{"id":300,"date":"2021-07-30T09:21:43","date_gmt":"2021-07-30T09:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qsconsultants.in\/blog\/?p=300"},"modified":"2021-07-30T09:21:45","modified_gmt":"2021-07-30T09:21:45","slug":"the-jatakas-birth-stories-of-the-bodhisatta-the-story-of-the-great-king-of-glory-translated-from-the-pali-by-sara-shaw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qsconsultants.in\/blog\/the-jatakas-birth-stories-of-the-bodhisatta-the-story-of-the-great-king-of-glory-translated-from-the-pali-by-sara-shaw\/","title":{"rendered":"The J\u0100TAKAS \u2013 Birth Stories of the Bodhisatta \u2013 The Story of the Great King of Glory – 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 selectionof 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

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 Story of the Great King of Glory<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, when Mah\u0101sudassana had descended from the palace of dhamma<\/em>, Queen Subhadd\u0101 saw him on a suitable bed, made of the seven kinds of jewels, that had been laid out for him near the khadira <\/em>forest. He was lying down on his right side with the intention of never getting up again. \u2018Lord, there are these eighty four thousand cities, the foremost of which is Kus\u0101v\u0101ti, the royal seat. Set your heart here.\u2019 When she had said this Mah\u0101sudassana replied, \u2018Do not say this, queen, but advice me rather: give up your desire for this and do not have longing\u2019. \u2018Why is this?\u2019 the queen asked. \u2018Because today I am to die\u2019. And then the queen, weeping wiped her eyes and with difficulty and in distress, said what he had asked, crying and grieving. And the other eighty four thousand wives cried and grieved, and not one amongst the ministers and the rest could endure it, and so they all wept too. The Bodhisatta, restraining everyone, said, Enough, to be sure! Do not make this noise.\u2019 Addressing the Queen, he said, \u2018Do not you cry and grieve, O queen. Even something as little as the fruit of seasame tree is compounded and not permanent. So all things are impermanent and subject to destruction\u2019. Saying this he gave advice to the queen and spoke the following verse:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Impermanent indeed are conditioned things!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For they partake in birth and old age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What arises, ceases;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happy is the calming of these things\u2019.         <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I end this tale here.<\/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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