- Wagner and Orientalism -

In the Wagnerian Weltanschauung we find a web of many ideas and influences
wowen together; there are such different phenomoens as socialism,
nationalsocialism, buddhism, symbolism and psychoanalysis, although the
main theme always is the refining power of unselfish loves apotheosis in
the death of sacrifice.

Something that strikes me is the many parallels to the indiite world of
thinking and how Wagners wiew of the inner sence of the world as 'a blind,
mechanic Will to Life (Wille zum Leben), which manifests in all forms of
existence and without goal and meaning only wants its own existance', fits
well into each other.

Wagner took interest in orientalic mythos already in Riga, where he
produced "Die Glueckliche Baerenfamilie" and "Die Sarazenin" which both
are built on Arabic tales, but it was first when he discovered Schopenhauer
he through him got a strong Oriental influence.  At about the same time
his in-law Hermann Brockhaus provided him with Indiite fairytale scripts,
which fascinated him mainly through a theme which he already was obsessed
with:  the sacrificial death.  For example he found this in the tale about
Usinara.  Through these tales, through Schopenhauers influence, Wagner
took up the concept of Buddhism.  With the time Wagner collected a good
knowledge of India and its religions and litterature; he read tales, and
mainly Mahabharata and Manyana, but also books and descriptions of India
and its culture.  In "Ueber den Willen in der Natur" Schopenhauer lists a
long list of recommendable books of which several Wagner might have read.
The main inspiration for Wagner was Holtzmanns work, but when he read works
like Koeppens with its scientific approach, he typically wrote in a famous
letter to Mathilde Wesendonck 05.10.1868:

"Vor einiger Zeit kuendigte mir die Graefin A.  eine "kleine Figur" an,
die sich bald bei mir einfinden werde.  Ich verstand's nicht, und las
wahrenddem Koeppens Geschichte der Religion des Buddha zu Ende.  Ein
unerquickliches Buch.  Statt aechter Zuege der aeltesten Legende, die ich
suchte, hauptsaechlich nur die Darstellung der Entwicklung in die Breite,
die natuerlich immer widerlicher ausfaellt, je reiner und erhabener der
Kern ist.  Nachdem ich so recht angeekelt war durch die detaillirte
Beschreibung des endlich festgestellten Cultus, mit seinen Reliquien und
abgeschmackten bildlichen Darstellungen des Buddha, kommt die "kleine
Figur" an, und zeigt sich als chinesisches Exemplar solch eines heiligen
Bildnisses.  Mein Grauen war gross, und ich konnte es der Dame, diedas
Rechte getroffen zu haben glaubte, nicht verheimlichen.  Man hat viel
Muehe, in dieser entstellungssuechtigen Welt sich gegen derartige
Eindruecke zu behaupten, und sich das rein angeschaute Ideal unverkuemmert
zu erhalten.  Alles sucht so gern das Edelste, sobald es nicht zu ihm hinan
kann, sich verwandt, d.  h.  als Fratze darzustellen.  Den Cjakya-Sohn, den
Buddha, mir rein zu erhalten, ist mir, trotz der chinesischen Karikatur,
aber doch gelungen."

As one an see, Wagner is well aware about the discrepance between his
ideals and the historic relalities, but in accordance to a true romatician
wiew, the ideals come out as more important for him than reality.  However,
this letter also tells alot about Wagners deep engagement in Buddhismus and
his strive to refine the ideal and commonhumane in accordance to his
general wiew of art.

