All living creatures die to be born again - so the Hindus believe. Siddhartha who became the
Buddha was no exception. It is believed that several lifetimes as a Bodhisattva go into the making of the Buddha, the Enlightened one. The Bodhisattva has come in may forms - man, monkey, deer, elephant and 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 A.D. They give us invaluable information about ancient Indian civilization, culture and philosophy. This volume of deer stories will keep children amused, while never failing to point out the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
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