A Critical Study of the Buddhadhamma-Essence from the Jataka

Abstract

In this research, the great attempt was purposely made: 1) to explain the Jãtaka contents in the form of essay through contemporary language for being easily understood by general people, 2) to propose the Dhamma essences derived from ten perfections and other kinds of Dhamma hiding in the Jãtaka through extraction of them from Bodhisattva’s conduct and duties, and 3) to propose the ways to solve problems and to develop the present Thai society through Bodhisattva’s conduct and duties. This is a documentary research done by the collection and analysis of data from scriptures, text books and academic documents and then the descriptive analysis was also made. The research findings were found as follows: Etymologically, the word ‘Jãtaka’ basically refers to arisen various stories; it was used as a tool to tell the past Buddha’s conduct and duties before His enlightenment wherein ten perfections were greatly cultivated in the different forms of birth and 547 stories were composed of it. Here, the word ‘Pãramĩ’ developed by the Buddha means the arrival at the bank or virtues leading to perfection; this embraces the absolute good whereby the Enlightened One is achieved. The virtues, generosity, for instance, are so named perfection due to bringing greater position to Bodhisattva than other beings. As far as ten perfections are concerned, they are regarded as ‘Buddhakãradhamma’ (Dhamma making Buddhahood) comprising of: 1) Dãna; generosity, 2) Sĩla; intention not to do bad action and being disciplined, 3) Nekkhamma; renunciation from sensual pleasures, 4) Paññã; insight of the world and life, 5) Viriya; energy, 6) Khanti; patience, 7) Sacca; truthfulness, 8) Adhiṭṭhãna; self-determination, 9) Mettã; loving kindness, and 10) Upekkhã; equanimity. It can be said that those ten perfections can be categorized in the order as follows: the first is generosity because it yields a great deal of benefit to the precept and being easier to develop than others, the second is the precept because it brings about a hefty of advantages to generosity, the third is renunciation because it gives uncountable benefit to the precept, the fourth is wisdom because it gives rise to the greatest benefit to the renunciation, the fifth is energy, the forbearance becomes the sixth, the truthfulness becomes the seventh, the resolution becomes the eighth, the loving kindness becomes the ninth, and the equanimity comes as the tenth respectively because the tremendous benefit in loving kindness is caused by it. The mentioned perfections are by nature classified into three levels; each level holds ten and thereby totally summing up thirty as follows: 1) ten ordinary perfections, 2) ten superior perfections, and 3) ten supreme perfections. In this respect, they implicitly show that such ordinary levels of perfections contain white nature being mixed with black, the superior levels hold white nature without black, and the supreme levels are neither white nor black. With respect to the perfections leading to the success of the ultimate goal, three levels of cultivation need to be gradually fulfilled according to the practitioners’ quality: 1) four incalculable periods and great eons of 100,000 are acquired by one who is of innumerable wisdom (Paññadhikapãramĩ), 2) one who is of uncountable faith (Saddhãdhikapãramĩ) needs eight incalculable periods and great aeons of 100,000, and 3) one who is of tremendous energy (Viriyãdhikapãramĩ) needs sixteen incalculable periods and great aeons of 100,000. Once perfectly developed, those are conducive to the Enlightened One and by virtue of it the innumerable virtues, the ten supreme intellectual powers of the Buddha being bodily endowed with thirty-two marks of the Great Man and with eighty characteristics, are also caused. The Bodhisattva’s position and courtesy are extremely essential in leading the nation. Since the past to the present, one who is endowed with ordinary level of wisdom, morality and leadership cannot lead and effectively solve social problems; such society somehow needs one who possesses Bodhisattva’s wisdom, morality and leadership and the Bodhisattva’s hospitality by nature comprises in: 1) it goes in this way all the time, 2) it becomes stable enduring to be proven; though it is forced by various situations and factors brining about intractable obstacles wherein evil conduct in thought, word and act is precipitated, yet Bodhisattva’s features are no longer changed, though it becomes worldly virtue, yet it becomes stabilized as if it is supramundane. In the matter of leadership, the inseparable basic quality of becoming leadership is of: 1) Pãramĩ; it is caused by the endless cultivation of the perfections, 2) the communicative skill; this basically embraces the systematic arrangement of what one is actually assigned to speak out, of voices, of time and place prior communicating any messages. More importantly, the ability to inspire ones’ mind is also required. So far as the solution to various problems goes, it is not only the ordinary level of ability one needs, it is not only a good person being endowed with honesty one should become, but it also requires the perfection level of knowledge of ‘Pãramĩ’; the superior level of being good like Bodhisattva stands in need and this can be achieved through the development of perfections. In Bodhisattva’s stories, two types of inspiration are clearly shown: 1) they are caused by Bodhisattva’s good conduct and duties, 2) they are caused by Bodhisattva’s bodily and mental features; the Bodhisattva’s physical and mental absolute perfections are called thirty-two marks of the Great Man, the even soles, for instance, he has a beautiful head as if it is fully decorated by face. Apart from these, he is physically endowed with certain qualities called eighty characteristics; his hand’s and foot’s fingers are beautifully yellow in nature, they become exquisite in orders possessing the aura and radiance illuminating and shining above and over the head. All of these physical qualities are ‘Paratoghosa’; though it means others’ utterance, yet it implicitly embraces other environment such as forms, smell, taste, tangible objects being touched through eyes, noses, and tongues including body, colorful corporeality, and places, artificialities derived from sculptures, or paintings, one is very much influenced upon by all of being perceived items particularly one whose intrinsic natures are of lust, faith, thirty-two marks of the Great Man and eighty characteristics. Suffice it to claim that what were already explained are of importance in nature wherein the faith and agreement can be somehow grown and thereby leading to reasoned attention. As regards the mental quality, four kinds of mental potentialities are naturally endowed with: 1) Vijjã; he possesses certain knowledge on the reality of life that life is under the law of three common characteristics, impermanent, suffering and non-substantiality, 2) Vimutti; he detaches things, 3) Visuddhi; Bodhisattva’s precepts are purified, and 4) power; since Bodhisattva possesses the high worldly level of concentration then by virtue of that he can exercise various miracle action as he sees fit, for instance.