But Buddhism this and engagement that, so it reamins a fact that both
Wagner and Schopenhauer misinterpreted Buddhism simply as enough study
hasn't yet been done and the appropriate sources for information about
the religion weren't accessible in proper quantity to allow that.  Western
terms like idealism, spiritualism, realism, materialism, monism etc
generally often lacks pendangs in Buddhist and other Indiite philosophical
systems, and one example on where the two wiews differ fundamentally is to
be found in the basic definitions of elements; "Dharma" in Indian means
the "factors of existance", and are the unsplitable final pieces of which
everything exist in a sort of pluralistic realism.  Dharmas are not bound
in time, but are momental.  Further, Dharmas appear in different forms in
different forms of in World, and most of them are conditional (samskrta),
but some are not (asamskrta).  These are slightly different in different
scools, but to them belongs always Nirvana and Space (Akasa).  Nirvana,
towards all Buddhist striving goes, is to its nature something undefined
and unoutspoken (unbeschreiblich!).  However Nirvana is still a form of
Dharma, and, as such it is "something", and can therefore under no
circumstances be labelled "The No-Be" (Schopenhauer:  "Das Nichts").  "Die
Welt als Wille und Vorstellung" is hence a dictum a Buddhist hardly should
agree with.  Schopenhauers imagination of one single unsplitable,
meaningsless, mechanic world-Will, his pessimism and aggressivity against
a blind order, is actually completely indifferent to a Buddhist.  On the
other hand, one might know that it is natural that Koeppen, Schopenhauer
and Wagner misinterpreted the Buddihist ideas as not everything was known
about it.  For example Schopenhauer did not know the Dharma.  Schopenhauer
claimed that his "Der Wille zume Leben" had correspondance in the Buddhist
concept "Upadana" in combination with the thirst for life ("Trsna"), but
also that falls on the Buddhist definition of Dharmas.

But after his first enthusiasm on Schopenhauer, Wagner calmed down and
read him with more distance.  Wagner was concerned with many, as he saw it,
"problems" with Schopenhauers take on Buddhism.  One such "problem" was
that if a religion has Nirwana="Das Nicht-Sein" as highest goal, shouldn't
that logically lead to en masse suicide, or even murder? According to
Cosimas diary of the 11.05.1873 Wagner said:

   "Ein Selbstmord zweier Liebenden, der mich ruehrt, veranlasst Richard
   zu sagen.  "Das ist eigentlich die hoechste Affirmation des Willens
   - sie wollen lieber nicht sein als nicht befriedigt sein -, warum
   sie aber nicht allen Hemmnissen trotzen, das zeigt, dass die Anlage
   zum Selbstmord etwas Urbestimmtes ist; man koennte es hier als einen
   tiefen Blick bezeichnen, ungefaehr:  Was helfe uns das, die Hindernisse
   zu bewaeltigen? Dafur sollte es Kloester geben, wie der Buddhismus
   sie hatte; vollstaendige Entsagung bei vollstaendigem sich Angehoeren
   war da moeglich - aber unsere moderne Zivilisation hat nichts."

The Schopenhauerian-Buddhist frame here accentuates the typical Wagnerian
motifs:  complete self-denial, the accetuation of suicide and the
completance of love in death.  But this imagination of Nirwana, which
comes from Schopenhauer, is combinated with other ideas in Wagner.  Hence
the constellation Love-Night-Death-Nirwana becomes artistically very
prosperous, yet uncombinable in Buddhism.  Wagner specially accentuates
this through his extatic wiew of Love; the redeeming road of love and
sexuality; a wiew that differs from Schopenhauer as well as Buddhism.
During his working on "Tristan und Isolde" he declares to Mathilde
Wesendonck that no philosopher, not even Schopenhauer, has entered this
road.  Wagner promotes an active cooperation with the Weltwille, in
difference to Schopenhauers passive acceptance of it.

Wagners obsession with Buddhism came in a period in his life where his
future was very unsure, and he naturally felt very unsecure and stressed.
After Cosima had enetered his life, and he met Ludwig, he calmed down
some kilo as his life went more stabile.  The Buddhist alternative living
after that didn't have the same temptation for him.  He turned towards
Christianity more and more, and that is why he choosed "Parsifal" as his
final work, but he never stopped dabble with Buddhism and Indian culture,
and "Parsifal" is to great extent a mixture between Christianity and
Buddhism, and "Parsifal" is together with "Tristan und Isolde", "Die
Goetterdaemmerung" and "Die Sieger" those works were the Buddhist influence
is most appearant.  But I would like to do a little exkurs on something I
found interesting, before commenting on the Musical Dramas:

In Wagners writings, estetic problems are often brought up to discussion,
and Schopenhauer just agrees with him in his concept of Music as the
"Ur-Abbild der Welt".  What is interesting is that Wagner feel a strong
connection between his wiew of the spirit of music, his own composition
method, and the Indiite imaginaion of rebirth.  The reincarnation means
parallell happenings in several exstiances in time and space concret
manifested in causalchains linking the past.  This is similar to the
musical structures in Wagners work, with their leitmotifs and
reiminicenses.  At the choice of text for "Die Sieger" Wagner wrote
about this in his autobiography ("Mein Leben" pp.541.542):

