Jataka on tigress

The compassion of the Buddha touches every living being.
His perfect love, dispassionate and unlimited,

Resonates throughout all his former lives.

Pg 3 - Before he became the Buddha, the Bodhisattva, in a series of lives too numerous to mention, through his wisdom blessed the world with countless demonstrations of his compassion, shown through giving, kind words, help­fulness, and consistency between words and deeds.

In one of his lifetimes, the Bodhisattva took birth in a family of brahmans which was renowned for purity of con­duct and spiritual devotion. And as a result of merit earned in former lives, he found himself showered with wealth, dis­tinction, and fame.

As a youth, the depth of his intellect was matched only by his eagerness to learn. He soon mastered the arts and sciences so well that the brahmans revered him as an au­thority dependable as the law itself; to the ksatriya warriors, he was as venerable as a king. To those thirsty for knowledge, he seemed a reservoir never empty; to ordinary people, he seemed a god.

Pg 4 - But he did not delight in power or wealth or fame. His former actions and his constant reflection on the Dharma had purified his mind; he saw all too clearly the inevitable suffer­ing that accompanies worldly pleasure, and the thought of renunciation was familiar to him. Without remorse, he shook off the householder’s life as if it were an illness, and moved to a forest retreat which became ornamented by his presence. - LEGGI TUTTO … Read the rest of this entry »

2 - KING OF THE SHIBIS

Pg 11- Only after hundreds of hardships did

the Lord Buddha obtain the Dharma for our benefit.

Knowing this, we should listen to the Teachings

with deep respect and close attention.

Pg 11- Once when the Buddha was still a Bodhisattva, the vast store of meritorious actions amassed in many previous lives caused him to take birth as a king of the Shibis. Respectful toward the elders from earliest childhood and modest in his behavior, he was deeply loved by all his subjects.

Blessed with boundless energy, discretion, majesty, and power, knowledgeable in many sciences, and favored by fortune, he ruled his subjects as if they were his children. In the Bodhisattva, all the finest qualities, both spiritual and worldly, blended harmoniously despite their contrasts. Glory, which mocks those who win high rank by wrong means, glory, which brings calamity to fools and intoxicates the feeble-minded, had found a true dwelling place within him.

Overflowing with compassion even greater than his wealth, this best of kings was happiest when granting the wishes of beggars and when seeing their delighted faces. Read the rest of this entry »

3 - A SMALL PORTION OF GRUEL

Any gift that comes from the heart and is upon a bestowed worthy recipient will produce a great result. No gift of such a nature, however small, is without merit.

Pg 21 - Once, when the Buddha was still a Bodhisattva, he lived as a great king of Koshala. Energy, discretion, majesty, power, these and other royal virtues were his to the highest degree. Yet the strength of one quality surpassed all others: his talent for gaining prosperity. Enriched by this felicitous ability, his other qualities shone all the brighter, as the splendor of moonlight increases in autumn.

Fortune followed him everywhere like a lover, abandoning his enemies and holding his followers dear. Although his sense of fairness prevented him from harming any living being, his fortune was such that his adversaries did not flourish even though he refused to oppress them.

Now it happened one day that this king came to recall one of his previous lives, and was deeply moved. And with this recollection he increased the gifts of charity he was used to bestowing on the shramanas and brahmans, on the poor, on the wretched and the helpless. For giving is the basis and

Pg 22 - cause of happiness. More than ever before, he strove to practice good conduct; more than ever he followed the restrictions on holy days.

Intent on illustrating to his people the power of meritorious action, every day he made the same proclamation in his assembly hall as well as in the innermost apartments of his palace. These were the words that issued from his heart with deep feeling: Read the rest of this entry »

4 -THE MERCHANT

Pg 29 - Even in the face of imminent peril

the virtuous never shrink from practicing charity.

Who, then, when safe and happy, should not be charitable?

Once, when the Buddha was still a Bodhisattva, he took birth as the son of a good family. Blessed with boundless energy and great good fortune, he became head of his guild. He acquired a large estate, and by his fairness and integrity in business, earned the deepest respect of all. In addition, his study of various branches of the arts and sciences purified his mind and produced qualities which, together with his noble virtues, brought him honor even from the king.

