The Jataka stories, over millennia, have been seminal to the development of many civilisations, the cultivation of moral conduct and good behaviour and the growth of a rich and varied literature in diverse parts of the world. The Buddha himself used Jataka stories to emphasise the importance of certain moral values.
The stories have also been used in corporate management workshops on decision-making based on traditional Indian values which tend to be forgotten in today's cut-throat competition.
The authors have collected some of the Jataka tales and appended to each of them insights for enlightened decision-making. The book concludes with a chapter which will help you tie up your newly discovered decision-making insights to modern management techniques so that your decisions make the best of both worlds.
About the Author(s)
Luis S. R. Vas has had a decades-long career in publishing, feature writing and corporate communication. He has authored about two dozen books on a wide range of subjects, including management.
Anita S. R. Vas is a Portuguese/English translator.
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Introduction
1. Crossing the Wilderness
2. A Good Friend
3. A Lesson for Kings
4. The Lion and the Crane
5. The Demon with the Matted Hair
6. The Great Monkey King
7. The Strong-minded Snake
8. A Gang of Drunkards
9. A Huge Lump of Gold
10. A Prince of Monkeys
11. The Green Wood Gatherer
12. Two Mothers
13. The Wicked Lady and the Buttermilk Wise Man
14. Country Man and City Wife
15. The Fish Who Worked A Miracle
16. The Shovel Wise Man
17. A Motherless Son
18. The Bull Called Delightful
19. The Phony Holy Man
20. One Way Hospitality
21. Poison Dice
22. Fear Maker and Little Archer
23. The Careless Lion
24. Clear-sighted the Great, King of the World
Conclusion: Ten Keys to Enlightened Decision-making
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Sample Chapters
(Following is an extract of the content from the book) | Hide  |
Country Man and City Wife
There was a well-known teacher who taught in and around Varanasi. He had over 500 students. One of these was from the distant countryside. Knowing little about the ways of city folks, he fell in love with a Varanasi girl and married her. After the marriage he resumed his studies with the famous teacher. But he started missing classes, sometimes staying away for two or three days at a time. His wife was used to doing whatever she wanted. Even though she was married to the student, she was not loyal and faithful. She still had secret boy friends. It just so happened that after she had been with a boy friend, she acted very humble with her husband. She spoke softly and tried very hard to please him. But on other days, when she had done nothing wrong, she was rude and domineering. She yelled at her husband and nagged him. This drove the man crazy. He was completely confused by how differently she acted from one day to the next. The countryman was so disturbed that he stayed away from classes. And while he remained home he discovered that his city wife was unfaithful. He was so upset that he missed school for seven or eight days. When he finally showed up, the famous teacher asked, “Young man, you have been away so long. What was the matter?” He replied, “Sir, my wife is cheating on me very much, and acts as humble as a servant. But on other days she is arrogant and domineering, rough and rude. I can’t figure her out. I don’t know what to do or where to go for help. That’s why I couldn’t attend your classes.” The teacher said, “Young man, don’t worry. Rivers can be bathed in by anyone, rich or poor. Highways too are open to all. Generous people build roadside rest houses to gain merit, and anyone can sleep there. Likewise, all are welcome to take water from the village well.” “So too, there are some women who won’t be faithful to one man. They love to keep their secret boy friends. That’s just the way some people are. It’s hard to understand why they act the way they do. But why get angry about what you cannot change?” “On the days when your wife has been with a boy friend, those are the days she acts meek and mild. But on the days when she has done nothing wrong, those are the days she acts rough and rude. That’s just the way some people are. So why get angry about what you cannot change?” “Accept her the way she is. Treat her in the same understanding way, whether she is kind or mean to you. Why get angry about what you cannot change?” “The student from the countryside followed the famous teacher’s advice. His city wife’s behaviour no longer upset him. And when she realised that her actions were no longer secret, she gave up her boyfriends and changed her ways. Insight: Understanding and loving ways relieve anger. Add acceptance to it and you’ll manage to bring about reform in those who proved to be incorrigible by using anger and scolding. The teacher was indeed wise: he convinced the husband to stop getting angry as one cannot change other people and instead he advised the husband to treat the wife well, always. Only when the husband followed the wise advice of his teacher and stopped getting angry and tried to change the wife, did she in fact change. So, because of the wisdom of the teacher the man discovered a very important truth about life: Only total acceptance of the people around us can change them and bring out the best in them. It may require a difficult decision and commitment from our part to be able to bestow on our dear ones “unconditional love and total acceptance” without admonishing them to behave in a particular way or perform well in their respective roles. But these two unconditional love and total acceptance, are extremely difficult as they, are almost unfailingly, powerful agents of transformation.
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