One of the most beautiful books I read in recent weeks was the book 'The Ten Great Birth Stories of the Buddha' mentioned below. It is an excellent translation from the Pali of the last ten births of the Buddha as he himself related them to his disciples. A quality of an almost-Buddha, a Bodhisatta, and a Buddha is that they can remember all their past lives. Those stories are called jataka, a word related to the Thai word châat 'birth'.
When the Buddha dies, he enters nirvana. That is not a heaven where he resides and can be worshiped and consulted, but rather a situation in which he will not be reborn. That is what 'being enlightened' means, namely being released from the suffering of continuous reincarnations.
Jataka stories
Throughout the Buddhist world, the jataka stories are an important part of their heritage. They show how by trial and error a road to a better, more just and more perfect existence can be taken with the aim of ultimate enlightenment.
In those past lives we see the Bodhisatta, the later Siddharta Gautama, passing by in all kinds of situations together with his relatives, mother, wife and child, and companions, each time taking a step towards his enlightenment. Those lives mainly take place in the human world, but sometimes also in the abode of the gods or hell, incidentally in Buddhist thinking all part of the same universe.
The stories are instructive but often also entertaining and exciting. They still circulate in Buddhist life and have been filmed in modern fashion and described in books and cartoons. For example, the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej retold the story Mahajanaka (about the strength and perseverance of a king) and the cartoon edition of it was a bestseller in Thailand. However, in the original story, King Janaka eventually abdicates to retreat to the forest as a hermit while meditating, while in King Bhumibol's version, King Janaka remains on his throne, cheered on by his subjects.
Strong and smart women also play an important but subordinate role in all these stories. They support and advise the Boddhisatta and often prevent him from entering an evil path. This also applies to the gods, especially the god Sakka or Indra who intervenes at crucial moments. But in the end it is the human world from which enlightenment comes.
Most Buddhists know some of these stories, especially the 'Mahachat' about Phra Wetsandon or Pha Wet. During celebrations they are sometimes performed with dance and music in a temple.
More than 500 jataka stories are known, some consisting of a few verses, others are shorter or longer stories. The most famous are descriptions of the ten last births of Siddharta spread in Theravada Buddhism of Southeast Asia from Sri Lanka sometime in the 11th century.
Each of the ten stories focuses on an important human virtue necessary for enlightenment, usually referred to in Thai tradition as renunciation (of worldly things), strength, love/kindness, determination, wisdom, morality, forbearance, equanimity, sincerity and finally generosity. Usually the stories contain some of these themes.
Many of these themes can be found in Western literature. The jataka story about the 'Swan with the Golden Feathers' is the spitting image of Aesop's fable 'The Goose with the Golden Eggs'.
The book
The book contains a number of excellent general introductions, as well as detailed explanations for each story. Beautiful images of wall paintings, reliefs and manuscripts complete the whole.
I cannot remember ever having read a book that so exquisitely describes the vibrant and living culture of Buddhist Asia, from Afghanistan to Japan and from China to Indonesia.
Source reference:
The Ten Great Birth Stories of the Buddha, The Mahanipata of the Jatakathavannana, translated and introduced by Naomi Appleton and Sarah Shaw, Silkworm Books, 2015, two volumes.
- paperback 1500 baht, ISBN 978-616-215-113-2
- hardback edition 3000 baht ISBN 978-616-215-112-5
Here is the story of the penultimate birth of the Buddha, the Mahachaat. On generosity:
Thank you Tino for this. This story also tells me that we are far from finished with Thailand and its people, culture and spirituality.
Thanks for sharing. Goes on the wishlist!
Matias de Stefano also remembers all his past lives, Tino.
Interesting, check it out on YouTube
Finally clarity what exactly 'being enlightened' means!
The two books are certainly a good translation that is pleasant to read. I am currently half way through writing a short Dutch version, based on this and other editions of the Jataka stories. I definitely recommend reading this edition of the birth stories to anyone who is proficient in English.
"It is an excellent translation from the Pali of the last ten births of the Buddha as he himself related to his disciples"
Do you know the Pali language so well that you can judge the quality of the translation?