The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

Among the ten great JAtakas, eight, adapted by U Obhasa, as already mentioned
earlier, would be read not only as the teachings of the Buddha but also as modern
stories, reading for fun. The VJ is considered the best, as can be seen in Spiro’s remark:
"The story of Prince Vessantara is probably the best known and
most loved of all Buddhist stories. It is taught to every schoolboy,
alluded to frequently in conversation, recounted repeatedly in sermons,
and even more important regularly enacted in dramatic form as part of
the fare of the Burmese repertory troupes. Its sacrificial idiom provides
the standard charter for and reinforces the Burmese belief in the
religious efficacy of giving". 65 Indeed, Blurton and Isaacs also observe
“the Vessantara-jAtaka is the most favoured in Burma of all the JAtaka
stories and the last before the birth of the historical Buddha”. 66
The popularity of the VJ in Burma simply can be judged from the fact that even
Kun It, the Flat betel-box, as it is called in Burmese, is decorated with the scenes from
the VJ. 67 Many other scholars on Burmese culture, for example, Mack also accepts that
“The Wethandaya or Vessantara is one of the ten 68 great Burmese Zats or Birth stories
of the pre-existence of Gautama, the founder of the Buddhist religion”. 69
So, the VJ gained popularity and has been adapted by different Burmese authors.
But the most acceptable and the classic version was of course, the version written by
Minbu U Obhasa. It is called the Weithantara Zatdaygyi, “The Great VessantarajAtaka”.
Its composition is quite different from the others. For instance, in the section on
MaddI, he described how MaddI panics and wails at losing her children, in a vivid
manner. The readers are unable to hold their heartache for her. Some would burst into
tears reading it or watching scenes from the drama. 70 The Vesssantara-jAtaka was also
65
Spiro, Buddhism and Society, p. 108.
66
Blurton and Isaacs, Visions from the Golden Land Burma and the art of lacquer, p. 214.
67
Ibid. pp. 124-125.
68
The last ten birth stories of the Buddha are known in Burmese, as Zat Gyi Zae Pa, the Great Ten
Births.
69
Mack, Notes on the Wethandaya, p.1.
70
Pe Maung Tin, Burma Sape Tha Maing, pp. 221-222.
79