VISHVANTARA JATAKA

MILAN SHAKYA
Chakupat, Lalitpur

Definition of Jataka:

The Jataka is generally defined as previous birth stories of Buddha Shakyamuni. There are
several birth stories, the collection of which is called the Jatakamala. It can also be called
Bodhisattva avadanamala for the Bodhisattvavadana is nearly synonymous with Jataka.
Indeed the Jatakas are nothing but Avadanas the hero of which is the Bodhisattva. According
to J. S. Speyer, the slightest difference between Jataka and Avadana is that in the Jataka, the
Bodhisattva is always either the hero or one of the main characters occuring in the story,
whereas in the Avadana, any holy figure may play a part. Still, there are many avadanas in
which the Bodhisattva is the hero.

Jataka as Words of the Buddha:

The Jatakas are considered to be Buddhavacana (spoken by Buddha). Together they constitute
the tenth of the twelve categories of Buddhist scripture, as enumerated by Haribhadra:

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Vishvanatara Jataka in Buddhist Sanskrit and Pali literature

The Jataka stories are at least as old as the compilation of the Buddhist canon at the council of
Vesali, about 377 BC.
Perhaps one of the most famous and most popular of all these legends in the whole of the
Buddhist world is Vishvantara Jataka.
The vessantara Jataka is also available in the following Sanskrit Buddhist texts

• Pali Jataka - No.547

• Arya Shura's Jatakamala - No.9
• Ksemendra's Avadanakalpalata - No.23

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Prajnaparamitopadesa sastra, Haribhadra, Oriental Institute, Baroda, p. 35

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• Bodhisattvadanamala -
• Cariyapitaka - 1.9

Contents of Vishvantara Jataka of Aryasura's Jatakamala

The mean-spirited people like ourselves are not even capable of approving of the conduct of
the Bodhisattva, how much less can they actually act after it. This is taught by the following.
Once the Sibis were ruled by a king named Sanjaya who performed his royal duties in the
right manner. He had a son by the name of Vishvantara who was none other than Sakyamuni
himself in one of his previous lives as a Bodhisattva. In dignity, Vishvantara was just next to
his father but superior to his father in his famous set of virtues. Vishvantara held the rank of
heir-apparent. Though young, he had a lovely placidity of mind proper to old age. Though he
was full of ardour, his natural disposition was inclined to forbearance. Though learned, he was
free from the conceit of knowledge. Though mighty and illustrious, he was devoid of pride.
As a prince, he was predisposed to fill day after day the mendicants who happened to
come to him, with the utmost gladness by his bounties, given without difficulty, surpassing
the objects asked for, and the more lovely, as they were bestowed with deference and kind
words. Because of this, his great practice of charity was being proclaimed everywhere by the
rejoiced mendicants, some neighbouring king who had heard of it, considering that it would
be possible to deceive the young prince by means of his passion for almsgiving, directed some
Brahmins, his emissaries, to rob him of his excellent elephant who was endowed with many
auspicious qualities. Brahmins placed themselves in Vishvantara's way, uttering benedictions
with their uplifted and outstretched right hands and asked outright for the elephant. Although
Vishvantara could easily see through their deception backforced by the king, he gladly gave
his beloved elephant in charity to them.
When the Sibis heard of the gift of that Lord elephants, anger and wrath penetrated their
minds, and the eldest of the Brahmins, the ministers, the warriors and the chiefs of the
townsmen went into the presence of king Sanjaya. They reprimanded the king for his utter
negligence as to what was happening in the country and not imposing restrictions on the
wayward charity of the prince who would be held responsible for the collapse of the nation.
They unanimously requested the king that prince Vishvantara be sent in exile to Mount Vanka
where he might exert his penance. Vishvantara prefered his own banishment from the country
to the abandonment of his deep-rooted propensity to charity. So he jubilantly acquisced to the
order. When insisted strongly by his wife Madri, his son Jalikumar and daughter Krishnajina
to accompany him, he couldn't desist from taking them with him. Vishvantara's decision
caused the mendicants to lament bitterly. Then he paid his respectful homage to his father and
mother, taking leave of them who were overwhelmed with sadness and grief. Thereupon he
mounted his royal chariot with his wife and children and left the capital, while a great body of
people uttered lamentations, the streets being as noisy as on a holiday. Then himself taking
the reins, he drove in the direction of Mount Vanka. While he was still on the way, by chance

