Jatakamala or A Garland of Birth Stories

by J.S. Speyer

A selection of Jataka Stories arranged for the young and enjoyed by the older alike.

Jataka means 'previous births' and mala 'garland'. This is the literally the stringing together of the stories of the previous lives of the Bodhisattva (afterwards the Buddha). The object of composing the Birth stories into verses is to teach the doctrine of Universal salvation in a beautiful and easy style, agreeable to the popular mind and attractive to all readers.

Each of the Jatakamala stories emphasizes one aspect of the requisite perfections (paramitas) that a Bodhisattva must master on his or her way to achieving enlightenment.

Contents of Stories:

1. The story of the hare.

2. The story of the wonderful fish.

3. The story of the bird which could not be burnt.

4. The story of the buffalo.