The ''Mahanipata Jataka'' (), sometimes translated as ''the Ten Great Birth Stories of the Buddha'', are a set of stories from the

Jataka tales The Jātakas (meaning "Birth Story", "related to a birth") are a voluminous body of literature native to India which mainly concern the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form. According to Peter Skilling, this genre is ...

(

Khuddaka Nikāya The Khuddaka Nikāya () is the last of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that compose the Pali Tipitaka, the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. This nikaya consists of fifteen (Thailand) ...

) describing the ten final lives of the

Bodisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards Enlightenment in Buddhism, bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In ...

who would finally be born as

Siddharta Gautama Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...

and eventually become

Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...

. These jataka tales revolve around

Benares Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic tr ...

, the current

Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. The final ten are the best known of the total 547 jataka tales. In

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...

and

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

, they are known as and , respectively ( or the tales of the 10

rebirth Rebirth may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Film * ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film * ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film * ''Rebirth'', a documentary film produced by Project Rebirth * ''The Re ...

s). These render the 10 virtues of mankind, that the

enlightenment Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to: Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...

would reveal. These respective virtues are:

renunciation Renunciation (or renouncing) is the act of rejecting something, especially if it is something that the renunciant has previously enjoyed or endorsed. In religion, renunciation often indicates an abandonment of pursuit of material comforts, in t ...

vigour Vigor or vigour may refer to: Companies * Vigor S.A., a Brazilian food company * Vigor Industrial, an American shipbuilding, ship repair, and industrial service provider in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska ** Vigor Shipyards, four shipyards in Was ...

benevolence Benevolence or Benevolent may refer to: * Benevolent (band) * Benevolence (phrenology), a faculty in the discredited theory of phrenology * "Benevolent" (song), a song by Tory Lanez * Benevolence (tax), a forced loan imposed by English kings from ...

, absolute determination,

insight Insight is the understanding of a specific cause and effect within a particular context. The term insight can have several related meanings: *a piece of information *the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of seeing intu ...

morality Morality () is the differentiation of intentions, decisions and actions between those that are distinguished as proper (right) and those that are improper (wrong). Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from a code of cond ...

patience (or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced ...

equanimity Equanimity (Latin: ''æquanimitas'', having an even mind; ''aequus'' even; ''animus'' mind/soul) is a state of inner peace, psychological stability and composure which is undisturbed by experience of or exposure to emotions, pain, or other phenom ...

reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, r ...

and

generosity Generosity (also called largess) is the virtue of being liberal in giving, often as gifts. Generosity is regarded as a virtue by various world religions and philosophies, and is often celebrated in cultural and religious ceremonies. Scientific in ...

Difference in order of last 10 jataka

1. Prince Temiya (the crippled mute prince) - Act of renunciation

( km, ព្រះតេមិយ th, พระเตมีย์) The infant

bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...

Temiya did not want to be the next king of Benares, so he pretended to be a crippled mute. When Temiya was 16 years of age, King Kasiraya was advised not to name an apparent idiot heir to the throne. The soothsayers spoke: "It will be best to have some unlucky horses yoked to an unlucky

chariot A chariot is a type of cart driven by a charioteer, usually using horses to provide rapid motive power. The oldest known chariots have been found in burials of the Sintashta culture in modern-day Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, dated to c. 2000&nbs ...

and placing him therein, to convey him to the

charnel ground A charnel ground (Sanakrit: श्मशान; IAST: śmaśāna; Tibetan pronunciation: durtrö; )Rigpa Shedra (July 2009). 'Charnel ground'. Source(accessed: Saturday December 19, 2009) is an above-ground site for the putrefaction of bodies, g ...

and bury him there." On that final day Sunanda, the charioteer, began to dig a hole. The Bodhisattva thought, "This is my time for an effort to escape". He lifted the chariot up high while speaking: "Behold these arms and legs of mine, and hear my voice and what I say; if in this wood you bury me, you will incur great guilt today." The charioteer set him free. So he went straight to the forest to live as an

ascetic Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

2. Prince Mahajanaka (the lost prince) - Act of vigour

( km, ព្រះមហាជនក th, พระมหาชนก) Prince Mahajanaka embarked on board a ship bound for

Suvarnabhumi ( sa, सुवर्णभूमि; Pali: '); my, သုဝဏ္ဏဘူမိ, ; km, សុវណ្ណភូមិ, ''Sovannaphoum''; and th, สุวรรณภูมิ, . is a toponym, that appears in many ancient Indian literary s ...

