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Vessantara Jataka Collection

The Vessantara Jataka is a beloved tale from Buddhist scripture that tells the story of Prince Vessantara, who gives away everything he owns

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Portrait of a Tibetan Monk, 12th century. Creator: Unknown

Portrait of a Tibetan Monk, 12th century. Creator: Unknown
Portrait of a Tibetan Monk, 12th century. Wearing the robes of a Tibetan Buddhist monk, the individual depicted in this portrait was probably a teacher of the Kadampa order

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 13 (The Return to the Captial), 1830-1860. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 13 (The Return to the Captial), 1830-1860. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 13 (The Return to the Captial), 1830-1860

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 9 (Maddi), 1830-1860. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 9 (Maddi), 1830-1860. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 9 (Maddi), 1830-1860

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 8 (The Royal Children), 1830-1860. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 8 (The Royal Children), 1830-1860. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 8 (The Royal Children), 1830-1860

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 4 (The Forest Edge): Vessantara, Maddi, Jali, and Kanha, 1830-1860 ()

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 4 (The Forest Edge): Vessantara, Maddi, Jali, and Kanha, 1830-1860 (). Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 4 (The Forest Edge): Vessantara, Maddi, Jali, and Kanha, 1830-1860 ()

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 5 (Jujaka), 1850-1870. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 5 (Jujaka), 1850-1870. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 5 (Jujaka), 1850-1870

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 2 (Himavanta Forest), 1920-1940. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 2 (Himavanta Forest), 1920-1940. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 2 (Himavanta Forest), 1920-1940

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 1, 1920-1940. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 1, 1920-1940. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 1, 1920-1940

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Narrative Scroll: Vessantara Jataka, 1st half 20th century. Creator: Unknown

Narrative Scroll: Vessantara Jataka, 1st half 20th century. Creator: Unknown
Narrative Scroll: Vessantara Jataka, 1st half 20th century

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 13 (The Return to the Capital), 1920-1940. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 13 (The Return to the Capital), 1920-1940. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 13 (The Return to the Capital), 1920-1940

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 9 (Maddi), c1920-1940. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 9 (Maddi), c1920-1940. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 9 (Maddi), c1920-1940. Collecting food in the forest is one of Maddi's daily activities during the family's exile

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11: Jujaka and the Royal Children are Brought to King

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11: Jujaka and the Royal Children are Brought to King... 18th-19th cent. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11: Jujaka and the Royal Children are Brought to King Sanjaya, 18th-19th century

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 1: Indra grants the ten boons to Phusati, 18th-19th century

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 1: Indra grants the ten boons to Phusati, 18th-19th century. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 1: Indra grants the ten boons to Phusati, 18th-19th century

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 10 (Indra's Realm), 1850-1870. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 10 (Indra's Realm), 1850-1870. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 10 (Indra's Realm), 1850-1870. The deity Indra fears that a dishonorable person will ask for Maddi

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 3 (The Gift), c1850-1870. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 3 (The Gift), c1850-1870. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 3 (The Gift), c1850-1870. After his banishment from the kingdom, Vessantara is accompanied into the forest by his wife, Maddi, and their two children

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 2 (Himavanta Forest), c1850-1870. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 2 (Himavanta Forest), c1850-1870. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 2 (Himavanta Forest), c1850-1870. In this scene, we see Prince Vessantara giving his prized white elephant to a group of brahmins from a neighboring kingdom

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 1 (Ten Boons), c1850-1870. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 1 (Ten Boons), c1850-1870. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 1 (Ten Boons), c1850-1870. Before her rebirth on earth as Vessantara's mother, Queen Phusati resided in heaven as the primary queen of Indra, king of the gods

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 5 (Jujaka), c1920-1940. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 5 (Jujaka), c1920-1940. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 5 (Jujaka), c1920-1940. The old brahmin Jujaka is poor but has a young, beautiful wife named Amittatapana

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11 (Maharaja), c1920-1940. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11 (Maharaja), c1920-1940. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11 (Maharaja), c1920-1940. Divine beings lead Jujaka to the palace of King Sanjaya, Vessantara's father

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 8 (The Royal Children), 1920-1940. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 8 (The Royal Children), 1920-1940. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 8 (The Royal Children), 1920-1940. Jujaka visits Vessantara in his cottage in the forest and asks for the children

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 6 (The Light Forest), c1920-1940. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 6 (The Light Forest), c1920-1940. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 6 (The Light Forest), c1920-1940. Wandering in the forest as he tries to find Vessantara, Jujaka is chased up a tree by dogs

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 3, c1920-1940. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 3, c1920-1940. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 3, c1920-1940

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11: Jujaka Beset by Villagers, c1875-1925. Creator: Unknown

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11: Jujaka Beset by Villagers, c1875-1925. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11: Jujaka Beset by Villagers, c1875-1925. As Jujaka is on his way back to his village with Vessantara's children

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11: Jujaka Treats Jali and Kanha Poorly; While Jujaka... c1875-1925

Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11: Jujaka Treats Jali and Kanha Poorly; While Jujaka... c1875-1925. Creator: Unknown
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11: Jujaka Treats Jali and Kanha Poorly; While Jujaka Sleeps the Children are Cared For, c1875-1925

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Jali and Kanhajina are Brought Before Their Grandfather King Sanjaya... 19th century

Jali and Kanhajina are Brought Before Their Grandfather King Sanjaya... 19th century. Creator: Unknown
Jali and Kanhajina are Brought Before Their Grandfather King Sanjaya Along with Their Captor, the Ugly Brahmin Jujaka, Scene from Vessantara Jataka, 19th century

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Maddi Faints at Loss of Children; Vessantara Revives Her... between c1860 and c1890

Maddi Faints at Loss of Children; Vessantara Revives Her... between c1860 and c1890. Creator: Unknown
Maddi Faints at Loss of Children; Vessantara Revives Her, Scenes from a Vessantara Jataka, between c1860 and c1890

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Reunion of Vessantara and Maddi with Their Children and Parents... between 1820 and 1840

Reunion of Vessantara and Maddi with Their Children and Parents... between 1820 and 1840. Creator: Unknown
Reunion of Vessantara and Maddi with Their Children and Parents, Scene from the Vessantaraataka, between 1820 and 1840

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Prince Vessantara Gives Away His White Elephant, Scene from Vessantara... between c1860 and c1890

Prince Vessantara Gives Away His White Elephant, Scene from Vessantara... between c1860 and c1890. Creator: Unknown
Prince Vessantara Gives Away His White Elephant, Scene from Vessantara Jataka on Generosity, between c1860 and c1890

Background imageVessantara Jataka Collection: Vessantara Jataka, Wat Suwannaram, Thonburi, 1831 (fresco)

Vessantara Jataka, Wat Suwannaram, Thonburi, 1831 (fresco)
894742 Vessantara Jataka, Wat Suwannaram, Thonburi, 1831 (fresco) by Thai School, (19th century); Wat Suwannaram, Thonburi



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The Vessantara Jataka is a beloved tale from Buddhist scripture that tells the story of Prince Vessantara, who gives away everything he owns, including his kingdom and family, in order to practice extreme generosity. This selfless act ultimately leads to his enlightenment and serves as a powerful lesson on the importance of compassion and altruism. The Vessantara Jataka has been passed down through generations and continues to inspire people around the world to cultivate kindness and generosity in their own lives. It reminds us that true happiness comes from giving without expecting anything in return, just like Prince Vessantara did.