While studying the Pali literature, the Jataka stories greatly fascinated me. Later on, I could realise that this vast composition consisting of 547 Tales is only a small portion of the Buddhist canonical literature. The more and more I read these; it appeared to be a massive collection of valuable treasures. In addition to its historic, literary, moral, social and religious values, it also encompasses many Fables/Stories, which are also available in the pre and post Buddha era literatures of India and abroad.
This interesting phenomenon attracted me to study the important compilations of indigenous as well as foreign origins. Since it is an endless subject in itself, a borderline had to be drawn carefully so that the study could be focussed on the relevant areas meaningfully. Accordingly, three each of pre and post Buddha indigenous compilations namely; the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagabata, the Panchatantra, the Hitopadesa and the Kathasaritsagara were selected and studied. To ascertain the Jataka's relationship with the foreign literatures, three famous compilations, relating to the previous, contemporary and later periods have also been analysed. These are the Odyssey, the Aesop's Fables and the Arabian Nights.
This study itself is so massive, that I got the opportunity to keep myself fully immersed in it for about half a decade.
This book is based upon my research work titled, "Jatakas and the Contemporary Indian Fables" and shall provide the readers with many unknown and interesting facts. This would enable the readers not only to know further details about the Jataka, but also help them in further works/studies on the subject. For story lovers, they could derive the pleasure of reading the stories of the Jataka and of other world-class literatures side by side.
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