The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

The Th. VJ consists of 26 sections, compared with the PALi version of the VJ,
only 13 sections from the VJ itself. However, since the Th. VJ itself passed on from
generation to generation, there are slight differences between many versions due to the
carelessness of the scribes and the particular needs of the people in each place. For
instance, the Th. VJ may be arranged merely for the purpose of chanting or it may be
arranged for the preservation of the text. Some parts might be cut and some might be
inserted where found necessary or unnecessary for the occasion of the time.
The 26 sections or KanDas of the Th. VJ are: (1) PAramI, perfections; 7 (2)
UBhassa, anxiety; (3) LokavuDDhi, the welfare of the world; (4) Suttanta, discouses of
the Buddha; (5) the Vinaya, the rules of monks; (6) the Abhidhamma-piTaka, the
philosophical teaching of the Buddha; (7) Pathama Malai, Phra Malai Kao, or Pathama
MAleyya, a text about Phra Malai’s visiting hells; (8) Dutiya Malai, Phra Malai Pai, or
Dutiya MAleyya, about Phra Malai’s visiting heavenly abodes; (9) Pathama GAthA, the
first section of the stanzas; (10) Dutiya GAthA, the second section of the stanzas; (11)
Tatiya GAthA, the third section of the stanzas; (12) Dasabon or Dasavara, the section
about ten boons given to PhusatI by the king of gods, Indra; (13) Himapan or
Himavana, the section on the Himalaya; (14) DAnakan or DAnakaBda, the section on
almsgiving; (15) Vanapave or Vannapavesana, the section on entering the forest; (16)
Jujauk or JUjaka, the description on JUjaka Brahmin; (17) Culapon or CuLLavana, the
section the small forest; (18)Mahapon or MahAvaBBa, the section on the great forest;
(19) KumArapan or KumAra-pabba, the section on King Vessantara’s giving away his
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Th. VJ, pp. 1-6. See also MahA Vessantara KaBthi, Vol I, a recopy by Nanseng, pp. 1-4; Vessantara
KaBthi, Vol I, a recopy by Nan Ai Wan Pong, pp. 1-4. These three copies are on folding books in the
forms of hand made paper. We can also study PAramI which has 7 pages on palm leaves, a copy by
Nanseng, pp. 1-7.
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