   "Ausser der tiefsinnigen Schoenheit des einfachen Stoffes bestimmte
   mich zu seiner Wahl alsbald ein eigentuemliches Verhaeltnis desselben
   zu dem in mir seitdem ausgebildeten musikalischen Verfahren.  Vor
   dem Geiste des Buddha liegt naemlich das vergangene Leben in frueheren
   Geburten jedes ihm begegnenden Wesens offen, wie die Gegenwart selbst,
   da.  Die einfache Geschichte erhielt nun ihre Bedeutung dadurch, dass
   dieses vergangene Leben der leidenden Hauptfiguren als unmittelbare
   Gegenwart in die neue Lebensphase hineinspielte.  Wie nur der stets
   gegenwaertig miterklingenden musikalischen Reminiszenz dieses
   Doppellebens vollkommen dem Gefuehle vorzufuehren moeglich worden
   durfte, erkannte ich sogleich, und dies bestimmte mich, die Aufgabe
   der Ausfuehrung dieser Dichtung mit besondrer Liebe mir vorzubehalten."

Elaborated that is to be found in "Das Braune Buch", 05.1868, when he
wanted to uptake the work on "Die Sieger" again.  It begins with a sheme of
philosophical character, but continues in metaphor to tell about the cosmic
and artistic process of creation.  Wagner uses fundamental philosophic
terms in Sanskrit:

   Wahrheit = Nirwana = Nacht
   Musik = Brahma = Daemmerung
   Dichtkunst = Sansara = Tag

The main idea of what follows seems to be a development from the undefined
absolute truth, the pure harmony, towards pluralism and activity.  The
result of the deeds, The Karma, sets the painful wheel of life, Samsara,
in motion.  The triads can be read horizontal or vertical.  The first
gives identifications and the other hierarchial triads; one estetic, one
philosophical and one naturesymbolic, where nights peace through twilligt
turns into days stress, in a romantic vision.  "Die neue Weltbildung",
metaphysical and artistic creativity, comes from the land of meditative
insight; dhyana!  The poet is turned to Samsara, the objectivated will.
The musician OTOH is hold over the world like the creator Brahma, awakens
longin gand memories and leads the truth back to the primordial harmony.
Schopenhauers spirit can be felt here, yes.  But the thought also look like
the Indiite idea about the Trikaya; the three visions of Buddha:

A) Dharmakaya = the absolute, undefined, unchangable Bhuddanature. The
essence of everything existant.
B) Sambhogakaya = The transcendental form. Helps the people through
miracoulous achievements.
C) Nirmanakaya = The physical form, like Siddharta Gautama. These cannot
actively help the poeple, but show the Buddhistic road to freedom.

Wagners sheme can hence be extended to this:

   Dharmakaya = Wahrheit = Nirwana = Nacht = The Absolute
   Sambhogakaya =   Musik = Brahma = Daemmerung = The Transcendental
   Nirmanakaya=  Dichtkunst = Sansara = Tag = The Immanent

- - -

So, if Indiite Ideas played a role in Wagner tinking and life, it is
natural to believe that, like much else, it appeared in his musicdramas.
The Compassion, The Redemption, The Female Sacrificial Death...are
ubiquitous in Wagners works, but these come out in different texture
and many oriental influences can be seen despite these common links.
"Parsifal" is together with "Tristan und Isolde", "Die Goetterdaemmerung"
and "Die Sieger" are those works were the Buddhist influence are to be
searched and found.  The field of resarch is not new.  There is one
Guenther Lanczkowski, who has made an abitious study; "Die Bedeutung des
Indischen Denkens fuer Rickard Wagner und seinen Freundeskreis" (Marburg
1948), which shows Oriental influence practically everywhere.  As example
of overinterpretation, Lanczkowski as example claims Buddhist thinking in
Wotans words to Bruennhilde in the second Act to "Die Walkuere":

Wotan:

