Eğitim Açısından Edebiyat ve Behiştî’nin “Heşt Behişt” Mesnevisi

Edebî metinlerin, estetik ve sanat işlevi yanında bir görevi de halkıeğitmektir. Her edebî metnin mutlaka muhatabına iletmek istediği bir mesaj vardır. Klasik Türk edebiyatıher ne kadar daha çok estetik ve sanat yönüyle öne çıkmışsa da bu edebiyat içinde, sosyal hayatla doğrudan ilişkili sayısız eser bulunmaktadır. Klasik Türk edebiyatına bu gözle baktığımızda, insan eğitiminde kullanılacak pek çok malzemenin var olduğu ve mahiyetinde birçok bilim dalıiçin incelenmeye değer sayısız malzeme barındırdığıgörülecektir. Şiir, özellikle tasavvufî metinlerde amaç olmaktan ziyade insanıeğitme maksadıyla kullanılan bir araç olarak karşımıza çıkar. Bu tür eserler incelendiğinde, kişisel ve toplumsal gelişim metotlarının da izah edildiği metinler olduğu görülecektir. Behiştî’nin tasavvufi bir metin olarak kaleme aldığı, okuyucuya baştan sona iyi insan olma konusunda öğütler verdiği Heşt Behiştadlımesnevisi klasik Türk edebiyatında eğitim bağlamında güzel bir örnektir. Behiştî, eserini bölümlere ayırırken insan eğitimde önemli gördüğü davranışlara göre bir tasnif yapmıştır. Bölümlerde verilmek istenen mesajlar İslâm tarihinden bazıhadiselerin tahkiye edilmesiyle aktarılmış; bu vesileyle anlam daha da güçlendirilmiştir. Şair, bölümlerin başında, anlatacağıhikâyeye girmeden önce, insan eğitiminde önemli gördüğü kavramlarıvurgulamak için kısa bir girişyapmayıuygun görmüştür. Bu makalede, Behiştî’nin Heşt Behiştadlımesnevisinin insan eğitimi açısından önemi üzerinde durulacaktır.

One of the functions of the literary works is to educate the public as well as producing aesthetic and artistic values. Every literary work gives a social message for its followers. Although most of the classical Turkish literature is valued within the aesthetic and artistic aspect, numerous works are directly related to social life. The fact that ghazals are counted as the starting point to evaluate the literary identity of poets led to the idea that this literature is a literature of dreams circling around symbols and imagery. Except the experts of the subject, the general opinion tend to ignore the social content in the classical literature, apart from a few works such as Harname, Şikayetname and so on and the style “Hikemi” in which Nabi was the forerunner. In the evaluation of this literature that has continued for ages, the social value of the divans and the other products were unfortunately overshadowed. Especially in mystical works the poet puts forward suggestions for the development and purification of human soul. These works are the texts in which the poet explained his interlocutors the methods of personal and social development according to the understanding he adopts. The Divan literature examined in this perspective renders a considerable number of materials about human education and countless materials worthy of examination for many sciences to its service. Behişti’s masnavi of “Hest Behişt” is a significant literary work which has advices viable in the present from many aspects. Heşt Behişt represents a good example to the direct relation of the classical Turkish literature with education and life. This work is the one that can be easily used in education. In Heşt Behişt, there are suggestions of solution to the matters of many modern sciences such as psychology, sociology and philosophy. In our study, there is a focus on the idea that similar kinds of works should be evaluated again within this perspective as seen in the analysis of Heşt Behişt. Behişti, who lived in the sixteenth century, is among the most significant poets of his period. Behişti’s masnavi called “Heşt Behişt”, which he wrote as a mystic text and in which he gives suggestions to his readers about being a good person throughout, is a nice example in Classical Turkish Literature in the context of education. His having ordered his work on classified chapters regarded as significant. The poet found it necessary to make a short introduction to stress the concepts he regarded as important in human education before starting the story he will tell at the beginning of the chapters. Psychologically the “author” prepares the mind of readers to take recommendations by making evaluations on the transience of the world and time, the nature of human being in the chapter under the title “matla” before passing to the chapters in his work. He reminds people of both their end and the end of the world by making parallels between humans and the world. In the first part, he takes up with the subject of sincerity and good deeds. According to Behişti, gaining happiness in two worlds depends on praying with sincerity. While the person is praying, he should purify his mind and soul from the negative things he inhabits in his personality and avoid from showing-off and hypocrisy. In the second part, the main subject is decorum. By saying “the person who does a favour finds a favour and the person who behaves well is welcomed”, he implies that goodness does not only bring benefits to the person himself but also to society. The third part, in which generosity is the focus, the importance of donating for God’s sake is referred. It is indicated that the philanthropic donations and sacrifices are not to satisfy the ego. He reminds people of the temporariness of the world and the reality of death. It is announced to generous people that they will be granted peace and their riches will not decrease but on the contrary increase much more. In the fourth, he writes on God’s name, “Melik” Meaning “sovereign, ruler, king” in reference to God , which means the real owner of the property, ruler and sultan. It is felt that all people who have been born since Adam are the servants of the AllMighty God. The material world is a temporary place that one should not trust and attach oneself to. Human beings should perform what the creator God commands by persevering with resignation and using their will. The fifth part explains what kind of manners human beings should assume in the face of problems and how they can overcome them. In the sixth part, it is mentioned that as immortality belongs only to God, that everything present outside Him is temporary. In the seventh part, it is told that reaching real happiness depends on obeying God’s orders and serving every order of Him. In the eighth and the last part, the main subject is the love of prophets and the importance of following them. The poet says that he does not give any importance to art and finery in his poems and the main purpose for writing his work is not fame but giving advice. He expresses that he gives more importance to meaning rather than form, that is, doing art in his works and he creates his work with the inspiration that he gets from God. The interdisciplinary studies about classical literature texts should gain much more interest and the texts should be criticized within references to the relevant disciplines. The literary works which reflect the social, economic and political atmosphere of societies are to be regarded as important resources. When we consider the centuries-long history of our classical literature and its various genres, we will understand the nature of this richness and content better. When the interdisciplinary perspective is applied to the classical literature texts, these studies that reflect the riches of the past will also enable the new generation to gain selfconfidence in the name of the culture they belong to