What is the Russian for “Bodhi” an “enlightenment” or an “awakening”?
Abstract
Abstract: this article addresses the key mystery of Shakyamuni-Buddha’s path to liberation from suffering, the attainment of perfect knowledge, omniscience, achievements of nirvana, and much more. Various texts of the Buddhist traditions unequivocally describe this event by the term “Bodhi”. The correct understanding of the content of this term means the understanding of the phenomenon of Buddhism, a religion, which remains unique among all religions of mankind. In particular, the article addresses the problem of translating (or interpreting) the term of “Bodhi” into Russian. The author traces the translations of this term in the Russian studies of the Buddhist culture and religion, which cover the period of two centuries. He argues that the most exact rendering of this term is the prosvetlenie (an “enlightenment”, “illumination”), supported by the such eminent scholars as F. I. Stcherbatsky, S. F. Oldenbourg and Yu. N. Roerich and their pupils. Another translation as probuzhdenie (an “awakening”) should be rejected. In this context it has different connotations and, besides, is also reserved to describe in Russian other phenomena of the Buddhist cultural and religious tradition.
About the Author
V. P. Androsov
Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Valery P. Androsov, Ph. D habil. (Hist.), Professor, Director
Russian Federation
Valery P. Androsov, Ph. D habil. (Hist.), Professor, Director
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For citation:
Androsov V.P. What is the Russian for “Bodhi” an “enlightenment” or an “awakening”? Orientalistica. 2019;2(1):21-39. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31696/2618-7043-2019-2-1-21-39
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