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Jataka tales

AI-drafted · awaiting admin review

Stories of the Buddha's previous lives, teaching compassion and generosity, carved on the gateways of Sanchi and painted at Ajanta.

Source: Jataka collection of the Pali Canon (Khuddaka Nikaya)

Festivals

  • Buddha Purnima

The lesson

Kindness, self-sacrifice and truthfulness, practised over many lifetimes.

In over 500 tales, the Bodhisattva (the Buddha-to-be) appears as a king, a merchant, a monkey, a deer or an elephant, always acting with wisdom and compassion. The monkey king makes a bridge of his own body to save his troop. The golden deer teaches a king mercy. These tales are carved at Bharhut and Sanchi and painted on the walls of Ajanta.

Sources