San Lo Mvu 58The Jātaka of the Monkey

Commentary on the Jātaka Sūtra of the Monkey

Background

The Jātaka of the Monkey is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, within the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The Jātakas are scriptures that recount the former births of the Buddha Śākyamuni, when he was still practicing the bodhisattva path through countless lives before becoming a Buddha.

This sūtra was preserved to illustrate a noble moral lesson, often related to one among the Ten Pāramitās, the highest virtues that a Bodhisattva must cultivate. In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, Jātakas are often used to explain the reason behind certain prohibitions or ethical rules, helping monks and nuns understand the nature of each training principle.

The monkey (vanarasa) appears in many Jātaka stories, bearing different qualities according to the lesson being conveyed. Often the monkey symbolizes intelligence and adaptability, but it may also represent afflicted mental formations such as greed, hatred, and delusion if not properly cultivated.

Main Content

Although the detailed content of this sūtra has not been fully supplied in the descriptive information, according to the Jātaka tradition, the story of the monkey often unfolds as follows: in a certain past life, the Bodhisattva or a bodhisattva was born in a deep forest in the form of an intelligent monkey, or a monkey encountered various forms of challenge.

The story may concern the monkey learning to overcome the shallows of defilement, or helping other animals even in dangerous circumstances. Usually, the lesson concerns self-restraint, compassion, or firm resolve. The Jātaka may also show how a properly cultivated mind can escape dangers, or conversely, how a lack of wisdom leads to downfall.

In the context of the Vinaya Piṭaka, this story is used as a foundation for teachings on the morality of action, called kamma.