Battle of Wits

The Hindus believe that all living creatures die to be born again. Siddhartha who became the Buddha was no exception. It is believed that several lifetimes as a Bodhisattva go into the making of the Buddha, the Enlightened One. The Bodhisattva has come in many forms ? man, monkey, deer, elephant and lion. Whatever his mortal body, he has spread the message of justice and wisdom, tempered with compassion. This wisdom of right thinking and right living is preserved in the Jataka tales. We cannot assign a definite date to the Jataka tales. Taking into account archaeological and literary evidence, it appears that they were compiled between 300 B.C. and A.D. 500. They give us invaluable information about ancient Indian civilizations, culture and thought. According to Maha Ummagga Jataka, the Bodhisattva was once born as Aushadha Kumar, the son of Seth Shrivardhana of Yavamajjhaka. This Chitra Katha recounts a few tales of the childhood of Aushadha Kumar.