What Are Jataka Tales? - Shambhavi Nautiyal

What are Jataka Tales? What do you know about them?

Jataka Tales are a voluminous body of literature which is a compound of stories from the life of Gautam Buddha as well as his previous births.

In these stories, the future Buddha may appear as a king, an outcast, a deva, an animal—but, in whatever form, he exhibits some virtue that the tale thereby inculcates. Often, Jātaka tales include an extensive cast of characters who interact and get into various kinds of trouble - whereupon the Buddha character intervenes to resolve all the problems and bring about a happy ending. The Jātaka genre is based on the idea that the Buddha was able to recollect all his past lives and thus could use these memories to tell a story and illustrate his teachings.

Did the story connect with you today and why?

I think, yes, it did connect with me in some manner. For instance, I like that the king, at least, tried providing for his illegitimate child in the form of a signet ring, because that doesn’t happen often. Most of the time, women get estranged in such cases, by both their parents and the father of the child.

I was also able to relate when the king tried denying the fact that it was his son who had come to the court since although it wasn’t upright, it’s something we all have done in our lives- trying to deny a mistake due to shame and fear of being judged but I was glad when the kind got over it and owned his ‘mistake’ as he had thought.

And I feel like we all can take away something from this, even after thousands of years,i.e., that no child should be denied their parental love despite whatever society might think. This resonates with a thought I came across right after the class, “You need to fully experience the karmic cycle to break free from it” as only after he tried denying it did he realise its ramifications and started operating from a standpoint of love.

So for me, the moral of the story is ‘Own whatever you do, because, after some point, they will get to know about it anyway.'

Shambhavi Nautiyal 

Class- 10

Ahlcon Public School

Reflection of the week - 14th April 2024

Jataka Tales

1. What are Jataka Tales? What do you know about them?

2. Did the story connect with you today, and why? 

3. What learnings can we take away from the story "The King and the Stick Gatherer "?

4. What is a faggot bearer?

The Guru Nanak docuseries

1. Difference between knowledge and learning - Does having only knowledge make you educated?

2. Importance of leadership? How can leaders change the nation?

3. What does it mean to be living mindfully?

4. Live a conscious living

5. What did you learn from the episode today?

These are some suggestions you can choose from. Looking forward to seeing your wonderful and thoughtful reflections! 

You can email your reflections to - 

nk@learningforward.org.in

Post courtesy Rishona Chopra.

Jataka Tales: Stories of Virtue and Enlightenment - Shaurya Chaturvedi

"Enlightenment is not a destination, but a journey paved with stories of compassion and wisdom."

Jataka Tales are an extensive collection of stories that originated in ancient India within the Buddhist tradition. They recount the various past lives of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the Buddha, before his enlightenment. Each tale illustrates moral lessons and ethical principles through the experiences and actions of the Buddha in his previous incarnations.

The Jataka Tales often feature a wide array of characters, including humans, animals, and mythical beings, engaging in diverse scenarios and settings. These stories are not only entertaining but also serve as powerful vehicles for conveying Buddhist teachings on virtues such as kindness, compassion, generosity, selflessness, and wisdom.

Throughout the tales, the Buddha-to-be demonstrates exemplary behavior, facing challenges, making sacrifices, and ultimately embodying the virtues central to Buddhist practice. By reflecting on these stories, practitioners seek to cultivate these virtues in their own lives, thereby progressing on the path toward enlightenment.

The Jataka Tales have been passed down through oral tradition and later written down in various versions, becoming an integral part of Buddhist literature and culture. They continue to be studied, recited, and interpreted by Buddhists worldwide as a source of inspiration and guidance on the journey to spiritual awakening.

Shaurya Chaturvedi 

Class - IX D

Sunbeam Hostel Lahartara 

            

A Metaphor for Life: The Climb to Success - Animesh Kashyap

The best view comes after the hardest climb.

The adage "The best view comes after the hardest climb" encapsulates a profound truth about life's challenges and accomplishments. This saying extends beyond the literal act of climbing a physical mountain; it is a metaphor for the journey one undertakes to achieve success or overcome obstacles.

Some challenges and hurdles in every individual's life demand perseverance, dedication, and resilience. These challenges are akin to ascending a steep and arduous mountain. The climb may be exhausting, testing one's physical and mental limits, but it is during this struggle that character is shaped and strengths are revealed.

The metaphorical mountain represents goals, dreams, or aspirations. It symbolizes the path to personal and professional success. As individuals encounter obstacles, setbacks, and difficulties, they embark on a metaphorical ascent, facing the uphill battle of life's complexities. The journey is often filled with uncertainties, requiring determination and the willingness to endure hardships.

Animesh Kashyap
Class-IX D
Sunbeam Hostel Lahartara

Passion, Commitment, and the Journey to Success - Shambhavi Nautiyal

"Fuel your journey with passion, but anchor it with commitment. Success awaits those who walk the path with dedication."

Passion is a barely controllable emotion, and that’s wholly true if you ask me: Anyone can strongly hate or love a subject or job inexplicably, but this is where ‘commitments’ enter the chat. Whether we like something or not, if we want to enhance our skills and achieve a specific goal, we have to work towards our goal consistently. 

If we aim to succeed, we have to set aside all our distractions and “passions,” other than the passion for working hard and becoming successful. To remind ourselves of the spark and determination we had while setting our goals, we should remind ourselves of our purpose through vision-boarding and reading the transcript written at the time of goal-setting. 

Because our results seem unknown, we feel demotivated to work (which is pleasant in a way as it indicates our self-awareness), which is why we should romanticize the process of working and make that our goal. Consistency and discipline make up our commitments and should be our only goal.

Leave the rest to God.

Shambhavi Nautiyal
APS