The Hare on the Moon:Jataka Story

Exploring the Dhamma, as understood from the perspective of the ancient Pali commentaries.
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happylotus1
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The Hare on the Moon:Jataka Story

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In one of his pervious births the Bodhisatta was born as a hare in Varanasi. He had three friends - a monkey, a jackal and an otter. Together they resolved to practise charity on the Uposatha day (the day of fast), that was to occur on the following day. In the tradition it was believed that one who stood fast in moral practice and alms-giving on that day would earn a great reward.
Next day, the otter brought seven red fishes abandoned on the bank of the Ganga river. The jackal wrongfully pilfered a lizard and a pot of milk-curd from somebody’s house. The monkey brought a bunch of mangoes. All these three were willing to offer their gifts to some beggar as act of charity. But the hare, when browsing the grass, felt that the grass would not be a good item for alms-giving. He, therefore, decided to offer his entire body in charity.
The hare’s resolve disturbed Lord Sakka (Indra), the king of the deva-s. To examine the hare’s virtue he came down on the earth in the guise of an ascetic and accosted the hare for food. The hare was delighted, because this provided him an opportunity to exemplify his highest act of sacrifice, which a mortal could ever perform. So, he asked the ascetic to pile the logs of wood and kindle the fire, where he would jump to offer his roasted meat to the latter.
When Sakka caused the heap of burning coals to appear, the hare shook himself thrice lest there were any insect in his fur. Thus, offering his whole body he fell on the heap of the burning twigs.
The fire, however, did not burn him. Impressed with the act, Sakka revealed his identity and applauded the hare’s virtue. He said `O wise hare! Be thy virtue known through out this whole aeon!” He then by squeezing the mountain daubed the sign of hare on the orb of the moon with its extracted essence.
We thus see the mark of the hare still visible on the moon to tell the saga of the Great Sacrifice.
Last edited by happylotus1 on Thu Apr 10, 2014 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
A householder or householder's son, hearing the Dhamma, gains conviction in the Tathāgata and reflects: 'Household life is confining, a dusty path. The life gone forth is like the open air. It is not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?
culaavuso
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Re: The Hare on the Moon: Do you believe in this Jataka stor

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Last edited by culaavuso on Thu Apr 10, 2014 7:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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robertk
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Re: The Hare on the Moon: Do you believe in this Jataka stor

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Moderator note: The next post that disregards the rules of this forum will be removed and a warning issued. The Ancient Commentaries are not looked down on here. If one thinks they knows better than the ancients please discuss this on another forum.
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Ben
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Re: The Hare on the Moon: Do you believe in this Jataka stor

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robertk wrote:Moderator note: The next post that disregards the rules of this forum will be removed and a warning issued. The Ancient Commentaries are not looked down on here. If one thinks they knows better than the ancients please discuss this on another forum.
thanks
Well said, Robert.
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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