The Gâtakamâlâ; Or, Garland of Birth-Stories

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Āryaśūra.

Contributor:

Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max), 1823-1900.

Speyer, J. S. (Jacob Samuel), 1849-1913.

Series:

Sacred books of the Buddhists, vol. 1

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Gâtakamālā; Or, Garland of Birth-Stories" by Aryasura is a collection of Buddhist moral tales likely written in the first century CE. This text presents a series of stories known as "Gâtakas," which recount the previous lives of the Buddha and illustrate ethical and spiritual lessons, emphasizing compassion, self-sacrifice, and the impacts of karma. The work serves not only as an entertaining narrative but also as a source of moral guidance for followers of Buddhism. The opening of the Gâtakamālā introduces the profound theme of compassion through a captivating story about the Bodhisattva and a starving tigress. The narrative sets the stage by showcasing the Bodhisattva's deep empathy and selfless love for all beings, as he contemplates sacrificing himself to save the tiger's young from being eaten by their mother. This tale is depicted through rich prose and poetic verses, revealing the Bodhisattva's inner deliberations and noble intentions. His self-sacrifice ultimately serves as a poignant illustration of the virtues upheld in Buddhism, inviting readers to reflect on the significance of altruism and compassion in their own lives. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Carlos Colón, Princeton Theological Seminary Library and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

Notes:

Reading ease score: 66.4 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Release date is 2014-09-28