Jtaka

Applied Humanities

Themes in Literature Jātaka By Eric Steineger 2 Module Two: Introduction to the Humanities, continued / Page 2.2.4 Jātaka On this page: 0 of 3 attempted (0%) Objective: Analyze a traditional Buddhist fable to identify its theme.

This is a watercolor rendering of a rabbit jumping through concentric rings of yellow toward a white circle. The movement is from the bottom left to the upper right.

The Hare on the Moon by Bridget Dunigan. Watercolor on canvas, 2012.

Bridget Dunigan

“The Hare’s Self-Sacrifice” is a Buddhist fable that focuses on four friends: a monkey, a jackal, an otter, and the hare—who is the Bodhisatta. In this context, Bodhisatta can be translated as “the Buddha,” though in later texts, it may mean anyone who wishes to achieve enlightenment through a careful cultivation of the mind and spirit (Buddha Sasana).

While these friends are autonomous and hunt and gather their own food on separate plots in the jungle, “in the evening they again [come] together.” As the hare is imbued with Buddha’s spirit, he reaches out accordingly: “The hare in his wisdom... preached the Truth to his three companions, teaching that alms are to be given, the moral law to be observed, and holy days to be kept. They accepted his admonition and went each to

https://www.webtexts.com/courses/39511-sanderovsky/traditional_book
11/4/2020 HUM-200 - Page 2.2.4 - Jātaka

https://www.webtexts.com/courses/39511-sanderovsky/traditional_book/chapters/4297817-module-two-introduction-to-the-humanities-continued/page… 2/2

his own part of the jungle and dwelt there.” We might infer, as is suggested by the fable’s title, that a careful cultivation of the mind and spirit is not without trial.

The Jātaka Tales: The Hare’s Self-Sacrifice

Short-Answer Question

On a first read, what themes do you see in this story?

No response saved yet.

To understand this text, it helps to understand its genre. Clearly the story was written a long time ago and has religious significance. Animals are personified and talk to one another. With such fantastical characters who drive the narrative and furnish a moral or spiritual lesson, “The Hare’s Self-Sacrifice” qualifies as a fable rather than a parable, as parables do not involve such characters and instead use humans to furnish lessons. Most fables draw comparisons in order to bring the moral into the light. Consider the famous tale of “The Tortoise and the Hare.” Not only do we see a comparison between the characters’ actions (the Hare bursting ahead only to take a nap, the Tortoise slowly plodding along), but we also see a difference in demeanor. The moral: slow and steady wins the race.

Short-Answer Question

What are the key differences between how the hare in “The Hare’s Self- Sacrifice” handles the challenge and how the others handle the challenge?

No response saved yet. Short-Answer Question

What does the hare’s sacrifice suggest about the tenets of Buddhism?

No response saved yet. close

https://www.webtexts.com/courses/39511-sanderovsky/traditional_book/chapters/7674164e5e6511e692e03a0f49f