Jātakas
The Jātakas, meaning "relating to birth" in Pāli, are a collection of 547 fables that recount the previous lives of Śākyamuni, the historical Buddha, before he attained enlightenment. These tales are part of the earliest Buddhist literature, found within various sections of the Pāli canon, including the Sūtra Piṭaka and Vinaya Piṭaka. Traditionally, it is believed that the Buddha himself narrated these stories, which explore themes of karma—the principle that every action has consequences. Each Jātaka story illustrates the importance of compassion, self-sacrifice, and moral conduct, emphasizing that both positive and negative actions influence one's future existence. The narratives often feature the bodhisattva, who embodies virtuous qualities as he navigates different incarnations, both human and nonhuman. The Jātakas serve as moral lessons, aiming to inspire ethical behavior and awareness of the interconnectedness of life. Their enduring appeal is evidenced by their frequent depictions in Buddhist art and monuments, reflecting their societal and educational significance within the Buddhist tradition.
Jātakas
Related civilization: India.
Date: fifth-fourth centuries b.c.e.
Locale: North India
Authorship: According to tradition, narrated by the Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama)
Jātakas
The Jātakas (JAW-tah-kahs; translated into English as Buddhist Birth-Stories, 1925) are a collection of fables and stories that relate the previous lives of Śākyamuni, the historical Buddha, while he was still a bodhisattva or a future buddha. The term jātaka means “relating to birth” in the Pāli language. The tales are part of the earliest Buddhist literature and are scattered in various parts of the sacred Pāli canon. They can be found in the Chulla Vagga, Sūtra Piṭaka, Cariyā Piṭaka, and Vinaya Piṭaka. Both the Sūtra Piṭaka and Vinaya Piṭaka are believed to predate the Council of Vesālī, or the second of the historic Buddhist councils (c. 383 b.c.e.). Buddhist tradition asserts that the historical Buddha himself narrated the tales. Each story tells of a previous incarnation of the Buddha and his experiences in that former birth. He took various forms, both human and nonhuman, in his many incarnations.
The charming Jātaka stories are simple expositions of the Buddhist conception of the law of karma, or the unbroken chain of cause and effect that binds all existence together. Based on the theory that everyone has passed through many existences, karmic law asserts that every volitional act brings about a certain result. When motivated by greed, hatred, or delusion, an individual plants the seed of suffering; when acts are motivated by compassion and wisdom, then the karmic conditions for happiness and peace are sown. The acts of each existence will determine the degree of suffering or joy experienced in a future life. The moral of each story demonstrates that there is a direct link to every past action for better or worse, and thus it serves as an admonition against self-serving or malicious conduct and intention. The hearer of the Jātakas should be able to understand that what has been suffered on earth is not the result of mere chance.
Ordinary mortals do not remember their former existences; however, enlightened beings have the gift of recalling former lives. A buddha is supposed to know every existence through which he has passed. Altogether, there are 547 tales; each conveys a moral lesson by recounting acts of self-sacrifice and compassion performed by the incarnated bodhisattva that led to his final birth as the Buddha. According to the Buddhist theory of evolution, it takes thousands of lives to evolve into a perfected soul. Buddhist teachers used the Jātakas as a proselytizing and didactic force. Although the stories are full of gentleness and humor, they nonetheless have very powerful educational value and moral content. They were composed for the social and moral awakening of those who heard them. Their extreme popularity and effectiveness as teaching devices is confirmed by their constant representations on Buddhist monuments of all periods and throughout the Buddhist world.
Bibliography
Grey, Leslie. A Concordance of Buddhist Birth Stories. Oxford, England: Pali Text Society, 2000.
Jones, John Garrett. Tales and Teachings of the Buddha: The Jataka Stories in Relation to the Pali Canon. Boston: G. Allen & Unwin, 1979.