Vessantara Jātaka
The tale of Prince Vessantara is celebrated as an annual festival in Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.
[1][2] When Gautama Buddha visited his father's kingdom for the first time after he achieved enlightenment, elders of the ruling dynasty did not pay him respect out of conceit, since they were older than the former Prince Siddhartha.
Indra gave her ten boons she could ask for, and one of wishes she made was "Let me become the mother of bodhisattva, who in his next life will achieve enlightenment".
One day, Vessantara gave away the magical white elephant, which had brought rain to his kingdom, to envoys from Kalinga, a neighboring country which was facing a drought.
Thus, they convinced King Sanjaya to resume control of the kingdom and banish his son Vessantara.
Before leaving the city and going to live in the forest as a rishi (hermit) with his wife Madri and their two children, Jali and Kanha, he also gave away his wealth.
Along the way Vessantara gave away his horses and four deities appeared in the form of stags to pull the chariot.
The young prince and princess saw wild fruit hanging on high branches, but their parents could not reach it.
The king of Ceta ordered a hunter to patrol the entrance to the mountain, to prevent anyone from disturbing the family.
Meanwhile, Jujaka, a greedy old brahmin who lived as a beggar, had a very young wife, Amittada, who was also very beautiful and hard-working.
One day, in a fit of jealousy, all the village women gathered by the well and beat up the Brahmin's young wife, tearing her clothes.
Jujaka met a forester guarding the entrance to the Vamka Mountain and tricked him by claiming that Vessantara's banishment had been revoked.
Then Indra gave Madri back to Vessantara as a trust, for all his acts of benevolence and generosity had been perfect.
They made Jujaka take a wrong turn and led him to into Sivi Kingdom and through the palace gate.
Kanha's price was higher than her brother's, as her father wanted no-one to buy her from Jujaka.
This text was composed in Sri Lanka in the early modern period by a secular poet, and emphasizes abandonment and emotional desolation.
[14] The Thet Mahachat is very popular both in rural and urban communities, often with dance and drama performances, as well as festive parades and processions through the towns.
During this Buddhist festival the monks give a sermon about the entire text of the Vessantara Jataka, accompanied by rituals and cultural performances.
Because of its central role in the Thet Mahachat or Boun Pha Vet celebrations, the Vessantara Jataka is an important part of the traditional folklore in many areas of the Southeast Asian region.
Some of the scenes, especially the mismatched couple formed by Jujaka, the old Brahmin, and his young wife Amittada, are attractive for the public during the festival.
[16] Scenes of the Vessantara Jataka are found depicted on the walls of Buddhist temples throughout Southeast Asia.
They are also engraved on the murals of Angkor Wat, Cambodia, and depicted in ancient patterns on ikat silk cloth.
Merit-making and paramis were greatly emphasized in this festival, through the story about Prince Vessantara's generosity.
Initially, the festival was an important way for the Chakri dynasty to legitimate itself, as Vessantara was the model prince who became king through the power of his merits and sacrifice.
Nevertheless, the use of merit-making by the Thai monarchy and government to solidify their position and create unity in society has continued until at least the late twentieth century.
[6] Gallery photos of the murals from Three Bridges Temple (Thai: วัดสะพานสาม; RTGS: wat saphan sam), Phitsanulok, Thailand, 2015.
