The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

The Vinaya Linkara (VinayalankAra) TikA, a commentary on the Discipline of the
Buddhist Holy Order, 2. The Weithandaya Pyo (Vessantara Pyo), and 3. Many epistles
and ratus. There were many other monks and lay writers in this period producing
various literary works covering both secular and religious subjects. Their names and
works are outside the scope of our discussion.
Jātakas, written in Burmese prose, continued to the Kon-baung period (1782-
1885 AD), during the reign of King Bodawpaya. 23 A monk by the name of U Obhasa
was famous for writing Jātakas in prose. It was U Obhasa who translated ten JAtakas
from PALi into simple Burmese prose for the first time. His intention was to make
Burmese people from all walks of life understand and appreciate the JAtakas. However
he could complete only eight of them. They were, 1. the Candakumāra-jātaka (544), 2.
the Nārada-jātaka (545), 3. the Vidhūra-jātaka (546), 4. the Vessantara -jātaka (547),
5. the Mahosada-jātaka (542), 6. the Mahā-janaka-jātaka (539), 7. the Nemi-jātaka
(541) and 8. the Temi (MUga-pakkha) –jātaka (538). The remaining two, the
Bhūridatta-jātaka (543) and the Suvannasāma-jātaka (540) were written in prose by
some other monks, Shin Nandamedha and Shin PaGGātikkha, respectively. The
Vessantara-jātaka, the Mahosada-jātaka and the Mahā-jānaka were prescribed
textbooks for middle and high schools for many years in the British colonial period. All
eight Jātakas done by U Obhasa were good prose works. Scholars accept that the
Vessantara-jātaka was his masterpiece.
23
Khin Maung Nyunt, An Out line of History of Burma Literature, p. 66.
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