Jataka Tales True Friends

All living creatures die to be born again, so the Hindus believe. Siddhartha who became the Buddha was no exception. It is believed several lifetimes as a Bodhisattva go into the making of the Buddha, the Enlightened One.

The Bodhisattva has come in many forms -man, monkey, deer, elephant, lion. Whatever his mortal body, he has spread the message of justice and wisdom, tempered with compassion. This wisdom, of right thinking and right living, is preserved in the Jataka tales.

These tales are based on the folklore, legends and ballads of ancient India. We cannot assign a definite date to the Jataka stories. Taking into account archaeological and literary evidence it appears that they were compiled in the period, the third century B.C. to the fifth century AD. They give us invaluable information about ancient Indian civilization, culture and philosophy.

Many Jataka tales have been retold in the Amar Chitra Katha series. This volume presents a set of tales of true friendship among human beings.