jataka

The Jataka tales are stories that recount the previous lives of the Buddha, illustrating his virtues and teachings through various rebirths.

The Jataka, or "Tales of the Buddha's Previous Lives," are a collection of over 500 Buddhist stories. These tales narrate the different incarnations of the Buddha before his final life as Siddhartha Gautama. Each story highlights a Buddhist virtue or teaching, such as compassion, wisdom, or renunciation, demonstrated by the Buddha in various forms, such as a king, an animal, or a commoner. The Jataka were compiled in the Pali Canon and are often depicted in Buddhist art, particularly on stupas and temples. These stories play a crucial role in transmitting the values and teachings of Buddhism across generations.