The Jatakas: Buddhist Tales of India

What are The Jatakas?

The Jatakas, or Birth-stories, form one of the sacred books of the Buddhists and relate to the adventures of the Buddha in his former existences, the best character in any story being identified with the Master. These legends were continually introduced into the religious discourses of the Buddhist teachers to illustrate the doctrines of their faith or to magnify the glory and sanctity of the Buddha. The Jataka Tales contain deep truths, and are intended to impress lessons of great moral beauty.

A photograph of the Sakyamuni Buddha in the Tawang Gompa in Arunachal Pradesh, India. It is a 8 mtr gilded statue, the most important feature of the Gompa. The Sakyamuni Buddha was the earliest form of the Buddha to be worshiped in India. This form shows the Buddha in the moment he reached enlightenment, as depicted by the "ground-touching" position.    (This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5  From Wikipedia)