   "Fahre denn hin,
    herrliche Pracht,
    goettlichen Prunkes
    prahlende Schmach!
    Zusammenbreche,
    was ich gebaut!
    Auf geb' ich mein Werk;
    eines nur will ich noch:
    das Ende --
    das Ende? - "

Lanczkowski interprets these words (and much more) as a Buddhistic
speech as Wotan can generally be seen as a real incarnation of the
Schopenhauerian Will, but his speech here is so coloured of total
hopelessness and resignation so it is obviously far from anything
Buddhistic.  So, the influences in the completed musicdramas except
"Tristan", "Die Goetterdaemmerugn" (the End) and "Parsifal" must besaid
to be of limited art.  Still on ecan of course argue that the whole Ring
is based on the idea expressed in the end of "Goetterdaemmerung" and that
there are other kind of links; Sieglindes marrige to Hunding is slavery,
and the meeting with Siegfried means emancipation for her, and with the
common leitmotifs ("Sieglinde-motif" and "Motif der Hoffnung") in the dorr
scene and the Immolation it is a forebearence of the new democratic society
Wagner wanted to create.  etc.

"Tristan und Isolde" is worth mentioning as it traditionally is said to be
the most Indianinfluenced.  Die Weltschmerz, Introverty and longing for
death are certainly Buddhism yet with Schopenhauers colours.  Here is the
most radiant mark:

Isolde:

 "[...]mild versoehnend
       aus ihm toenend,
       auf sich schwingt,
       in mich dringt,
       hold erhallend
       um mich klingt?
       Heller schallend,
       mich umwallend,
       sind es Wellen
       sanfter Luefte?
       Sind es Wogen
       wonniger Duefte?
       Wie sie schwellen,
       mich umrauschen,
       soll ich atmen,
       soll ich lauschen?
       Soll ich schluerfen,
       untertauchen,
       suss in Dueften
       mich verhauchen?
       In des Wonnemeeres
       wogendem Schwall,
       in der Duft-Wellen
       tonendem Schall,
       in des Welt-Atmen
       wehendem All -
       ertrinken -
       versinken -
       unbewusst -
       hoechste Lust!!

Notice when listening to the work that the music climaxes at "in des
Welt-Atmen wehendem All".  That is indeed Buddhism, though one might
say that the "Welt-Atmen" hardly can be the correspondance to "Nirwana".
Rather it would be like The "Brahma", but as I stated in the beginning,
Wagner and his time weren't clearely aware of all the Buddhist definitions.
What is pictured here is as well the individual "I" joining the
"World-Spirit", remining the Athmas relationship to the Brahma, and a
sexual joining.

"Die Goetterdaemmerung" then, undertook several changes during the 20 years
Wagner worked on the Ring.  Carl Dalhaus examined the end of The Ring in
his book "Ueber den Schluss der Goetterdammerung" (Regensburg 1971).  It is
illuminating just to compare the versions and let them speak for
themselves.  Here is the 1852 version (Voluspa echos clearly here!):

Brunhild:

   "Ihr, bluehenden Lebens
    bleibend Geschlecht:
    was ich nun euch melde,
    merket es wohl!
    Sah't ihr vom zuendenden Brand
    Siegfried und Bruennhild' verzehrt;
    sah't ihr des Rheines Toechter
    zur Tiefe entfuehren den Ring:
    Nach Norden dann
    blickt durch die Nacht:
    erglanzt dort am Himmel
    ein heiliges Gluehen,
    so wisset all'
    dass ihr Walhalls Ende gewahrt!
    Verging wie Hauch
    der Goetter Geschlecht,
    lass' ohne Walter
    Welt ich zurueck:
    meines heiligsten Wissens Hort
    weis' ich der Welt nun zu.
    Nicht Gut, nicht Gold,
    Noch goettliche Pracht;
    nicht Haus, nicht Hof,
    noch herrischer Prunk;
    richt trueber Vertraege
    truegender Bund,
    nicht heuchelnder Sitte
    hartes Gesetz:
    selig in Lust und Leid,
    laesst - die Liebe nur sein."

