The Bustan () is a book of poetry by the Persian poet Saadi, completed in 1257 CE and dedicated to the Salghurid Atabeg Sa'd I or Sa'd II.C.E. Bosworth, The New Islamic Dynasties, (Columbia University Press, 1996), 207. Bustan is considered one of Saadi's two major works.
It was Saadi's first work. The book contains the fruits of Saadi's long experience and his judgements upon life, and is illustrated by a vast collection of anecdotes. It includes accounts of Saadi's travels and his analysis of human psychology. He often mentions his accounts with fervour and advice similar to Aesop's Fables. The book has ten chapters regarding the issues of ethics and training; namely, justice, mercy, love, humility, contentment, devotions, education, gratitude, repentance, and praying.Mozaffari, N., Siyanat, F., Khubanian, M., Khansar, A. (2018). The Effects of Kindness in Saadi's Bustan. Theory and Practice in Language Studies. Vol 8, No 9.
The Bustan is among the 100 greatest books of all time according to Bokklubben World Library. It is composed in mathnawī style (rhyming couplets), and has been translated into English. In 1688, the Bustan was translated into Dutch by Daniel Havart.Iranian Studies in the Netherlands, J. T. P. de Bruijn, Iranian Studies, Vol. 20, No. 2/4, Iranian Studies in Europe and Japan (1987), 169.
In India, Bustan and Gulistan were taught to schoolboys in maktabs, and it had to be learnt by heart.
Gallery
See also Lote tree Persian literature Kolliyat-e Saadi
References
External links
English translation of Bustan-e Saadi (pdf)