GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Detailed explanation-1: -The Jatakas are an important part of Buddhist art and literature. They describe the previous existences or births of the Buddha (the Enlightened One) when he appeared as Bodhisattvas (beings who are yet to attain enlightenment or moksha), in both human and non-human forms.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Jataka tales are dated between 300 BC and 400 AD. Many of the tales are set in or near Benares, now called Varanasi, a city in north central India on the Ganges River. One of the world’s oldest cities, Varanasi is the most sacred place for Hindus. Buddhists and Muslims also have important religious sites nearby.

Detailed explanation-3: -In his previous lives, Gautama Buddha was incarnated in form of human beings, various animals, benevolent spirits, or as deities residing in the heavenly realms of the Buddhist cosmos. The Bhuridatta Jataka is a fine example that describes the moral abilities of sacred or mythical animals as sentient beings.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Jataka tales are stories that the Buddha told of his previous lifetimes as a Bodhisattva, before he attained final enlightenment. The Bodhisattva appears in each of these stories, in human or animal form, sometimes as the hero of the story, sometimes as one of the characters.