, the golden land in the East, with the purpose of regaining his deceased father's Kingdom of

Videha Videha ( Prākrit: ; Pāli: ; Sanskrit: ) was an ancient Indo-Aryan tribe of north-eastern South Asia whose existence is attested during the Iron Age. The population of Videha, the Vaidehas, were initially organised into a monarchy but later ...

. The ship, having been violently tossed on the seas as it sailed its course, could not survive the damage. Planks gave way, the water rose higher and higher, and the ship began to sink in the middle of the ocean. Although knowing the vessel was doomed, Mahajanaka did not panic. He prepared himself for the ordeal by eating until his belly was full. For seven days Mahajanaka floated in the ocean before the goddess

Manimekhala Manimekhala ( pi, Maṇīmekhalā) is a goddess in the Hindu-Buddhist mythology. She is regarded as a guardian of the seas, namely the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea as part of the mythology of Southeast Asia. She was placed by Cātummahā ...

observed him in the water. She recognized Mahajanaka and carried him away. Thrilled by heavenly contact, Mahajanaka fell into a sleep.

3. Prince Suvanna Sāma (the devoted prince) - Act of benevolence

( km, ព្រះសុវណ្ណសាម th, พระสุวรรณสาม) Sama's parents lost their sight when he was 16 years old. From then on he was their only help. He took care of his parents. Every day he went to the Migasammata River to gather fruit and took water in a pot. At that time King Piliyakkha of Benares, in his great desire for venison, also came to the river and at last reached the spot where Sama stood. Seeing Sama taming the wild animals, the King was wondering whether the creature was a god or a

Nāga The Nagas (IAST: ''nāga''; Devanāgarī: नाग) are a divine, or semi-divine, race of half-human, half-serpent beings that reside in the netherworld (Patala), and can occasionally take human or part-human form, or are so depicted in art. ...

. To find out, he decided to wound and disable him, and then ask. The King shot a poisoned

arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...

and wounded Sama, who fell to the ground. Sama spoke: "I have no enmity against anyone. Who has wounded me?" The King went to Sama and asked him his name. Sama then told the King the story of fostering his blind parents. The King thought to himself, "I have done evil to such a holy being; how can I comfort him?" He decided to bring the blind parents to their son. In the meantime the goddess Bahusodari decided to help Sama and his parents. In the end Sama recovered from his wound and both of his parents' sight was restored.

4. Prince Nemi (the noble king) - Act of absolute determination

( km, ព្រះនេមិរាជ th, พระเนมิราช) Nemi, as king of

, yearned to know the answer to his question: "Which is more fruitful, the holy life or

almsgiving Alms (, ) are money, food, or other material goods donated to people living in poverty. Providing alms is often considered an act of virtue or charity. The act of providing alms is called almsgiving, and it is a widespread practice in a number ...

?" God

Śakra (Buddhism) Śakra (Sanskrit: शक्र Śakra; Pali: सक्क Sakka) is the ruler of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven according to Buddhist cosmology. He is also referred to by the title "Śakra, Lord of the Devas" (Sanskrit: '; Pali: '). The name Śak ...

said: "Although holy living is more fruitful by far than almsgiving, yet both these are important." The deities of heaven longed to see King Nimi. God Sakka sent Matali, the charioteer, to bring Nimi to Sakka's Heaven. On his way, King Nimi chose first to see Hell and later Heaven. When Nimi saw all the suffering in Hell, he was terrified. Later they arrived at Sudhamma Hall— the assembly hall of the 33 gods in Heaven. Nimi discoursed with the gods for seven days but refused to live in this Heaven forever. Thereafter he returned to the world of men. He told his people about the happiness of the gods, and exhorted them to give alms and do good so they would be reborn in that divine place.

