Jignasa Journal Of History Of Ideas And Culture Part 02

Author(s): Vibha Upadhyaya and Others
Publisher: University of Rajasthan

Page 18

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Jijñāsa
and also love and compassion. In fact, dāna may be connected with universal compassion. The Shikshāsamuchchaya of Shāntideva (the detailed panjikā or commentary) has expounded such an idea of dāna.
The literary form of the Jätaka consists of three main parts. The first, Pachchupannavatthu literally means the present plot' (or story). It is the story of the present occasion which prompts the Buddha to recall the past which is called Atitavatthu. This second part is essentially the Jātaka story, which relates the deeds of the Buddha as a Bodhisattva in his past life. This is a prose narrative. The third important part, which gives the message, is in a verse form which is called the Gātha. The Gathā includes Veyyakarana and Samodhana. Veyyakarana is explanation and prophecy. Samodhanā is connection' or putting together. Here, finally, the Buddha clarifies by identifying the characters of the past story' with that of the present. Today, of the original, only the Gāthas survive. The other parts are drawn from the Jātakattakatha. An Avadāna means
a noteworthy deed or feat'. Like the Jātakas, the Avadāna too, by way of introduction, relates where and on which occasion the Buddha related the story from the past, and at the end, the moral of the story is pointed out by the Buddha. Thus, an Avadāna consists of the story of the present, and a moral. There is a special kind of Avadana in which the Buddha instead of narrating the stoky of the past speaks prophetically of the future. As the karmas or actions of the past explain the present existence, so also the karmas or actions of the present indicate the future existence. There are also Avadānas in which karma also brings forth the results as good or bad fruits in the present existence. Both the Jātakas and Avadānas were narrative compositions whose primary function was the dissemination of ethical values and inculcation of morality amongst the people. They advocate the doctrine of karma as they intend to show that the actions of one's existence are closely connected with those of the past or future existence. However, the main protagonist of the Jātaka is always a Bodhisattva while an Avadāna may have a monk, an arhat or a king.
The present paper is an attempt to show how early Indian Buddhist art, viz., at Sanchi, Bharhut, Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, Goli and Ajanta illustrate the Dāna Pāramita.
These Jātakas and Avadānas are rendered in art through the narrative form, viz., either a single, significant episode may be depicted, a few significant events may be syncopated in a panel, or if the pictorial space permitted, a succession of significant events was depicted. At Bharhut (2nd century B.C.), the name of the Jätaka was inscribed along with its depiction, but at Sanchi and Amaravati, these labels were not deemed necessary.
Vessantara Jataka:
The story is adumbrated below. The Bodhisattva was born as prince Vessantara, well known for his generosity. Once, when the neighboring kingdom of Kalinga suffered a severe drought, some brahmins of Kalinga went to ask Vessantara for his glorious white elephant which had the magical qualities of bringing rain and the generous prince gave it away. Unfortunately, the citizens of prince Vessantara's kingdom were incensed and King Sanjaya (Vessantara's father) was forced to banish the prince and his family in exile. He took leave of his parents and departed, with his family, in a chariot to exile. There occur a number of vicissitudes in his meandering destiny. On his way to exile, the prince came across four brahmins who demanded the horses of the chariot and the prince gave them away. Another Brahmin asked for the chariot and after