A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.t3.204

v2.c19.s6.t3.204

Lastly, mention must here be made of the extensive Avadāna book of the Kashmirian poet Kṣemendra, the Avadāna-Kalpalatā,² which was completed in 1052 A.D., and which is held in great esteem especially in Tibet.³ Kṣemendra is a prolific writer and a verse-maker of astonishing fertility. We shall meet with him again in other places, for his activity was most versatile. Yet he is distinguished not so much by genius and taste, but by an iron determination. The huge collection of legends, too, in which Kṣemendra has recast the Buddhist Avadānas in the style of ornate court poetry, contains more edifying stories than skilfully and tastefully narrated ones. The Buddhist tendency to self-sacrifice is here brought to a climax with such subtlety, the doctrine of Karman is applied so clumsily, and the moral is pointed in such an exaggerated manner, that the story often achieves the reverse of the desired result. The collection consists of 107 legends, to which Somendra, Kṣemendra's son, has added not only an Introduction but also a 108th narrative (Jīmūtavāhana-Avadāna).¹ The legends are mostly known already from the older Avadāna books and also from other sources.²