Devoted to the precept of giving, he constantly endeavored to share his wealth with the people. The mendicants praised his name far and wide, spreading his reputation for charity in all directions; they trusted him entirely, becoming bold enough to tell him their desires freely. For his part, untouched by avarice, he never held back his wealth, either for his own pleasure or to gain influence over others-for he found it impossible to witness any sort of suffering and refuse to help.

One day a mendicant, a Pratyekabuddha in whom the fire of knowledge had burned away all fettering passions, approached the Bodhisattva’s dwelling. -

Pg - 30 Now this beggar’s sole desire was to increase the merit of the Bodhisattva, and to that end he had appeared in the gateway at meal time, just as the Great Being, having bathed and anointed himself, was about to sit down to a feast. Many and various dishes had been prepared by the finest of cooks, dishes pleasing in their color, smell, taste, texture, and so on. In the quiet of the evening, the monk stood outside the house without apprehension or agitation, looking firmly and quietly a small distance before him, his lotus-like hands holding a wooden alms bowl. Read the rest of this entry »

5 - THE INVINCIBLE ONE

Neither fear of fortune’s loss nor hope of future gain can

distract the virtuous from the practice of giving

Pg 35 -At one time when the Buddha was still a Bodhisattva, he was born in an illustrious family and later became head of his guild. He radiated generosity and morality, and excelled in sacred learning, self-discipline, and spiritual knowledge, embodying both wisdom and humility.

Blessed with such boundless riches, he seemed like Kuvera himself. Charity was for him a perpetual practice-and so he became a constant source of wealth. Best of almsgivers, he lived only to benefit humanity; truly oblivious to all manner of greed and selfishness, he soon came to be known as Avishahya, `the Invincible One’. He was as happy to see beggars as they were to see him: At first sight, both knew that their fondest wish had been granted. He was, indeed, incapable of refusing any request, and his great compassion left no room in his heart for attachment to wealth. His highest joy, therefore, was to watch the mendicants carry off the finest objects from his home. He saw those so-called goods for what they were, sources of desire and discontent that would quickly lead to dissatisfaction without any apparent cause.

Indeed, riches joined with greed may be called swift caravans on the road to despair. His riches, on the other hand, brought true benefit both to himself and to others. The Great Being gave the mendicants whatever they desired and ornamented his gifts with respect and freedom from emotionality, in this way satisfying them wholly. Read the rest of this entry »

6 - THE HARE

Pg 43- If even in lives as beasts the Great -Minded

have been known to practice charity,

who then, being human, should not be charitable?

In the middle of a forest was a clearing once frequented by ascetics. There the earth was carpeted with soft green grass; rich soil put forth flowers and fruits in lush profusion, and trees and greenery of all sorts abounded. Bordering this lovely spot was a sparkling river as blue as lapis lazuli.

In this forest, the Bodhisattva lived as a hare-an animal that shone with such goodness, such vigor, such strength and beauty that all the other animals in the forest looked to him as their king, none fearing him, none causing him fear. Satisfying his needs by simple blades of grass, wearing his own fur for the ascetic’s garments, he glowed like a Great Being. Everything he thought, everything he spoke, everything he did was motivated by a friendliness so pure and simple that even those beasts usually given to wickedness became his students and friends.

Among his devoted following, three in particular were attracted by the love and respect which his eminent qualities inspired, and they grew to be his constant companions: an otter, a jackal, and a monkey. These three loved the hare as if he were their kin, their mutual bond of respect binding them together in joy. They spent all their days with him, soon for-getting their lower natures-and compassion for all living creatures flowed from their hearts. Greed no longer tempted them, they forgot how to steal, and their lives began to con-form closely to the Dharma. Their minds became disciplined, clear, and strong. Read the rest of this entry »

7 - AJASTYA THE ASCETIC

As generosity is such a great ornament even to ascetics,

how wonderful it is when displayed by householders!