Wagner then, that everybody knows, started on his Niebelungawork in
optimistic, hellenistic belief in future, but his experiences and reading
of Schopenhauer, and Buddhistic sources, came him to modify the inner idea
of his magnum opus therewith; his insight in the inner essence of the World
and Nature, and the final dirge becomes a sort of declaration of the world.
This passage, also Brunnhildas final dirge was a candidate to the final
version, and here the ancient nordic has been replaced by the ancient
Indiite:

Brunhild:

    "Fuehr' ich nun nicht mehr
     Nach Walhalls Feste,
     wisst ihr, wohin ich fahre?
     Aus Wunschheim zieh' ich fort,
     Wahnheim flieh' ich auf immer;
     des ew'gen Werdens
     off'ne Tore
     schliess' ich hinter mir zu:
     nach dem wunsch - und wahnlos
     heiligsten Wahlland,
     der Welt-Wanderung Ziel,
     von Wiedergeburt erloest,
     zieht nun die Wissende hin.
     Alles Ew'gen
     sel'ges Ende,
     wisst ihr, wie ich's, gewann?
     Trauernder Liebe
     tiefstes Leiden
     schloss die Augen mir auf.
     enden sah ich die Welt."

The knowledge that Brunhild has in "Siegfrieds Tod" is mainly an insight
in the betrayal and Siegfrieds death.  In "Goetterdaemmerung" it is clearly
something else; a more cosmic suggestion.  Brunhilda has left the world of
demands and illusions behind and therewith the wandering has come to an end
and the reinkarnation has stopped working (von Wiedergeburt erloest).  In
this version the Indiite influence is even more apparent:

Brunhild:

    "Trauernder Minne
     tiefstes Mitleid
     schloss die Tore mir auf:
     Wer ueber alles
     achtet das Leben,
     wende sein Auge von mir!
     Wer aus Mitleid
     der Scheidenden nachblickt,
     dem daemmert von fern
     die Erloesung, die ich erlangt.
     So scheid' ich
     gruessend, Welt, von dir!"

In this text the word MITLEID (=Compassion) is mentioned, which stands for
the highest norm in the buddhist ethics. It is the Compassion and not Love
which here is the road par excellence.

- - -

Among all fragments and scetches to uncompleted works Wagner left the
uncompleted opera "Die Sieger" is something absolutely unique. Since the
work first was concipiated 1856 it comes back many times until his death 27
years later, and its ties are wowen together with as well "Tristan und
Isolde":s as "Parsifal":s, and it is the most elaborated proof of Wagners
Orientalic thoughts and ideas. From the  rich Buddhistic well of tales,
Wagner took a pearl, he intended to shine with a radiant light, and be the
finest of his creative career. The plot is taken from a tale in "Avadana",
which contains heroic and miraculous deeds Buddha achieved during his
different incarnations. The very specific tale Wagner based his opera plot
upon bears the name "Sardulakarnavadana", which means "The heroic tale of
'Tigerear'".  The original text is written both on rhyme and prose, and is
maninly a critic against the Kast-system. The plot in "Sardulakarnavadana"
is in short the following:

   During one of their wanderings, Buddha and his pupils have reached
   the Sravasti in the Northwest part of nowadays province Uttar Prades.
   Ananda, Buddhas first pupil, has at an almswandering met the girl
   Prakrti at a well and asks her to give him water.  The girl belongs to
   the rejected Kast Candala, at first, because of the difference of social
   heritage, doesn't want to give him water, but finally accepts when
   Andana explained that the Kasts don't mean anything.  Prakrti falls in
   strong love with Ananda and asks her mother to with forcing spells,
   mantra, get Ananda to visit their house.  The spell works and at Andanas
   arrive the mother has prepared a magic liquid which shall make him fall
   in love with Prakrti.  Ananda calls Buddha for help, and Buddhas mantra
   appear to be stronger than hers, and Ananda can return to his monastery.
   Prakrti is though not free from her love, and follows Ananda wherever he
   goes in the city.  He then calls Buddha again, who speaks to the girl.
   He tells her that if Prakrti really wants to follow her beloved Ananda
   she must, like him, live in celibat.  She is educated in the Buddhist
   philosophy and becomes a nun by the Buddhists.  When the Brahmans hear
   that Buddha has accepted a Candalagirl as Buddhistnun, they march to him
   and complains that he has overruled the Kastborders.  Buddha then tells
   the story about the Candalachief Trisanku and his very literate son
   Saldurakarna.  For his son Trisanku asks for the daughter of the great
   Brahman Puskarasarin.  Angered the Brahman rejects the wish because of
   the Kastrules.  In the long discussion that follows, Trisanku convience
   Puskarasarin about the unrealistic in the Kastrules theoretic
   fundaments, for example with reference to that the reincarnation as
   based on individual merits and not social merits.  So they can marry,
   and finally Buddha states the identifications:  Prakrti was the
   Brahmadaughter, Ananda was Sardulakarna, and himself was Trisanku.

