Week 10: Twenty Jataka Tales, Part B

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This is a continuation of my Twenty Jataka Tales notes. These tales all incorporate important life lessons, and many of them are “happily ever after” tales. These happy endings are achieved through the kind ways of the Buddha, as all Jataka tales are an episode of one of the Buddha’s lives.
As mentioned in the last set of notes, though I did not go into detail, I went to a Buddhist event earlier this year. It was part of my Sociology of Religion course in which each student had to choose an event to attend from a religion that differed from their own. I had originally wanted to go to a “normal” Christian church service. I am not religious, but Christianity is what I am most familiar with. Not being allowed to go to a Christian service was a good thing for me as I was made to try something new. If I had not been made to attend the meditation service, I probably would have never gone on my own as I was nervous and felt like an outsider. The event that I attended, however, was for newcomers, so that made it a little less nerve-racking. The meditation was actually quite hard. Your body is positioned in a way that is uncomfortable at first and it is difficult to drown out what is going on around you. However, I could see how sitting like that for a long while and with a lot of practice one could lead a more balanced life. The purpose was to teach oneself how to approach things with an open mind and to react appropriately.
Through the various depictions of the Buddha in these Jataka tales, I could see the link between mindful meditation and the calm behavior that the Buddha exemplifies. Perhaps the best example of this peaceful attitude that the Buddha exudes is in the tale The Patient Buffalo. In the story, a buffalo is pestered by a monkey who wants the buffalo to get angry. The buffalo, however, continues to ignore each trick that the monkey plays on him. A fairy appears and tells the buffalo that he is strong and beautiful and asks why he does not strike out at the monkey. The buffalo states that it is not the monkey’s fault that he is stupid and that he should not be punished for it. The fairy likes this answer and puts a charm on the buffalo so that he will be harassed no further, and he gets his happily ever after.
If you would like to read these Jataka tales, click here: link.
Inayat, Noor. Twenty Jataka Tales. 1939.

Comments

  1. Kayleigh ZemaitisOctober 24, 2017 at 11:49 AM

    Bridget,

    I am currently taking Sociology of Religion this semester with Dr. Perry and will have that same assignment coming up here shortly. That is awesome that you are able to find connections between this class and other ones that you have taken. It is so interesting when everything you have learned in college seems to come together.

    I did not read this version of the Jataka Tales, but I might after reading your notes. They seemed so fun and interesting. The more interesting stories are, the more room I see to be creative.

    ReplyDelete

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