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some Brahmins came to meet him, and begged from him the horses that were drawing his
chariot. When the horses were given away, Vishvantara had no other option than to pull the
chariot laden with his family all by himself. So he put himself under the yoke and pulled it
along. When they travelled a few distance, there appeared four young Yaksas in the form of
red deer. Like well-trained excellent horses they put their shoulders under the yoke
themselves. Then Vishvantara to his utmost gaity adored the strength of his penance which
even pleased the deers. While they were moving along, another Brahmin came near, and
asked Vishvantara for his royal chariot. He gladly caused his family to alight from the chariot
and presented the Brahman with it. Taking Jalin kumar in his arms, he continued his way on
foot. Madri, too without feeling depressed, took the girl Krishnajina in her arms and marched
after him.
Vishvantara, his wife and his children didn't have to suffer from hunger, thirst, fatigue
while they were walking because the nature itself seemed to be friendly towards them. In this
manner the Bodhisattva Vishvantara experienced the pleasure and the delight of a walk just as
if they were strolling in some park and at last they reached Mount Vanka. He took up his
residence with his family in a grove in the pleasant forest said to have been built by
Visvakarma himself. Attended by his wife, enjoying the artless and sweet talk of his children,
not thinking of the cares of royalty, he practised in that grove strong penance for half a year.
One day, when the princess Madri had gone to search for roots and fruits, there arrived a
Brahmin whose feet and ankles were stiff with the dust of the journey and who was bearing
over his shoulder a wooden club, from which his waterpots hung down. Vishvantara gladly
received the Brahmin who told the former that he had been searching for attendents to help
him. Then noticing the children at play, he wasted no time to ask him for them. Even if at
first, Vishvantara who didn't know how to reject when being asked for, and rejoiced at giving,
flinched at his own decision and burst out with tears due to the great affection for their
children, later he joyously agreed to give away his beloved children Jalin kumar and
Krishnajina. Since the Brahmin insisted tremendously, Vishvantara was compelled to give
away his beloved children even in his wife Madri's absence. His children also expressed their
desire to meet their mother for the last time before they would go with the Brahmin. But
Brahmin didn't heed their request. Then the Brahmin cruelly and inhumanly bound the
children with rope and hit them with the vine as he took them away. The scene was quite
pathetic and heart-rending.
When Madri returned, she was anxious not to find her children in the hermitage. When
Vishvantara told her that he had given them away to Brahmin in charity. She collapsed on the
ground and fainted away. When she came to, she was finally won over by the prince and
instead praised the generosity and sincerity of her husband for she could perceive gods on the
heaven rejoicing at the great charity of her husband Vishvantara.
Owing to the inconceivable charity of Vishvantara, even Sumeru mountain seemed to
tremble and a dazzing light glowed in the heaven. Indra, god of heaven, was taken by surprise
and as was his nature, decided to test the penance of Vishvantara. With this in mind, he
descended down on the earth near his hermitage in guise of a Brahmin. Vishvantara gladly

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received him into his hermitage and accorded him due respect and hospitality. Indra then
unscrupulously and unhesitatingly asked for his wife. Without bringing any sort of
defilements in mind, Vishvantara agreed saying, “Let it be as you say”. Madri also neither felt
resentment nor felt any sort of agitation in her mind, nor she cried. She jubilantly supported
her husband's difficult decision without uttering a single word. Indra was extremely
astonished to see all these things which made him praise the highly virtuous deeds of
Bodhisattva Vishvantara. Then he transformed himself into his original form, saying he would
return Madri to Vishvantara himself. He consoled them not to worry about their children nor
to regret being ousted from the country. For very soon, Vishvantara's father would show up
there with his two beloved children. This was what he said. That said, Indra vanished into
space. And due to his power, that cupid Brahmin was forced to leave the children in the
palace of Vishvantara's father.
When Sibis and Sanjaya, the king of Sibis heard of the most compassionate and
unbelievable act of charity performed by Vishvantara, their hard hearts melted like snow. The
king freed the children from the hands of the Brahmin, and set out for the forest where his son
and his daughter-in-law was staying. The king was successful to pursuade Vishvantara to
come back to the palace. Later he was crowned king.

Essence and Characteristic features of Vishvantara Jataka

1. The practice of Generosity

Almost all the stories of Jatakamala revolves around the perfection of generosity. The Buddha
spoke of different kinds of liberality or generosity according to the capacity of the hearer. In
order to bring suffering beings to maturity, the Buddha would speak about generosity first.
According to Ratnamegha Sutra, Generosity itself is a Bodhisattva's Enlightenment. So for the
great Bodhisattvas, the greatest enemy is the enemy within, i.e self-grasping and self-
cherishing. Therefore the Bodhisattva feels it to be a great opportunity to offer charity to the
needy in order to suppress his self-cherishing and self-grasping nature. Here Bodhisattva
Vishvantara also gives anything when he is asked for. He goes to the extent of giving his own
beloved children and wife without having attachment to them. Bodhisattva performs all the
three types of dana viz. material gift, gift of fearlessness and gift of dharma. This is the first of
the six paramitas that the Bodhisattva frequently practises.

2. Steadfastness
The Bodhisattva doesn't retreat from his virtuous activities, even if he is to be punished,
threaned to death and so on. Vishvantara also doesn't flinch from his penance even if he is
threatened to punishment. So he happily accepts the punishment that is retiring to the forest.
There in the forest also, he continues to practise the penance.

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3. The aura of virtue fills everywhere
By the awsome virtue of Vishvantara, even the nature seemed to be friendly towards him
while he was walkling on foot with his family, for he didn't feel any sort of fatique, hunger
and thirst at all. Similarly even in Buddha's life, we could read even the ferocious animals
become mind when there was a presence of Buddha. This is power of virtue possessed by
Bodhisattvas and Buddhas.