Of this story Wagner made the following draft, dated 16.05.1956:

   Chakha-Muni
   Ananda
   Prakriti
   (deren Mutter)
   Brahmanen
   Juenger
   Volk

   - Der Buddha auf seiner letzten Wanderung.  - Ananda am Brunnen von
   Prakriti, dem Tchandalamadchen, getraenkt.  Heftige Liebe dieser zu
   Ananda; dieser erschuettert.

   Prakriti, im heftigsten Liebesleiden:  ihre Mutter lockt Ananda herbei:
   grosser Liebeskampf.  Ananda bis zu Traenen ergriffen und geangstigt,
   von Chakha befreit

   Prakriti tritt zu Buddha, am Stadttore unter dem Baume, um von ihm
   Vereinigung mit Ananda zu bitten.  Dieser fragt sie, ob sie die
   Bedingungen dieser Vereinigung erfuellen wolle? Doppelsinniges
   Zwiegespraech, von Prakriti auf eine Vereinigung im Sinne ihrer
   Leidenschaft gedeutet; sie stuerzt erschreckt und schluchzend zu Boden,
   als sie endlich hoert, sie muesse auch Anandas Geluebde der Keuschheit
   ertragen.  Ananda von Brahmanen verfolgt.  Vorwuerfe wegen der Befassung
   Buddhas mit einem Tchandalamaedchen.  Buddhas Angriff des Kastengeistes.
   Er erzaehlt dann von Prakritis Dasein in einer fruheren Geburt; sie war
   damals die Tochter eines stolzen Brahmanen; der Tchandalakoenig, der
   sich eines ehemaligen Daseins als Brahmane erinnert, begehrt fuer seinen
   Sohn des Brahmanen Tochter, zu welcher dieser heftige Liebe gefasst;
   aus Stolz und Hochmut versagte die Tochter Gegenliebe und hoehnte
   dem Ungluecklichen.  Dies hatte sie zu buessen und ward nun als
   Tchandalamaedchen wiedergeboren, um die Qualen hoffnungsloser Liebe zu
   empfinden; zugleich aber zu entsagen und der vollen Erloesung durch
   Aufnahme unter Buddhas Gemeinde zugefuhrt zu werden.  - Prakriti
   beantwortet nun Buddhas letzte Frage mit einem freudigen Ja.  Ananda
   begrusst sie als Schwester.  Buddhas letzte Lehren.  Alles bekennt sich
   zu ihm.  Er zieht dem Orte seiner Erloesung zu.

   Rickard Wagner
   Zuerich, 16. Mai 1856.

Wagner takes up the main lines of the originaltext, but he makes some
important and characteristic changes of accent, which are interesting and
reveals his masterhand.  Significant differences between the texts are:
In the Indiite text, Buddha is on one of his wanderings; Wagner increases
the power with letting him be on his last journey (which in the original
stories took place far from Northwest Uttar Pardes).  Wagner also let the
Brahmadaughter herself reject the offer, and with that she collects a
personal guilt, a in Wagners works very frappant motif.

Special attention is focused by Wagner on the Candalagirl Prakrtis
person and development.  In difference to the more statically imaged male
characters, the female characters in Wagners works stand as more dynamic,
complex, full of tension and undergoing development and insight, and
Prakrti is a good example.  She is to begin with underthrown as well a
rigid social rule as her own emotions, but grows to insight about her
powers, through an intellectual and emotional development, which finally
allows her to gain the Buddhistic wisdom.  In relief to Wagner wiew of
Love, it is marking that Prakrtis acceptance of Celibat does not stand as
a logic consequence of her insight of the truth of the Buddhistic road,
that it is because of her growing love to Ananda.

