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Jataka Stories
Mahilamukha Jataka
The Bodhisatta was once a king’s advisor. The king’s state elephant was good-natured and never hurt anybody. One night a murderous band of thieves sat down outside the elephant’s stall to discuss their plans. They returned nightly to plan…
Tittha Jataka
The Bodhisatta was once a king’s advisor. One day someone washed an ordinary horse in the regular bathing spot of the king’s warhorse. Later, when the mighty thoroughbred’s caretaker took it to bathe, it would not get in the water and…
Ajanna Jataka
The Bodhisatta was once a king’s warhorse, and he lived a life far more luxurious than most humans. His food was served in a golden dish worth one hundred thousand coins and his stall was perfumed with the four odors and decorated with…
Satapatta Jataka
The Bodhisatta was once a thief. A man had died before recovering a loan of one thousand coins. Later, as this man’s wife lay on her deathbed, she told her son to go collect the debt. And just after he picked up the money, his mother died.…
Vaka Jataka
The Bodhisatta was once Indra, king of the gods. A wolf lived on a rock along the Ganges River, and when a flood arose, his rock became an island. Since he was cut off from the shore without food, the wolf planned to follow the precepts for…
Mahaassaroha Jataka
The Bodhisatta was once a king, virtuous and generous. He had gone off to fight a battle in a border region, and when he was defeated, he escaped on his horse to safety in a small village. When he arrived there, wearing full battle armor,…
Kanha Jataka
The Bodhisatta was once an ox. His owner was a poor, elderly woman who treated him like her child and always fed him the best rice. The Bodhisatta wanted to earn some money to help her, so he made it a habit to roam about looking for work.…
Lakkhana Jataka
The Bodhisatta was once a deer who led a large herd in the forest. When he got old, he put his two sons, Lakkhana and Kala, in charge of the herd, each having half in their care. During the crop season, people set many traps around their…
Bhojajaniya Jataka
The Bodhisatta was once a king’s warhorse, and he lived a life far more luxurious than most humans. His food was served in a golden dish worth one hundred thousand coins and his stall was perfumed with the four odors and decorated with…
Kurunga Jataka
The Bodhisatta was once an antelope who loved to eat fruit. A clever hunter used to look for footprints below fruit trees. When he found them, he’d build a platform in that tree and wait patiently for animals to come feed on fallen fruit;…