Buddhist Fables

  1. The Story of Ruru Deer
  2. The Story of Two Swans
  3. The Hare on The Moon
  4. The Story of Chaddanta Elephant
  5. The Story of Great Monkey
  6. The Story of The Two Deer
  7. The Story of a Buffalo
  8. Silava Elephant
  9. The Wise Monkey
  10. The Story of the Golden Swan
  11. The Story of The Great Ape
  12. The Mighty Fish
  13. Story of the Monkey King
  14. Lion and Jackal
  15. Somdatta
  16. The Story of the Crows
  17. The Monkey Brothers
  18. The Story of Nigrodha Deer
  19. Kalbahu
  20. Nandivisala
  21. Coronation of Owl
  22. The Feast of the Dead
  23. The Heart of the Monkey
  24. The Story of a Rooster
  25. The Story of a Tigeress
  26. The Pigeon and The Crow
  27. The Story of Romaka Pigeon
  28. The Story of Khardiya Deer
  29. The Thankless Monkey
  30. Can A Fool Ever Act Good!
  31. The Story of a Tortoise
  32. Jackal –The Arbitrator
  33. The Story of a Snake Charmer
  34. The Leather Garment
  35. The Giant Crab
  36. Mahilaimukha Elephant
  37. The Story of Vinilaka

Buddhist Classics

  1. The Sacrifice of Vessantara
  2. The Wisdom of Vidhura Pandita
  3. Chullabodhi – The Conqueror of Anger
  4. The Story of Kushinagar
  5. The Virtue of Forbearance
  6. Matanga – The World’s First Crusader of Untouchability
  7. The Temptation of Isisanga
  8. The Flight of Sakka
  9. Mahajanaka’s Renunciation
  10. The Wine-Jar
  11. The Sacrifice of Sivi
  12. The Box of the Monster
  13. The Lotus Stalk
  14. Kandari – The Handsome Prince
  15. Ghat: The Virtuous King
  16. Supparaka – The Ancient Mariner
  17. Sankhapala: The Naga King
  18. Champeyya
  19. The Baveru Island
  20. The Great Gambler
  21. The Story of The Dumb Prince
  22. The Naive House-Holder
  23. The Jewelled Serpent
  24. The Mango-Thief
  25. The Foot-Print Reader
  26. The Story of Sutasoma
  27. The Story of Sudasa
  28. The Little Bowman
  29. The Envoy of Belly
  30. Story of a Drummer
  31. The King, Who Knew The Language Of Animals
  32. The Happy Man
  33. Sama: The Good Son

Life and Legends of Buddha

  1. Gotama Buddha
  2. Birth Story of Gotama
  3. Maha Maya’s Dream
  4. Sage Asita’s Visit
  5. The Four Sights
  6. Story of Renunciation
  7. The Buddha’s Victory over Mara
  8. The Personality of the Buddha
  9. Nalgiri Elephant
  10. Story of Kumara Kassapa
  11. Dhamma-Chakka-Pavattana-Katha
  12. The Buddha’s Teaching of Abhidhamma
  13. Buddha's Visit to Rahula Mata
  14. The Savatthi Miracles
  15. The Flying Buddha
  16. Story of Parinibbana
  17. Suddhodana
  18. Sujata
  19. Sariputta
  20. Moggallana
  21. Story of Mara
  22. Bimbisara
  23. Nanda
  24. Janapada Kalyani Nanda
  25. The Spiritual Journey of Janapada Kalyani
  26. Phussa Buddha
  27. Vipassi Buddha
  28. Sikhi Buddha
  29. Vessabhu Buddha
  30. Kakusandha Buddha
  31. Konagamana Buddha
  32. Kassapa Buddha
  33. Metteya

The Illustrated Jataka & Other Stories of the Buddha by C. B. Varma Introduction | Glossary | Bibliography

072 – Birth Story of Gotama

Sumedha abhinihara-karana or mulanidhana before the Dipankara Buddha.
Sumedha later became Gotama Buddha

G otama Buddha is considered as the twenty-fourth Buddha.

