Ep. 138: Seven Jataka Tales
Stories of the Buddha-to-be's previous births
The word jataka means, essentially, "birth." The "Jataka Tales" purport to be stories of previous births of the "bodhisattva," the Buddha-to-be. In them we see him develop the qualities which led to him becoming enlightened in his final birth.
There is some question whether these stories should be taken as literally presenting the Buddha's previous births. But whatever one's position on that matter, all agree that they contain valuable moral teachings. Some can be quite serious, like the tale of "The Prince and the Tiger" that I shared in the Bonus lesson "Four Stories of the Compassion of Siddhartha."
Others, including the ones below, are more fun--not unlike the fables of Aesop. See more in the Notes about the context in which Jatakas were told.
Here's a selection.
1. The Golden Mallard
