Jataka are the stories of the previous lives of the Lord Buddha. Reincarnation, in an endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth, is one of the central themes of Buddhism. The Lord Buddha was no exception. He also had innumerable previous lives before he was born as Prince Sitthatha, a life when he finally attained enlightenment, nirvana and final escape from the cycle of rebirth.
Successive generations of Thai painters derived their inspiration from these Jataka stories. The last ten stories (so-called Tosa-Jataka) of the total 547 Jataka stories are mainly used as the subjects for painting and teachings. Of the last ten stories, the best known is the last one, called Maha Vessandara Jataka.
Maha Vessandara Jataka is the story of the last life of the Lord Buddha, the life when he cultivated the practice of giving. In his last life, he even consented to give away his children and wife despite his deep love for them. His deeds were considered to be the greatest sacrifice possible by a human being. The main point of this story is to praise the good deed of giving unselfishly and charitably. The story is very popular in Thailand as well as in other Buddhist countries. The story has also brought inspiration to countless Thai artists over the years.
Jataka stories are a helpful means by which Buddhist principles are explained and pointed out in a story form. These stories are interesting and entertaining and so are a very effective means of teaching morals to adults as well as children. Although the paintings are not for individual aesthetic expression, they are nonetheless works of art in their own right.
Apart from Jataka stories, the Life of the Lord Buddha is itself a popular theme for mural paintings in the Thai Buddhist temples. Several well-known events and incidents in his life, before and after he entered nirvana, can be found in paintings in temples in Bangkok and all over Thailand.
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