An Analytical Study of Dhamma Aesthetics in Bodhisattra’s (Ten Great Birth Stories of the Buddha)

Abstract

     This research has three objectives: (1) to study the concept of Dhamma Aesthetics in Buddhist scriptures (2) to study the structure of the brief content in the Mahānipāta Jātaka (Ten Great Birth Stories of the Buddha) and (3) to analyze the Dhamma Aesthetics of nine literature senses in the Mahānipāta Jātaka. This is documentary research. The results of the research were found that the Dhamma Aesthetics appeared in the Tipiṭaka is the heart of liberation and is consisted of “Attharasa” (the beauty of wording), “Dhammarasa” (the essence of Dhamma), and “Vimuttirasa” (the sense of deliverance).  In the Buddhist scriptures, there are three scriptures related to the Dhamma Aesthetics such as the “Subodhālaṅkāra” scripture which involves the composition of the literature with the decoration of sound and meanings for its grandeur. The heart of this scripture is the nine literature senses. The structures of the content in the Mahānipāta Jātaka are the stories with the “Attharasa” and “Dhammarasa” which are somehow hidden in the content of totally ten stories. The stories are the past incarnations of the Buddha who was still a Bodhisattva, and the stories of people who were born along with the Bodhisattvain those incarnations. The Mahānipāta Jātaka is the true beauty of Linguistics, content, and Dhamma Aesthetics. Dhamma Aesthetics as the “Dhammarasa” and the beauty of teachings. For example, the taste of love in Vessantara Jataka. It is the love of Matsee she wants to follow Vessantara everywhere no matter how difficult and frightening. Just to be close to her husband is enough. It is a kind of love that is meant to be together forever. Which are typically classified into nine magnificent literature senses as the senses of love, laughter, sorrow, anger, courage, fear, hate, wonder, and peace.