Representation of Buddhist Philosophy in The Light of Asia

Author(s)	Dr. Sanjay Kumar
Country	India
Abstract	This paper examines Sir Edwin Arnold’s The Light of Asia as a poetic interpretation and transmission of Buddhist philosophy to Western audiences. Focusing on the core doctrinal elements—the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path—the study analyzes how Arnold renders these concepts in accessible, evocative English verse. Drawing on direct quotations from the poem, the paper explores Arnold’s presentation of suffering, its causes, and the path to liberation, highlighting his use of imagery, narrative structure, and didactic tone. The analysis also considers the cultural and historical context of the poem’s composition, assessing both its fidelity to Buddhist thought and its significance as a work of cross-cultural literary transmission. The findings demonstrate that Arnold’s The Light of Asia not only popularized Buddhist ideas in the West but also provided a sympathetic, humanistic perspective that continues to resonate with modern readers.
Keywords	The Light of Asia, Edwin Arnold, Buddhism, Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, Victorian literature, cross-cultural transmission
Field	Arts
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 5, September-October 2025
Published On	2025-09-02
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i05.55110

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