Sir Edwin Arnold : Spiritual hero

"Carata bhikkhave carikam

bahu jana hitaya

bahu jana sukhaya."

O monks, travel along

For the well-being of many.

for the good of many.

Supremely Enlightened Buddha

This is the ideal season to celebrate heroes especially of the spiritual kind. Vesak 2010, is in the offing. In 2011, Vesak dawns ushering in the 2600th anniversary of the attainment of Supreme Enlightenment by Ascetic Siddhartha. In the spiritual annals of mankind, this is an unprecedented moment.

This is the hour, people year, for a beacon of compassion, to illuminate their path, out of the current morass of conflict and disharmony. In some theatres of human existence, terrorism still mars the beauty of life.

A spiritual hero, we invariably remember in such a troubling context, is Sir Edwin Arnold. He presented to the world, his glorious epic poem "Light of Asia" a unique work in the field of spiritual literature. Its special loftiness is essential to be noted.

That is the only original poem written in English on Prince Siddhartha, who later attained the stature of the Supremely Enlightened Buddha.

His "Light of Asia", first brought out 131 years ago, in 1879, startled the English-speaking world, by the austere majesty of its central character-Prince Siddhartha.

Arnold: author of ‘Light of Asia’

The intellectual and spiritual evolution of Edwin Arnold, is equally absorbing as his epic poem.

He was born in Sussex, England on the 10th of June 1832. His education was distinctly imperial. Young Edwin Arnold went through King's School Rochester, King's College London and University College Oxford.

At the age of 24, he came over to India, as Principal, Deccan College, Poona. His mission was clear-cut. He had to uphold imperial prowess and enshrine British values in the souls of the Indians.

But, the change he experienced, when he encountered the age-old cultural and religious traditions of India, is a stirring story of spiritual transformation.

His discovery and profound appreciation of the perennial philosophy of ancient India, made him a life-long champion of the soul-enriching system of Buddha's teachings.

The host culture overwhelmed him with its nobility and variegated manifestations. With him, it was not merely the casual surprise, that the initial meeting with a strange way of life, engenders in a newcomer to an unfamiliar system of thoughts and values. Eventually, this initial surprise evolved into unabashed enchantment, escalating progressively into lasting admiration and awe.

At this stage, it is imperative, that we should extol the virtues of some distinguished British Civil Servants, who came out to the East (especially to India and Sri Lanka) to impose imperial rule on these subject nations. With an impressive sense of duty and responsibility they made it their moral obligation to study the lands and the peoples they met, discarding the role of cynical administrator. Sri Lanka's own Leonard Woolfe, is a vivid case in point. Engrossed in Sri Lanka's indigenous culture, he culled its essence into his classic "Village in the Jungle."

Out of the whole breed of enlightened British Civil Servants, the Imperial Administrator who delved deepest into the inner soul of the people he had to transform - without even the shadow of a doubt - was Edwin Arnold.

He had to traverse a demanding path. To enter into the heart and soul, of the land, he had to imperialize, he set out to study the classical languages of the sub-continent - Pali and Sanskrit. These were the key to the timeless love that India kept guarded over the long sweep of history. Indian servants took this Imperial student under their wing, totally convinced that his commitment was genuine.

Doors that remain usually closed to the routine bureaucrat, began to open wide to Edwin Arnold. With befitting awe and reverence, he approached the grand epics of India - Ramayana and Maha Bharata.

Hoary India, revealed its spiritual mystique to this ardent British Sishya (pupil) Edwin Arnold. From then on, his movement towards the discovery of the twin religious institutions of India-Renunciation and asceticism - was a matter of course. This in turn, led him to the renunciate par excellence and the Greatest Ascetic of India-Siddhartha Gautama.

Assuming a self-imposed duty, he resolved, that what he realized through his exploratory effort - the core, the pith and the substance of the Indian philosophic system - should be communicated to his own people, in their language.

The outcome of this determination was "Light of Asia" - the tremendous epic poem on Prince Siddhartha.

The poem, recreates the life of a Hindu Royal family in ancient India, 2500 years ago. The telling detail is dramatically utilized. The rhythm and the resonance of the poetry, elevate the reader or the listener to divine heights. The grandeur and the reverberations of the lines keep on ringing within you. It is the kind of poetry, that makes you attain the higher reaches of spirituality.

The diction and lilt of "light of Asia" resonate with the echoes of the 'organ - roll' of John Miltons" spiritual poetry. It is quite evident that Edwin Arnold was profoundly influenced by the poetic tones of John Milton's spiritual epics.

Millions of readers, the world over, would have savoured the sacred ecstasy of absorbing the lyrical word of Edwin Arnold as he extols the life and the spiritual quest of Siddhartha Gautama. He composed his epic poem, after he returned to England. There, he was editor "Daily Telegraph' for more than 40 years.

As Edwin Arnold says, he composed his epic poem 'Light of Asia" in the intervals of days without leisure'

The epic was an immediate success. It had a hypnotic hold on the world of English speakers.

Reading Edwin Arnorld's "Light of Asia", is a rich experience in high poetry.

In his epic poem "Light of Asia", he creates a perpetual halo of spiritual heroism, around the life of Prince Siddhartha.

It is a poem, generation after generation will re-discover. His deep interest in the tradition of Indian learning, prompted Sir Edwin Arnold to translate several Indian Classics into English. He translated the sacred test of Hinduism - "Bhagavat Gita" into English, under the title, "Song Celestial".

Sir Edwin Arnold, was an active participant in ushering in the renaissance of Buddhism.

It is recorded that, he was a founder member of the Mahabodhi Society of India, together with Anagarika Dharmapala.

Towards the end of his days Sir Edwin Arnold travelled to Japan. He was married three times. His third wife was Tama Kurokawa, a Japanese lady.

He wrote several works on the life of Japan, setting down his personal impressions of that land.

There is a view that Sir Edwin Arnold visited Sri Lanka, to study Buddhism. It is also said, that he studied the Sinhala Language.

Today in Sri Lanaka, we experience a heightened sense of spirituality. The land is getting ready to celebrate one holy season of Vesak.

While being preoccupied with Vesak this year, our country looks beyond it to our Vesak season of 2011. In 2011, Sri Lanka, and many other countries in the world, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist will celebrate the 2600th anniversary of the attainment of Supreme Enlightenment by Ascetic Siddhartha.

Celebrating Sir Edwin Arnold and his Supreme Epic Poem "Light of Asia", should form part of these Vesak festivities

We could organise recitals of Sir Edwin Arnold's "Light of Asia" for schools and for the public .

Sir Edwin Arnold's life story should be written down to celebrate the person, who made the world, take note of the Prince of Peace. Production of and authoritative biography of the author of "Light of Asia" is an excellent way to remember the epic.