Jataka Tales (1912)

A collection of Birth Stories from one of Buddhism's Sacred Books

The 18 Jataka Tales contain deep truths, and are calculated to impress lessons of great moral beauty especially on young people. The tale of the Merchant of Seri, who gave up all that he had in exchange for a golden dish, embodies much the same idea as the New Testament’s parable of the priceless pearl. The tale of the Measures of Rice illustrates the importance of a true estimate of values. The tale of the Banyan Deer, which offered its life to save a roe and her young, illustrates self-sacrifice of the noblest sort. The tale of the Sandy Road is one of the finest in the collection.

Just what are the Jatakas?

The Jatakas, or birth-stories, form one of Buddhism’s sacred books. They relate the adventures of the Buddha in his former existences. Carved railings around the relic shrines of Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh and Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh indicate that the birth-stories were widely known in the third century B.C.

While some of the stories are based in Buddhist ideology, many are age-old fables, the flotsam and jetsam of folk-lore that have appeared under various guises throughout the centuries. At times they have been used merely as merry tales, and at other times they’re used as literature, as by Chaucer, who unwittingly puts a Jataka story into the mouth of his Pardoner when he tells the tale of “the Ryotoures three.”

Captivate yourself with the charm of these 18 Jataka Tales. Let their quaint humour and gentle earnestness teach you the wholesome lessons of the Buddhist ideology, among them the duty of kindness to animals.

33% of the publisher’s profit from the sale of this book will be donated to charity.