Once when the Buddha was still a Bodhisattva travelling

through samsara for the good of the world, he was born as the child of an illustrious Brahman family whose purity of conduct was an ornament for the earth. As the full and spotless autumn moon beautifies the heavens, so did the birth of Ajastya enhance the luster of his family. In due time, after he had obtained the sacraments called for by the sacred texts and traditions, and after he had studied the Vedas and their many rituals, fame of his knowledge spread far and -aide.

The offerings he received from charitable lovers of virtue swiftly multiplied into considerable wealth. And, in turn, as an expansive cloud showers the fields, he regaled with treasures his relations and friends, beggars, guests, and teachers-the distressed as well as those worthy of honor. And so the bright glory of his learning, augmented by his generosity, shone forth all the greater, just as the beauty of the moon increases in autumn.

Yet the Great-minded One realized that the state of a householder is a source of sorrow, affording little comfort. A householder must involve himself in countless activities which lead to indiscretions and even greater difficulties. Turmoil surrounds the gaining of a fortune and the necessity of guarding it; struck by suffering’s hundreds of arrows, one slowly becomes careless in spiritual affairs, until tranquility is destroyed. Read the rest of this entry »

8 - The Strength of Love

The truly compassionate take no heed of their own pleasure; it is the suffering of others which concerns them.

At a time when the Bodhisattva was established in the practice of compassion, intent on becoming a refuge for all beings, he set his mind on increasing the qualities which benefit the world-giving, self-discipline, devotion, and love for all beings. And so he was born as a king named Maitribala, ‘He Whose Strength is Kindness’.

Maitribala felt the suffering of his subjects as if it were his own, and protected his people skillfully. His sword was a mere ornament, for the other kings respectfully accepted his word as law, a law which was demonstrated in the measures he took to promote his people’s welfare. He ruled with right action; even punishment was but a means to increase benefits for his kingdom. He was like a father to his people, in that he protected them with the Dharma. While his liberality, his tranquility, his honesty and wisdom were all directed toward the welfare of others, he increased his own store of lofty actions, essential for the attainment of enlightenment. - LEGGI TUTTO … Read the rest of this entry »

9 - Vishvantara

If ordinary beings are not capable of even appreciating the Bodhisattva’s actions, how can they follow his example?

Once the Shibis were ruled by a king whose every action was crowned with virtue. Samjaya was his name, a man whose valor, discretion, and modesty kept his passions firmly in check, and led him to become victorious and mighty. Because of his great virtue, Glory, faithful as an honest lover, followed him as fervently as a lion guards its den.

Due to his constant and strict respect for the elders, he had mastered the mysteries of the Vedas and metaphysics, and had become skilled in the administration of justice. His subjects therefore enjoyed the benefits of security and peace, and performed their tasks with the utmost joy and devotion. He honored all who came before him, whether they demonstrated their merit in spiritual practices, science, or the arts. - LEGGI TUTTO … Read the rest of this entry »

10 - The Sacrifice

Those whose minds are virtuous cannot be seduced by the enticements of the wicked. Knowing this, strive to be pure in heart.

Long ago, the Bodhisattva, due to merit accrued during previous lives, was born a king. All the lesser rulers bowed before him, and so he ruled in peace, having no need to subdue either his own or other peoples. His claim to the throne was universally acknowledged, and his relations with other countries were calm and balanced. His land was free from every kind of disturbance, disruption, or disaster and all his subjects obeyed his commands without question.

Having subdued his only enemies, the senses, and having become totally unattached to the fruits of his own labors, the king had as his sole object the happiness of his subjects. And this he pursued with all his heart. Like a true Muni, he made the Dharma the only purpose of his actions. He also knew that human nature was drawn to emulate the highest, and so was particularly intent on the performance of his religious duties. In order to bring about the salvation of his people, he practiced giving and moral conduct, cultivated forbearance, and worked for the benefit of all sentient beings. With a countenance as mild as his thoughts, he appeared to his people to be an embodiment of the Dharma. - LEGGI TUTTO … Read the rest of this entry »