5. Prince Mahosadha (the clever sage) - Act of insight

( km, ព្រះមហោសថ th, พระมโหสถ) Mahosadha was the sage King of Vedeha of Mithila. King Culani of Kampilla, a rival kingdom, had a sage called Kevatta. After a failed attempt to conquer the whole of

, Kevatta had a plan to kill King Vedeha. Culani's beautiful daughter, Pancala-candi should seduce King Vedeha. Despite Mahosadha's warning, King Vedeha began to plan his journey to Culani's kingdom. Four months in advance of the arrival of King Vedeha, Mahosadha started to built a palace one mile outside the capital Uttara-pancala. This palace had a secret tunnel, which led to the Ganges River and to Culani's palace. When King Vedeha arrived at his new palace, King Culani's troops surrounded it. Reacting to this threat, Mahosadha sent King Vedeha through the tunnel to the Ganges River, and troops to Culani's palace. These troops tricked Culani's family to go through the tunnel to the Ganges River. King Vedeha and Culani's family went by boat to the Kingdom of Mithila. Soon after Culani learned of the disappearance of King Vedeha and his family. When King Culani met Mahosadha, he realized that he could not hurt him, because his family had been taken hostage. But when both men walked through the tunnel, Mahosadha immediately took the sword, which he had hidden the day before. He swung his sword up high and shouted: "Sire, whose are all the kingdoms of India?" King Culani replied: "Yours, wise sir! Spare me!" Mahosadha said: "Be not troubled, sire: queen, son and mother all come back, my return is the only condition." Then Mahosadha handed over his sword to the king. At last the two men swore a sincere friendship.

6. Prince Bhūridatta (the Naga prince) - Act of morality

( km, ព្រះភូរិទត្ត th, พระภูริทัต) Nāga Prince Bhūridatta had found an ant hill near the

Yamuna The Yamuna (Hindustani language, Hindustani: ), also spelt Jumna, is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in List of major rivers of India, India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a ...

river. Every night he folded his body on top of this ant hill. Alambayana, a snake charmer captured the Naga prince with ease, because Bhuridatta had said of himself: "Let who will take my skin or muscles or bones or blood." Alambayana forced him into a basket and went to a certain village. He set the basket down in the middle of the marketplace and ordered the Naga prince to come out. The great snake danced causing great wonder among the villagers. When they went from village to village, they earned a lot of money. Then they reached Benares. Bhuridatta's wife and mother had missed him so very much. They sent his brother Sudassana to search for him. When he arrived in Benares, the people were gathering to watch the snake show. When Bhuridatta lifted his head out of the basket, he saw his brother in the crowd. He went to him, placed his head on his brother's foot and wept. At last Alambayana exclaimed three times: "I will set the snake prince free."

7. Prince Canda Kumara (the honorable prince) - Act of patience

( km, ព្រះចន្ទកុមារ th, พระจันทกุมาร) Prince Canda Kumara served his father, King Ekaraja of Pupphavati as a viceroy. Khandahala, a Brahmin, was the family priest. The King had a high opinion of his wisdom and made him a judge. But he took bribes and dispossessed the real owners and put the wrong owners in possession. The Prince was the Brahmin's natural foe. One day, the King saw the beautiful heaven in his dream. He asked Khandahala the way to this heaven. Khandahala answered: "It will cost you a lot. You must sacrifice: your sons, queens, merchant princes, bulls, steeds, four pieces of these species, with the proper ritual, this will give you entrance into this heaven." The King, not being of sound mind, gave the order to prepare for a massive sacrifice outside the city. Canda Kumara asked his father not to go through with this sacrifice, though not to save himself, because he was willing to die but for the sake of the innocent victims. The troops rounded up the doomed. When all the preparations were completed they brought Canda Kumara to the sacrificial pit. At that moment Queen Canda Suriya called upon the gods. God Sakka let lightning destroy the royal parasols. Without these parasols there was no longer a sacred ceremony. Whereupon the angry crowd attacked Khandahala and killed him. King Ekajara was sent into exile and Canda Kumara became the new king.

