The Jataka or Stories of the Buddha's Former Births, Volumes 1-2Jataka Stories Or Birth-Legends Were Widely Known In The Third Century Bc. The Pail Work, Entitled The Jataka Contains 537 Birth-Stories Of The Buddha`S Former Births. Each Story, Narrated By The Buddha, Opens With A Preface Relating The Particular Circumstance In The Buddha`S Life, Revealing Some Events In The Long Series Of His Previous Existences As A Bodhisattva. At The End The Buddha Identifies The Different Actors In The Story In Their Present Births. These Stories Magnify The Glory Of The Buddha And Illustrate Buddhist Doctrines And Precepts By Appropriate Examples. The Foremost Interest Of These Legends Lies In Thier Relation To Folklore Giving A Vivid Picture Of The Social Life And Customs Of Ancient India. |
