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Classical Indian Literature in Translation

Paper-1

NAAPNA-JTAKA

Submitted By: Wasim Khan

4th

Year Undergraduate10001020

TheJatakasare Buddhist folklore about the past lives of the Buddha. Buddha before being born as prince

Siddhartha, had been reincarnated as several life forms be it human beings, animals or some supernatural

things.

In those previous forms of life Buddha was simply known as The Boddhisattva, which means the holy creature

would turn into Buddha just as he discovers the holy enlightenment within himself.

The NAAPNA-JTAKA gets its name from Naaka-pna (meaning Cane-drink) as the tale was narrated by the

Master when he had come to the village of Naaka-pnaand was dwelling near the pool of Naaka-pna.The NAAPNA-JTAKAcommences with words I Found the Footpronts which show us the qualities possessed

by a leader of Buddhas caliber. The story is recounted by the Master when the Monks question the hollowness

of the cane-sticks which they find to be unusual to what they had encountered throughout their life.

In the story Buddhas incarnation is that of a Monkey who led a tribe of no less than eighty thousand monkeys

Boddhisatta always used to counsel his peers not to eat or drink anything, they were new to and the story also

recollects one of such experiences when they come across a lake haunted by an ogre while returning parched

from a wandering journey.

Monkey showing their intellectual quality wait for their troop leader to arrive and steer them. Boddhisatta, the

leader after scrutinizing the lake concludes the lake to be a haunt of an ogre and warns them. Ogre full of morbid

intentions comes out and imperils the troop of monkeys.

Boddhisatta being the leader of the monkeys had have a conversation with the ogre and the conversation has

been ravishingly presented. Boddhisatta exhibiting some of his Ten Perfections, avows the way he and his peers

are going to fulfill their craving for water without even entering the lake which is the sole decoy that could have

them devoured by the ogre.

The lines of Bodhisatta clearly depict the qualities of a leader. Having finished the saying, Boddhisatta had a

cane brought to him and calling to mind the Ten Perfections, recited them in solemn asseveration and

commanded all the canes growing round the lake become hollow throughout.

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TheJataka also cites the four miracles which endure through the whole Kappa, or era. First beingthe sign of

the hare in the moon, which will last through the whole Era; second, the spot where the fire was put out as

mentioned in the Vaaka Jtaka, which shall remain untouched by fire throughout the Era; third, on the site of

Ghakra's house no rain shall ever fall throughout the era; and last, the canes that grow round this lake shall

be hollow throughout during the whole of the Era.

Since that moment on, the cane-sticks growing around that pool are all hollow. The site is believed to be located

somewhere in Uttar-Pradesh.

This was the way they drank, and not one of them could the water-ogre get; so he went off in a rage to his own

habitation. The Bodhisattva, too, with his following went back into the forest.

The tale deals show us the qualities of Boddhisatta to use wisdom and not to rush. What I could infer from the

tale is that Buddha wants to convey his message to always be patient and vigilant. Whenever it is to deal with

unfamiliar things we should be scrupulously attentive.

Few of ten perfections of Buddha are described in the tale as well. The Ten Perfections are Generosity (dana),

Morality (sila), Renunciation (nekkhamma), Wisdom (panna), Energy/Strength (viriya), Patience (khanti),

Truthfulness (sacca), Resolution (adhitthana), Loving-kindness (metta), Equanimity (upekkha).

Few examples of these Ten Perfections shown by the monkey, who in this tale is the Boddhisatta, are Morality

(sila)virtue as the four conditions ofsilaare calmness, quiet, extinguishment and chastity i.e. sila refers to

overall ethical behavior and monkey exhibits perfect example of calmness.

Wisdom (paa); Prajca(Sanskrit) orpacca(Pali) has been translated as wisdom and it is all about to be able to

extinguish afflictions and bring about enlightenment, so this tale is a perfect example of wisdom being exhibited

by the Boddhisatta.

Energy/Strength (viriya)-effort; viriyadoesnt stand for physical strength in fact it signifies strength of characte

and persistent effort for wellbeing of others. Boddhisatta dispalys this example of Ten Perfection as well. In fact

this tale is best example of patience (khanti) where the leader endeavors to ensure the safety of his fellow

monkeys patiently and self-composedly.

One more quality of Boddhisatta that emerges out from the tale is that of resolution-determination (adhitthana

as the leader was determined for the salvation from perilous trouble that his group was in. Boddhisattas main

aim was to mitigate the problem and he was determined to do so. They could have left the place as it was

fraught with danger and continue their wandering in search of a safe place to quench their craving for water.

Instead the leader took his decision and used his acquired wisdom to tackle the situation without having put his

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troop in trouble.

Lovingkindness (mettain Pali and maitrain Sanskrit), which means friendliness, benevolence, active interest in

others, is depicted as one of the trait of Boddisatta as well. He doesnt harbor any kind of ill will or hostility

against the ogre and in fact tackles the situation with peace and happiness. Equanimity (upekkha) which means

not to be indifferent in the sense of unconcern for others, evenness of mind and to be composed, is also shown

to be a trait of Boddhisatta.

At the end the Master showed the connection of the tale with his words former ordinance of his ownby

concluding that Devadatta was the water-ogre of those times, the eighty thousand monkeys were his disciples

and he was the leader of those monkeys who was so fertile in his resourcefulness.

Devadatta schism is also hinted by the Master in thisJataka. Devadatta was Buddhas cousin and one of the

disciples. He is said to have caused a split in the sangha(Buddhist community) by persuading 500 monks to

leave the Buddha and follow him instead. Devadatta applied himself to practice but he became frustrated when

he failed to progress toward becoming an arahat, one who has completed the path to enlightenment and

entered nirvana(a state of bliss or peace).

So the tale also hints to Devadatta who had persuaded monks to follow him instead of Buddha and they also

followed Devadatta to become his disciples. But on hearing the correct explanation of dharmagiven by Buddha

the 500 monks returned back to the teachings of Buddha.

The tale is in fact a resplendent one which gives good example of the didactics of Buddhism. The conversation

between the ogre and Boddhisatta was truly sumptuous.

The tale purports to show the qualities of patience, wisdom, determination, equanimity and a few more of the

Ten Perfections of the Buddha. It also emphasizes to the saying that such were the great virtues of Boddhisattas

that their commands are always fulfilled and it has become one of the four miracles that endure throughout the

kappa(era) and the canes that grow round the lake shall be hollow throughout the era.