Wagner took great interest in womans role in the development of humanity,
woman emancipation and the relationship man/woman.  It seems important for
him to stress, that Buddha originally was strongly sceptic to allow women
membership in the Buddhistic society, but that he eventually gave up his
rejections.  In the "Buddha letter" to Mathilde Wesendonck 05.10.1858
Wagner writes about "Die Sieger" and about women and the final stage of
Life, but stresses that Ananda convinced Buddha about to allow women to
become Buddhists.  In the letter Wagner now makes an analysis of the issue
of his drama.  He now lets Prakrti become the first woman to get access to
sangha, and in a very original way, he combines this event with Buddhas
own development and final entlightement.  From the letter it becomes clear
that the most important for him in the musicdramatic work of the Indiite
material is the Buddhaperson himself, and it gets an importance and place
that goes far beyond the Buddhistic texts frames.  Of the conventional,
clam, wise, entlightened, of passions liberated Buddha, Wagner created
his Buddha, which actively takes part in lifes emotions, tensions,
passions...In Wagner Buddha has not yet reached the final entlightment - is
in that definition not yet a "Buddha" - and lacks the necessary conditions
to finally be able to reach Nirwana.  This final development he undertakes
in "Die Sieger", but not in non-Buddhistic meaning through an understanding
of them worlds structure and the humans nature, but through a deep
emotional experience from Prakrtis love; "Die gesteigerte und geleuterte
Liebe".

With regard to the said and the issue of other musicdramas it ought to be
possible to interpret Wagners opus "Die Siegers" in a psychoanalytic sence,
and percieve the work as something that is taking place in Buddha himself.
The youths wild lovepassion and egocentrism with a struggle with the ages
peaceful resignation and deeper understanding, which leads to insight and
wideseeing humanism.  To the lovepairs Siegfried and Brunhilda, Tristan and
Isolde, Walter and Eva, adds now Ananda and Prakrti, and Buddha stands as
a Wotan, Marke or Hans Sachs...

In the end Wagner never set "Die Sieger" in tones, and that can has to do
with that Wagner thought the Buddhism to be intellectual, an ideology for
an elite, in relief to the Christian simple, direct message directly to the
heart and the large masses, and therefore he set Parsifal in tune.  So that
the christian symbols were more fitting, than the complicated Buddhist for
artisting imagination.  Should "Die Sieger" remain a torso without musical
dress, may the world have missed "Das heiligste die vollstaendingste
Erloesung", much came still to set its mark on Wagners swansong "Parsifal",
which is what is left to explore.

Final word and refelxion after my study on Orientalism in Wagner:
One might add that Wagners engagement in the Oriental culture- and
thought-world never died out and it continued to lock him.  Three days
before his death on the 10.02.1883, Cosimas daughter Daniela writes that
Wagner for the climate reasons wanted to set forth on a journey to Ceylon.
So wished the fate also that the character of Buddha occupied his thoughts
in his last moment.  The 11 february he started writing on an essay "Ueber
das Weibliche im Menschlichen", where he once again returns to one of his
favourite topics; the historical role of woman; and contrasts the
polygamics order with the momogamys ideal.  When he sits writing at the
desk two days later comes the last heartattack.  His thoughts were then
concerned with the Candalagirl in "Die Sieger" and the victoriously
magnificent Buddha:

   "Hier ist es, wo das Weib selbst ueber das natuerliche Gattungsgesetz
   erhoben wird, welchem es anderseits nach der Annahme selbst der
   weisesten Gesetzgeber so stark unterworfen blieb, dass z.  B.  der
   Buddha es von der Moeglichkeit der Heiligwerdung ausgeschlossen gehalten
   wissen wollte.  Es ist ein schoener Zug der Legende, welche auch den
   Siegreich-Vollendeten zur Aufnahme des Weibes sich bestimmten laesst.
   Gleichwohl geht der Prozess der Emanzipation des Weibes nur unter
   ekstatischen Zuckungen vor sich."

Follows this only two words, Wagners last written words; the mane of two
powers, which are intimely wowen together and can stand as an insignum of
all Wagners work:

   " Liebe - Tragik "

Mats Norrman
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