Rabindranath Tagore and His Consonance with Buddhism: A Formative Impression

Abstract

Rabindranath Tagore, the renowned Indian poet, philosopher, and polymath, was influenced by various philosophical and spiritual traditions throughout his life. While Tagore was born into a Hindu family and was deeply connected to Hindu culture and philosophy, he also had a significant engagement with Buddhism which left a noticeable impact on his thinking. Buddhist philosophy for him, worked as an answer to the question of suffering. Buddha preached that the solution of the problem lies in the Sutra of Four Noble Truths and the Sutra of Eightfold Path.

Tagore's writings frequently explore the common humanity that transcends religious, cultural, and national boundaries. He revered humanistic principles of Buddhism which cast a deep influence on his psyche. As a result of this influence, he derived the themes of many of his literary works from the Buddhist Jataka Tales.

Rabindranath Tagore, a multi-faceted genius made significant contributions to the field of literature, including the genre of dance drama. Tagore wrote a number of dance dramas, blending poetry, music, and dance to create a unique form of artistic expression. These dance dramas often conveyed profound philosophical and spiritual themes. Tagore has incorporated many Buddhist tales and historical incidents in his literary corpus. He condemned the narrow and discriminating sectarianism present in the form of class and caste system and the rigid traditional and religious rules imposing social isolation and slavery. He disseminated this message through his works like Chandalika, Malini, Visarjan, Natir Puja etc.