4. Bodhisattva's charity is supported by everybody.

In Vishvantara Jataka, we can notice that Vishvantara gives away his children, his wife and
everything. Here, a question arises, whether or not the human object represented by the
children and wife are offended by the act, whether or not their permission should be taken.
According to Jewel Ornament of Liberation, charity which when given hurt other's feeling,
should not be given. But in this case, both his children and his wife seem to have agreed on
the virtuous act of Vishvantara which would be clear when we read the story. For they know
they felt they were becoming a part in Vishvantara's charity or virtuous deed.

5. Brahmins are held in high esteem.

Vishvantara holds Brahmin mendicants in high esteem. When they appear, he spontaneously
sets out to receive them with due respect and give whatever they ask for.

6. Yaksas could be virtuous

Unlike in the story of Maitribala who was also one of the previous lives of Buddha
Shakyamuni, the four yaksas were moved by Vishvantara's gallantry in penance and helped
them in his journey by pulling the chariot in the guise of deers. By so doing, they were
implicitly sharing the virtue for themselves. Great motivation indeed to help the virtuous in
difficulty! Hariti is also a Buddhist Yaksani who has been protecting Buddhist dispensation
since ancient time.

7. Practice of Perfection of Patience

Here in the story it is quite evident that even if Vishvantara hears the unedifying demands of
Brahmin which calls for parting with his own children and wife, he doesn't show anger. He is
calm and in a joyous mood. Even if the story tells a tinge of displeasure arose in his mind, he
was able to control it. This is a practice of patience performed by a Bodhisattva. This also
shows that the objects (that may be body and person) once given are not craved for.

8. Indra's trepidation
It is general nature of Indra, the king of heaven, to do his best to protect his throne in the
heaven. If anybody down on the earth does something virtuous, his trepidation lest the human
secure his throne grows higher and higher. So he comes down on earth to test him in disguise.
In Vishvantara Jataka also, he does the same.

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9. The development of Bodhicitta as a foundation for the accumulation of Merit
Vishvantara is one of the previous lives of Shakyamuni Buddha. Before he attained
Enlightenment, he spent myriads of aeons living the life of Bodhisattva, generating both
aspirational Bodhicitta and engaging Bodhicitta. This very Bodhicitta became a foundation
for his accumulation of merit by way of six perfections. In this process of accumulating merit,
Vishvantara as a Bodhisattva also who already had strong bodhicitta was proficient in
practising perfections, not to mention the perfection of charity. The perfect Unsurpassable
enlightenment as attained by Shakyamuni Buddha needs both accumulation of Wisdom and
Merit.

Impact, aim and information to the society

The Vishvantara Jataka as one of Aryasura's 34 collections of Jataka stories, has a deep
impact in the livelihood of Nepalese commoners specially the newars, which is as important
as the Mahasattva Jataka and Manicuda Jataka, both of which out of sheer reverence Nepalese
people ascribe to Nepal. As every Buddhist Newars irrespective whether they understand
Buddhist Philosophy or not have an ageold customary of reading out the story in family
gatherings during special occasions. Specially the eldermost in the family does this job. This
is a virtuous sacrament induced into the young generation by the elders. Among the jatakas,
Vishvantara is the name almost every newars know. They seem to be greatly influenced by
the charity of Vishvantara that's why they can maintain the tradition of charity even to date
like in Pancadana and Samyak dana. The ordinary Nepalese people inclined in Buddhist
dharma spontaneously associate Vishvantara to any charity they make. Such is an influence of
Vishvantara Jataka. Extremely inspired by the lofty ideal of Vishvantara, the Vishvantara
Jataka had even been performed as a theatrical piece at Royal Nepal Academy. It was even
telecast on the TV as a Telefilm. Such is the popularity of Vishvantara Jataka. Besides story
telling, paintings on Vishvantara Jataka are also displayed in various Baha and Bahis in the
month of Gunla which are actually vivid and aweinspiring. All these things are intended to
instil the mind of charity in the heart of Nepalese by helping them get rid of self-cherishing
attitude.

Vishvantara in Paintings:

1. A wall paintings on Vishvantara Jataka, can be found in Cave 17, Anjanta, 5TH century,
Gupta Period

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2. Vishvantara Jataka can also be found in stone sculptures

Vishvantara-Jataka, Sanchi

Vishvantara-Jataka,Goli, Andhra Pradesh

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Bibliography:

The Jatakamala of Aryasura- ed.by H. Kern, Harvard University Press, 1943

The Jatakamala of Arya sura-ed.by R.C. Dvivedi, MLBD, 1965
The Jatakamala of Aryasura-ed and tr by J.S. Speyer, MLBD Delhi, 1971
The Jatakas or Stories of the Buddha's former births-ed.by E.B. Cowell Vol.4-6, Low Priced
Publications-Delhi
Avadana Kalpalata - trans by Min Bahadur Shakya, Shakya Ja Pvt. Ltd., 2004.
Prajnaparamitopadesa sastra, Haribhadra, Oriental Institute, Baroda