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Overview
81-7508-057-4
Editor: Anant Pai
Author: Lakshmi Lal
Illustrator: Ashok Nangre
Description
Gautama was born a prince, over 2500 years ago in Lumbini, in the northern part of India. He left the comfortable life of the palace, his young wife and infant son, to go in search of true knowledge. After years of wandering, austerities and meditation, he became Buddha ('the Enlightened One'). Buddha taught compassion, non-violence and the need for right conduct in life. His teachings spread far and wide even outside India, in China and Southeast Asia.
The 'Jataka' (Birth-cycle) tales narrate the stories related to 'seekers of truth' - those who wish to follow the path of Buddha. Many of the 550 Jatakas that form the canon are about animals and humans. The stories were originally compiled in the Pali language.
Of the three Jataka tales here, the first tells of an elephant who helped a lost traveler in a forest find his way to the city and even gave him his tusks to be sold for money. In the second the kind elephant protects a young quail. The elephant in the third story helps wood-workers by lifting and carrying logs.
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