{"id":291,"date":"2021-07-18T15:24:15","date_gmt":"2021-07-18T15:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qsconsultants.in\/blog\/?p=291"},"modified":"2021-07-18T15:24:17","modified_gmt":"2021-07-18T15:24:17","slug":"the-jatakas-birth-stories-of-the-bodhisatta-the-cane-stalk-story-translated-from-the-pali-by-sara-shaw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qsconsultants.in\/blog\/the-jatakas-birth-stories-of-the-bodhisatta-the-cane-stalk-story-translated-from-the-pali-by-sara-shaw\/","title":{"rendered":"The J\u0100TAKAS \u2013 Birth Stories of the Bodhisatta \u2013 The Cane Stalk Story – Translated from the P\u00e3li by Sara Shaw"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Namaste, Welcome to SAM-VAD (Together In Conversation), This week let me bring to your attention another monumental work, \u2018The J\u0100TAKAS \u2013 Birth Stories of the Bodhisatta<\/em><\/strong> (the one bound for, or to, enlightenment). A J\u0101taka<\/em><\/strong> is a story about a birth, and this collection of tales is about the repeated births \u2013 and \u2013 deaths of the Bodhisatta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Sara Shaw <\/em><\/strong>only a selection of 26 stories have been included in this current translation out of the 547 stories with at least one story linked in one ancient source to each perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Ten Perfections (p\u0101ramis<\/strong>)<\/em> are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generosity (d\u0101na<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virtue (s\u00edla<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renunciation (nekkhamma<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wisdom (pa\u00f1\u00f1\u0101<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Effort (viriya<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forebearance (khanti<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Truth (sacca<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resolve (adhi\u0163\u0163h\u0101na<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Loving Kindness (mett\u0101<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Equanimity (upekkh\u0101<\/em><\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The characters in J\u0101takas inhabit an intricately meshed network of almost familial relationships. They are constantly interacting with each other, discussing their problems and giving advice on how to live. Links between characters extend far back into the past; events tend to recur as old habits are repeated in later lifetimes. Underneath it all is the assumption of the J\u0101takas that each being lives as an independent locus of consciousness, capable of choice and of finding enlightenment for him or herself.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cane Stalk story<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formerly, it is said, this woody thicket was a forest. And in this pool a certain water demon used to eat anyone who went down into the pool. At that time the Bodhisatta was a monkey king, as big as a red deer fawn. He had a retinue of eighty thousand monkeys, whom he protected as they lived in the forest. He gave advice to the tribe of monkeys: \u2018Friends, in this forest there are poisonous trees and lakes haunted by non-humans. So before you eat any fruit which you have never eaten before or drink from any water where you have never drunk before, check with me first.\u2019 They assented and one day came to a spot they had not visited previously. After a very long day of travelling they searched for water and saw a lotus pool. They did not, however, drink the water, but sat down and waited for the Bodhisatta to arrive. The Bodhisatta, came and said, \u2018Friends, why are you not drinking the water?\u2019 \u2018We were waiting for you,\u2019 they said. \u2018Well done, my friends,\u2019 said the Bodhisatta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then he walked all round the pool, examined the track of footprints and saw that they went down to the water, but that none come back. \u2018There\u2019s no doubt about it,\u2019 he realized. \u2018This is haunted by non-humans.\u2019 He said to them, \u2018You did well, my friends, in not drinking the water. It is haunted by non-humans.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The water demon saw that they were not going down into his territory. Making himself quiet horrible to look at he divided the water into two, emerged with a dark belly, white face and bright red hands and feet and asked, \u2018Why are you sitting there? Come down to drink the water.\u2019 Then the Bodhisatta enquired of him, \u2018Are you the water demon who lives here?\u2019 \u2018I certainly am,\u2019 he replied. \u2018And you take hold of anyone who comes down to the pool?\u2019 \u2018Yes I do. I do not let anyone go who comes to the water, even so much as a little bird. I will eat the lot of you.\u2019 We\u2019ll not see you eat us up,\u2019 the Bodhisatta replied. \u2018Yet you will drink the water?\u2019 said the demon. \u2018Yes we will drink the water. And we\u2019ll not come down and be under your power either.\u2019 So how are you going to drink the water?\u2019 \u2018Why do you think we need to come down to drink? We won\u2019t come down to the water at all. One by one, the eighty thousand of us will take a cane stalk and drink from your lake easily as if through a hollow lotus stalk \u2013 and you\u2019ll not be able to eat us.\u2019     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can buy your copy from any of the bookstores near you or via any on-line portal selling books or also by clicking the following link:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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