In Buddhist tradition, the Buddha shared many stories of His past lives and these stories were consolidated into the Jataka Tales.  These stories of wisdom were initially passed from generation to generation in oral tradition.  In the voluminous Jataka Tales, the Buddha, in His past lives, appeared in myriad forms – king, ascetic, animals, god - and interacted with other characters who were usually revealed to be His contemporaries or disciples.  The purposes of the Tales are to share virtues and serve as guide for moral behaviour. 

The Panchatantra, another collection of stories, together with the Jataka Tales, are believed to be inspiration or origin for the fabled literature such as the Aesop Fables and the Arabian Nights.  Pancha means “five” and tantra means “ways or strategies or principles”; the Panchatantra is divided into five sections and covered many stories.

The influence of the Jataka Tales and the Panchantantra is immense with many wall murals or cravings depicting scenes and stories from the stories.  At many Buddhist destinations, it can be fun to spot these stories being depicted and shared by artists from the distant past.  In this blog, we are sharing the story of the Turtle and the Geese.

The Turtle and the Geese

Once upon a time, there was a turtle who had two geese as good friends.  They would gather daily at their pond to exchange tales and gossip.  One year, there was a drought and the water in the pond was slowly disappearing.

Alarmed at the situation, the two geese discussed leaving for another place with ample water.  They were reluctant to leave their good friend the turtle.  The turtle then devised a plan where both geese would hold a stick for the turtle to bite onto.  This way, they could carry the turtle with them when they flew off to the new place.

The swans agreed to the plan but they also warned the turtle not to open his mouth in any situation while in flight. 

Along the way, they passed by a village where the villagers were amazed at the scene of two geese carrying the turtle using the stick.  They started exclaiming their delight at the cleverness of the two geese.  Indignant, the turtle opened his mouth to shout to the villagers that it was his plan in the first place. In doing, the turtle crashed to the ground and died.

The moral of the story – always listen to good advice.

Candi Mendut

The Borobudur complex consists of Candi Borobudur, Candi Mendut and Candi Pawon.  The three candis are aligned at a distance with Candi Mendut about 2900m away from Borobudur.  Visitors have remarked at the beauty of Candi Mendut with its proportional balance, ornate murals and sculptures.

The exterior walls of Candi Mendut are filled with cravings of Bodhisattvas and stories from the PanchaNtantra.  Deep inside the building is an interior room with no windows.  The Shakyamuni Buddha is seated on His throne with His hands in Dharmacakra mudra position.  He is flanked by the Lokesvara and Vajrapani on both sides.  The three statues represent the Triple Gem of Buddhism – Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha.

JOIN US NOW ON OUR BOROBUDUR TOURS WHERE OUR GUIDE WILL REGALE YOU WITH STORIES OF THE JATAKA TALES AND THE PANCHANTANTRA!

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4D3N - Yogyakarta + Borobudur Ancient Candis Tour

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