canon does not mention the woman he left behind. Yasodhar enters the commentarial tradition around the first century CE and lives on in the folk tradition, growing from a shadowy figure to a nun and arahat (an Enlightened One), even gaining magical powers. In this book, Ranjini Obeyesekere offers a translation of two works from Sri Lanka on this intriguing figure. The Yasodharvata (The Story of Yasodhar) is a folk poem, whose best-known verses are Yasodhar's lament over the departure of her husband. The Yasodharpadnaya (The Sacred Biography of Yasodhar) is an account of Yasodhar as a nun capable of miracles, who has traveled through sam-sara with the Bodhisattva, and who is praised by him. Obeyesekere places these works within their historical and literary context and provides a glossary of Buddhist terms. Title Page ......Page 5 Contents......Page 9 Preface......Page 11 Acknowledgments......Page 15 YASODHARĀ: THE WOMAN......Page 17 YASODHARĀ IN EARLY SANSKRIT AND PALIBUDDHIST LITERATURE......Page 18 YASODHARĀ IN SINHALA LITERATURE......Page 26 THE FOLK POEM YASODHARĀVATA (A)......Page 30 THE TRADITION OF LAMENT IN SINHALA POETRY......Page 32 THE YASODHARĀVATA (A) IN THE CONTEXT OF SINHALA LITERARY HISTORY......Page 35 THE PRINTED TEXTS......Page 41 AN ANALYSIS OF THE POEM YASODHARĀVATA (A)......Page 43 MODERN CRITICS OF THE YASODHARĀVATA......Page 48 1. THE POEM......Page 51 2. COMMENTS ON THE YASODHARĀPADĀNAYA......Page 75 3. THE PROSE TEXT: Yasodharāpadānaya (The Sacred Biography of Yasodharā)......Page 79 Appendix: A REVIEW OF THE PALM LEAF MANUSCRIPTS OF THE YASODHARĀVATA IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM LIBRARY, COLOMBO, AND THE BRITISH MUSEUM LIBRARY, LONDON......Page 97 Glossary......Page 105 Bibliography......Page 115 This Work Started As A Simple Translation Of A Section Of A Poem. As My Interest In The Figure Of Yasodharā Grew And The Research Around It Expanded, The Final Manuscript Has Become A More Extended Account Of The Woman Yasodharā And Her Growing Presence In The Literature And Imagination Of Later Generations.--preface P.xi. Translated With An Introduction And Notes By Ranjini Obeyesekere. Translated Fron The Sinhalese. Includes Bibliographical References. Translations Of Two Works From Sri Lanka On Yasodharaμ, The Wife Of The Buddha—an Allusive And Intriguing Figure In Buddhist Lore And Literature.