The Buddha is a generic and appelative name, which means “one who has attained Enlightenment”. The Pali commentaries mention four categories of the Buddha, first being the category of the Sabbannu Buddhas or the Omniscient Buddhas, which refers to the class of the Enlightened Ones (Buddhas) committed to the Nibbana for others. The second category of the Buddhas is that of the Paccheka Buddhas, who are also Enlightened but do not preach for the spiritual evolution of the others. The third group of the Buddhas commonly designated by Chatusaccha Buddhas refers to the arahantas (i.,e., those who have destroyed their defilements or asavas); and finally there is the category of the Bahussuta Buddhas, which refers to the learned ones.

The Pali tradition furnishes a list of twenty-four Buddhas born before Sakyamuni Gotama Buddha. (See Introduction).

In accordance with the tradition of the Buddhas, the Bodhisatta Sumedha made a solemn pledge (abhinihara-karana or mulanidhana) before Dipankara Buddha for the welfare and liberation of all creatures. (A Bodhisatta is an aspirant of the bodhi or Englightenment). The latter then approved of the pledge (abhinihara) by the declaration (vyakarana) that ‘this Bodhisatta shall become a Buddha’. The Bodhisatta then sought to develop the unique qualities of the Buddhahood (Buddhakarakadhamma) by way of ten perfections (dasa-parami), namely, dana (charity), sila (right-conduct), nekkhama (dispassionateness), panna (wisdom), viriya (steadfastness), khanti (forbearance), saccha (truthfulness), aditthana (pledge), metta (loving compassion), upekkha (non-attachability). His struggle for those perfections are well exemplified in Ekaraja, Khantivadi, Chulla Sankhapala, Maha Janaka, Mahasutasoma, Mugapakkha, Lomahamsa, Sattubhattaka, Sasa and Sutasoma Jatakas.

Before his conception he was born in the Tusita heaven and waited for the opportune time for the final course of his birth. According to the Lalitavistara he had appointed the Bodhisattva Vishvapani as the king of the Tusita Loka before his conception. It may be noted that Vishvapani shall be the next Buddha and is called the Future Buddha or Maitreya (Pali: Metteya) Buddha.

Siddhattha was conceived in the womb of Mahamaya, the consort of the king Suddhodana of Kapilavatthu on the full-moon day of Asalha. Her pregnancy was supernatural as the baby had entered her womb without any physical relationship. This event is particularly ascribed to the Maha Maya’s dream of a white elephant, which entered her womb from her right side.

Further, her conception is marked by the appearance of thirty-two special events like the earth-quake; light flooding the ten thousand world-systems (Chakkavalas); and extinction of the fire in hells.

Ten months later, on the full-moon day of Vishaka (May), Maya Devi undertook a journey to Devadaha to visit her parents. On her way she saw the beautiful grove of Lumbini; and desired to break the journey for a while. Walking around, she came under a great sal tree. No sooner than she reached there she had a sudden labour pain. Thus, seizing one of the branches of the sal she delivered the baby Siddhattha.

When the baby was born it is said that the four regent devas (Chatur-Mahabrahmas) received him in a golden net; and the celestial shower from the sky washed him. When born, the boy instantly stood on the earth and took seven steps towards north and roared like a lion to utter – “I am the Master of the world”.

On the same day, seven other beings were born, namely, the bodhi tree; Yashodhara or Rahulamata (his wife); the horse Kanthaka; Channa, the charioteer; his elephant; Kaludayi (his friend in his child-hood) and seven treasure troves.

He was taken back to Kapilavatthu on the same day. His mother, however, died a week after his birth.

See Acchariyabbhutadhamma Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya iii.118; Digha Nikaya ii.12 f.; Mahavastu ii.47 ff.