Jataka Tales are a collection of 547 Buddhist stories, which are believed to have been originally spoken by the Buddha in previous lives as a bodhisattva. These tales are meant to teach moral lessons and virtues such as wisdom, compassion, and generosity. The tales feature animals, humans, and supernatural beings and are popular in many parts of Asia, particularly in Buddhist countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar. The stories are often entertaining and provide valuable lessons for people of all ages, making them a cherished part of many cultures' oral traditions.
The Story of Great Monkey ~ Jatak Tales In English
Himalayan flowers are well known for their specialties. Unfortunately, many of their species are becoming extinct. Some have been reduced to only anecdotes and stories. The story dates back to a time when a unique tree of the Himalayas with its legume specialty was situated on the bank of a deserted mountain river. Its flowers were bigger than Kurian of Thailand, more juicy than cherry and sweeter than mango. His shape and fragrance were also enticing to the mind.
A herd of monkeys lived on that tree, who used to taste and consume those flowers with great freedom. There was also a king of those monkeys who was many times bigger, stronger, virtuous, wise and virtuous than other monkeys, hence he was known as Mahakapi. With his foresight, he had warned all the monkeys that no fruit of that tree should be left on the branches under which the river flows. The monkeys following him also gave full importance to his words because if a fruit fell in the river and flowed away to a man, then the result would have been very terrible for the monkeys.
One day, unfortunately, a fruit of that tree ripened in between the leaves, broke off from the branch, and flowed into the stream of the flowing river.
In those days, the king of that country was roaming on the banks of the same river with his women, maids and servants. That flowing fruit came and stopped there. The women of the king were mesmerized by the fragrance of that fruit and closed their eyes and became ecstatic. The king also became happy with that fragrance. Soon he sent his men after the source of that fragrance. The king's men immediately got that fruit on the river bank and brought it in front of the king in a moment. When the fruit was tested, it was found that it was a non-poisonous fruit. When the king tasted that fruit, a strong desire arose in his heart to get such fruits and its tree. Within a moment, the soldiers found the same fruit tree as well. But he did not like the presence of monkeys there. Immediately he started killing the monkeys with arrows.
The semi-man Mahakapi then jumped to save his comrades by trapping his feet on a cane stick located on a hill near that tree, again holding the branch of the same tree with both his hands and lying down for his comrades. Built a bridge. Then he shouted and ordered his companions to climb on top of him and run away by jumping on the hill with reeds. In this way, all the monkeys ran away by jumping on the hill on the other side with the wisdom of the great monkey.
The king saw and appreciated the sacrifice of Mahakapi very carefully. He ordered his men to capture the giant ape alive.
At that time Mahakapi's condition was very serious. Due to being crushed by fellow monkeys, his whole body was torn. The king also made all the arrangements for his treatment, but the eyes of Mahakapi were closed forever.
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