Atish Dipankar Srigyan : Representation of Buddhist Philosophy in Bengali Novels/ অতীশ দীপংকর শ্রীজ্ঞান : বাংলা উপন্যাসে বৌদ্ধদর্শনের রূপায়ণ

Abstract

According to Buddhism, the term ‘Dharma’ is used in ten different senses, one of which is ‘Path’. When analyzed, the word Dharma signifies upholding the purity of the mind. For centuries, the people of Tibet have revered and recognized the Bengali Buddhist scholar Atish Dipankar Srigyan as ‘Dewo Chenpo’ or the Great Lord. His extensive body of work and contributions can be traced in the Buddhist scriptural collections ‘Tanjur’ and ‘Kanjur’.

Even a thousand years later, Atish Dipankar remains a luminous figure for Bengalis. Several novels have been written about him, capturing his philosophy and contributions to Buddhism. Abul Kasem’s ‘Atish’ and Sanmatrananda’s ‘Nastik Panditer Bhita’ (The Atheist Scholar’s Abode) are two such novels that document his thoughts and perspectives on Buddhism. Atish was a proponent of the Mahāyāna tradition. Abul Kasem’s ‘Atish’ vividly portrays the historical context, the ideological conflict between Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, and the life of Atish Dipankar.

On the other hand, Sanmatrananda’s ‘Nastik Panditer Bhita’ is structured across three different time periods— the present day, the 13th century focusing on Chag Lo-tsā-ba, and the 11th century of Atish Dipankar. The novelist skillfully interweaves these three epochs, balancing them while giving prominence to philosophical discourse over historical details. Time itself takes center stage in his novel. In contrast, Abul Kasem follows a different path, presenting Atish’s biography in a modern narrative style.

Reading these two novels side by side offers a deeper understanding of Atish Dipankara’s Buddhist philosophy. It also sheds light on why, even after all these years, his ideas and teachings continue to be relevant and worthy of scholarly attention.