:jatakas and avadanas--

- balustrade : jatakas and avadanas -

True love Manohara
Source: Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto arisguide.

Jatakas are the stories about the Buddha before he was born as Prince Siddhartha. They have four main theme the meritorious acts which distinguished the Bodhisattva from any other creature. The accumulation of virtue is the characteristic of the preparatory stages to the attainment of Buddhahood. The hundreds of times the Bodhisattva was born and reborn, either as an animal or in a human form.

Jatakas and avadanas are treated in one and the same series without any evident distinction in the reliefs of Chandi Borobudur. No particular system of alternation is evident. The lower row of reliefs on the wall of the first gallery, mostly depicts avadanas. Some jatakas are included by way of variation. The system in its upper row of the series on the balustrade is quite different. The reliefs are practically all jatakas, with just a few avadanas.

The first 20 panels in the lower series on the wall on the first gallery depict the Sudhanakumaravadana (The Saintly Deeds of Prince Sudhanakumara), derived from the Divyavadana. The story starts with the rivalry of two kingdoms: the prosperous kingdom of North Panchala, and the poverty stricken kingdom of South Panchala.

The Southern king realized that North Panchala owed its prosperity to a Naga called Janmachitraka, who was on friendly terms with his rival, and ensured regular rainfall. He decided to invoke the aid of a powerful snake - charmer to move the Naga to South Panchala. For his services the hunter was entertained by the Naga family and presented with priceless jewels. A seer advised Halaka, however, to take instead the never - failing lasso which was in the possession of the Nagas.

Prince Sudhanakumara designated a Brahman as his future court-chaplain, to the great annoyance of his father’s officiating high priest, who saw his future thus vanish into smoke. The crown prince requested his mother to take care of Manohara, and marched out. Unexpectedly he enjoyed the fullest support from the king of the Yaksas (good-natured demons), who joined the expedition with his enormous army. Meanwhile an unpleasant dream of the king was interpreted by the malignant high priest to be ominous; according to him, the danger could be averted only by sacrificing a kinnara.

Though grievously upset, the king finally consented to sacrifice Manohara. After a long journey Sudhanakumara reached the capital of the kinnara kingdom. King Druma, Manohara’s father, was willing to welcome Prince Sudhanakumara. The Prince convincingly demonstrated his excellence in archery, and then demonstrated his true love for Manohara by picking out his wife among a crowd of kinnaras who seemed identical with her.

As soon as he became absorbed in the painting and the annotations, and entered into meditation. He attained the degree of Srotapanna (one of the stages of perfection). Rudrayana wanted a Buddhist priest at his court, and Bimbisara sent Mahakatyayana to Roruka. Bimbisara sent the nun Saila. Queen Chandraprabha was so impressed by the Buddha’s doctrine that when her death was approaching  she decided to become a nun. Indeed, after her death, she appeared as a goddess, and persuaded her consort to follow her example.

The first 135 panels in the upper series on the first gallery balustrade are devoted to the 34 legends of the Jatakamala. The remaining 237 panels depict stories from other sources, as do also the lower series and those on the balustrade of the second gallery. These stories are not all jatakas, but also include several Avadanas. Some jatakas are depicted twice, though not in the same series. The story of King Sibhi, is shown on both the main wall and the balustrade of the first gallery. The jatakas are not arranged chronologically from the Bodhisattva’s reincarnation as an animal to his rebirth in heaven, and neither are the reliefs.

Bodhisattva was born as a hare.
Source: Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide

Bodhisattva was born as a hare. His closest friends were an otter, a jackal and a monkey. Wanting to put the hare to the test, the God Sakra appeared in the forest in the shape of a Brahman who had lost his way and was starving.

The four friends rushed to the Brahman and rendered help. The otter brought seven fishes, the jackal a lizzard, and the monkey ripe fruits. The hare could not offer anything. The Brahman lighted a fire for an offering, and immediately the hare jumped into the fire, offering itself as a sacrificial animal. The king of the gods admired the saintly deed, and while resuming his own shape he praised the hare for his self-sacrifice.

 when he was born as a giant tortoise
Source: Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide

A striking example of self-sacrifice was shown by the Bodhisattva when he was born as a giant tortoise. One day five hundred merchants were ship wrecked, and fought desperately against the waves. The Bodhisattva appeared, took the five hundred men on his back, and brought them safely to the shore. The tortoise was exhausted, and fell asleep. The merchants, tormented by hunger, decided to kill the tortoise and feed on its flesh. The Bodhisattva woke up, and when he understood what was going on, he took pity on the starving merchants. He offered them his body to feed on, and thus the unlucky people were saved.

Source: Guiding Technique chandi Borobudur arisguide.