8. Lord Brahma Nārada (the Great Brahma) - Act of equanimity

( km, ព្រះព្រហ្មនារទ th, พระพรหมนารท) Angati was king of the Kingdom of Videha. On the eve of the full moon festival, King Angati went to the deer park to meet Guna Kassapa, a naked

. He asked the rules of good behaviour with respect to parents, teachers, wives, children, the elderly, the Brahmins, the army and his people. Guna replied: "There is no fruit, good or evil, in following the rules of right conduct; there is no other world. All beings are predestined, what then is the use of giving alms." King Angati, convinced of the truth of Guna's words, decided to make no further effort to do good. Narada, who was the Great Brahma of that time, looked down on the earth. He descended to the earth and spoke: "I'm Brahma and I'll tell you that you condemn yourself to hell." Angati replied: "If there is another world for the dead, then give me here five hundred pieces of gold, and I'll give you a thousand pieces of gold in the next world." Narada answered: "Here when a man is a lover of sin, wise men don't entrust a loan to him: there is no return from such a debtor." Narada described Hell with its endless torments. Angati was trembling with fear. He looked for the Bodhisatta for help and asked him how he could regain his senses. Narada then told him that while he was King and in good health, he was not providing for the poor, the hungry, the aged and the Brahmins. King Angati begged for forgiveness. Narada sped back to the brahma world.

9. Vidhura Panditta (the eloquent sage) - Act of reality

( km, ព្រះវិធុរបណ្ឌិត th, พระวิธูรบัณฑิต) King Dhananjaya lived in the city of Indapatta in the Kingdom of Kuru. Vidhura Panditta (the

Bodhisatta In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...

) who was his sage, had a great eloquence in discoursing on the law. Naga Queen Vimala longed to hear him speaking. She pretended to be ill and only one thing could cure her. She said she desired Vidhura's heart or she will die. Irandati, the beautiful daughter of King Varuna, was sent out to seek a husband, who could bring Vidhura's heart to her. Punnaka, a yak (or demon) heard her love call and decided to marry her. King Varuna said: "If you bring that sage here then Irandati will be your lawful wife." Punnaka went to Indapatta to meet King Dhananjaya to play a game of dice. Having manipulated three rounds dicing, Punnaka asked for payment—the sage Vidhura. The King agreed to give him away. Punnaka seized Vidhura with a roar and whirled him round his head. Vidhura undismayed asked: "What is your reason for killing me." When Punnaka told him why, the Bodhisatta perceived that a misconception had brought about all this calamity. He said: "Vimala has no need of Vidhura's heart, but she must have felt a great longing to hear my words." The Bodhisatta asked to be brought to the Naga kingdom to clear up this misunderstanding.

10. Prince Vessantara (the charitable prince) - Act of generosity

( km, ព្រះវេស្សន្តរ th, พระเวสสันดร) Prince Vessantara lived in the capital city of Jetuttara of the Kingdom of Sivi and was devoted to almsgiving, but was never satisfied with giving. He gave Paccaya, the royal white elephant, to the neighboring Kingdom of Kalinga, affected by drought. The people were so angry about it, that King Sanjaya had to send away his son. Before Prince Vessantara and his wife and two children went into exile, he gave away all his possessions. On the road travelling by horse and buggy, he gave them to a Brahmin. So the four went through the jungle on foot to Mount Vamka. Jujaka (Thai: Chuchok) a poor old Brahmin lived in the village of Dunnivittha with Ammittada, a beautiful young woman. Jujaka, prompted by his wife, wanted to look for the whereabouts of Vessantara. After Jujaka had asked for Kanha and Jali, Vessantara's children, they hid in a pond. Vessantara asked the children to come out of the pond and go with Jujaka. God Sakka changed shape and stopped Vessantara who also gave away his wife. While Jujaka was asleep, a god and a goddess, who were changed to the father and mother, took care of the two children. After King Sanjaya had bought back his two grandchildren, they went with Queen Phusati to Mount Vamka. Prince Vessantara returned with his whole family from Mount Vamka. Back in the city of Jetutthara they were warmly welcomed.

References

* (en

- ''Jataka - volume VI'', 305 pages, translated by E.B. Cowell and W.H.D. Rouse, The Cambridge University Press, 1907. (This text is in the public domain in the US, because it was published prior to 1923) * (th) ''The last 10 jataka before the Buddha'', {{ISBN, 978-616-18-0913-3 * Photos of the murals with accompanying texts are of the sala (pavilion) of temple "bridge three" (Thai: วัดสะพานสาม ''wat saphan saam''), Phitsanulok, Thailand, 2015. License CC-BY-SA-4.0 confers on May 17, 2016.