Does Theravada Buddhism accept Jataka Stories?
Upvote:1
The Jataka Tales appear in the Khuddaka Nikaya. Some later compositions on the Jataka Tales expand upon the original stogies hence some parts in these works might be fictitious or exaggerated.
Upvote:2
My understanding of Theravada is that it only accepts the Pali Canon as canonical and any other teaching that is in conflict with the Pali Canon is rejected. As the Jataka stories are actually part of the Pali canon, it can be said that Theravada Buddhism accepts the Jataka stories.
Upvote:5
No, it is not a general view. Theravada tradition does accept the Jataka stories. It is a part of Khuddaka Nikaya. But it is not unnatural for someone to doubt any part of the Tipitaka at any given time. Doubt can appear in the mind at any time. Apart from that, some teachers might opt to leave the Jataka stories out when they preach to western audiences as it may not be appealing to them.
Upvote:6
The Theravada accepts the Jataka stories as commentarial literature; they are not canonical, but are considered a reliable account by a learned Buddhist scholar. What are canonical are the verses that accompany the stories, as that is how 547 of the latter were easily remembered. Number of verses per varies; some have a single verse, others have over 100, I think.
It's not uncommon for modern Theravada Buddhists to question the authenticity of the stories, especially given their often fantastical content. Probably, though, it is more common for Theravada Buddhists to accept the stories far more at face value than they really should, again given their content.
More post
- π Is the path an individual journey?
- π Silence and emptiness
- π Ultimate existence and the self in Mahayana
- π Schopenhauerβs inexplicable disturbance in the heavenly calm of Nirvana?
- π Is Anapanasati a complete path? Does it, by itself, lead to nirvana?
- π Mindfulness of breathing - What is meant by "arising and passing away of the body"?
- π Meditation for Work Anxiety
- π Mindfulness, conciousness and directing attention
- π How is prayer different in Buddhism when compared to theistic religions?
- π If Dalai Lama is enlightened, why he keeps coming back?
- π Nimitta - sutta references
- π Where should the eye be oriented during Vipassana (Anapanasati)?
- π Aversion and Mahayana
- π Why the emptiness brings fear in to our mind?
- π Is mindfulness the path or the goal?
- π Do the words Sacred, Divine and Spiritual have any context in Buddhism?
- π Hungry ghosts and food offerings to the dead
- π How do you repent in Chinese Buddhism?
- π Meditation technique proposed by the Buddha
- π Paramitha vs Merits
- π Compassion for all sentient beings
- π Who is Bhikkhu SΔ«lΔcΔra?
- π Do enlighted people cry? Did the Buddha ever cry?
- π Is it possible to be reborn for all eternity?
- π How did Buddhism and Hinduism differ in their approaches to sex work
- π Rebirth as cycle of consciousness?
- π Are there Bad teachers? Is Mara in the Sanga?
- π Does 'right speech' prohibit expressions which "hate" anything at all?
- π What's the Jataka tale about a previous life of the Buddha sacrificing himself to get a dharma teaching (because dharma was so scarce and rare then)?
- π Watching the flow or flow?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- π Does Theravada Buddhism accept Jataka Stories?
- π Does Theravada Buddhism encourages animal release?
- π Does Buddhism accept Existence?
- π Does Zen Buddhism have canonical texts?
- π Does studying mathematics or science lead to a practitioner of Buddhism acquiring wrong philosophical views and mental afflictions?
- π Learning materials for Dependent Origination (PaαΉiccasamuppΔda) in Theravada Buddhism
- π What does Buddhism literature and tradition say about transgender folks?
- π How does Dating work in Buddhism
- π What does Buddhism say about boredom?
- π Does Buddhism have a concept of avatars?
- π How does Buddhism describe God?
- π How does Buddhism explain consciousness if there is no self?
- π How does Shambhala differ from traditional Vajrayana Buddhism as it is practiced in Asia?
- π Theravada Buddhism and Art
- π Does Theravada believe in feeding food to hungry ghosts?
- π What does buddhism say about bodybuilding (and weights training)?
- π What does Buddhism say about how to manage other people's anger?
- π What does Buddhism say about dealing with negative people?
- π I explain why I prefer discuss Buddhism intellectually but others don't seem to accept my point. Why is that?
- π On what basis does the 'right' in Buddhism come from?
- π Is Theravada Buddhism the only modern representative of Hinayana Buddhism?
- π Does Kwan Yin hold a place in Theravada Buddhism?
- π How does one practice Buddhism when experience is limited by the 6 senses?
- π What does Buddhism say about creativity and spiritual development?
- π What does Buddhism teach about fear of success?
- π How Does Buddhism Handle Internal Conflict
- π Does Buddhism focus on suffering too much?
- π How does buddhism describe what exactly, or where exactly, or how exactly, consciousness exists?
- π Does Buddhism have a significant notion of justice
- π Does Buddhism have a concept of blasphemy?