JATAKA TALES  and Dasaraja Darma
 (1) JATAKA STORIES
 ‘Jataka Stories’ are a collection of  tales about Gautama Buddha’s previous births as a Bodhisatva. The stories are contained in the C5 AD Pali Sutta-Pitaka of the Theravada scriptures. This Pali compilation Jatakattha-Katha, was based on a much earlier Sinhala version which is now extinct. About 1320 AD the Pali compilation was translated back into Sinhala under the title : Pan Siya Panas Jataka Pota.  An independent Thai collection of 50 stories: Pannasa-Jatakam as well as the Sanskrit volume of 30 stories: Jataka Mala are of unknown dates.
 
Beginning 1877 the Danish scholar Victor Fausboll published the Pali compilation in Roman script. In 1880 the English translation of Volume 1 was completed by T.W. Rhys Davids, and beginning 1895 the entire Pali text in English translation was prepared in six volumes and published by the Cambridge University under the editorship of E.B. Cowell. The Cowell edition titled : The Jataka,  reprinted in 1957 is readily available. This collection contains 547 stories. A subsequent edition has been published by the Pali Text Society, London.
 
The various Bodhisattva births portrayed in the Jataka stories range from gods to fairies, to kings, brahmins, merchants, craftsmen, potters, slaves and outcastes, to animals, birds, and fish. Over 90% of the Jataka related sermons were delivered by the Buddha at Savatti and Rajagaha. Typically each story consists of a sermon by the Buddha presented in three parts:
 
a) story of ‘the present’ :  addressing some episode, experienced by its main characters;

b) story of ‘the past’ : a previous birth story of these main characters including the Buddha as a bodhisattva;

c) assigning main characters in  b) to a).
 
The length of Jataka Stories range from an exposition of a few paragraphs to full chapter length narratives. The more popular Jataka stories includes: Serivanija (3), Guttila (243), Sasa (316), Kusa (531), Ummagga  (546) and Vessantara (547). The ten previous birth perfections (Dasa – Paramita ) required for the Buddhahood are described in the corresponding Jataka Stories. The ten perfections are : generosity, virtue, renunciation, wisdom, firmness, patience, truth, resolution, loving-kindness and equanimity. Also described in the well known, Maha Hansa Jataka story are the principles of right governance or dasarajadharma.    
 
Jataka Stories have been an integral part of Buddhist culture through the ages. Foremost, these stories as exemplified in the character of the Bodhisatva provide a moral guide to everyday living. In traditional village life such as in Sri Lanka it was customary in full moon days for village monks as well as other literate elders to provide sermons relating to Jataka Stories or to read out aloud, from Jataka Story books, for the benefit of devotees.
 
Such ‘ hearing’ of the Dhamma via Jataka and other topics of spiritual significance was the most accessible medium of religious instruction available to most people. Since the stories dealt with problems of everyday life and their resolution, the basic lesson in these stories transcend both history and culture. The problems faced by the Bodhisatva are universal. In philosophical terms it has been suggested that the Jataka Stories illuminate the potential for greater development and humanization of the human.
 
Early modern scholarship identified the Jataka Stories as one of the oldest collections of ‘folk tales' in the world. The stories were often compared to the  Panchatantra and Aesop’s Fables. Later scholarship has seen greater literary merit in the Jataka stories especially as innovative variations of the short story and novel. For example some comparison has been drawn between the Jataka Stories and the Russian novel. Jataka Stories have also inspired a host of secondary literature in poetry, prose and drama..
 
The influence of Jataka stories on temple paintings and sculpture can be observed in most countries with Buddhist heritage. Modern performing arts: music, theatre, TV and cinema have also drawn on various Jataka themes.
 
The Jataka story provides valuable information on the social life of people in India and Sri Lanka prior to 1500 years from current times. .