Jataka Tales were told by Gautam Buddha (563 BC–483 BC) himself to stress the importance of moral values and explain concepts like rebirth. A total of 547 in number, the tales revolve around the past lives of the Buddha, sometimes as an animal and at other times as a human. Originally passed by word of mouth from generation to generation, these tales of wisdom and morals were first written in Pali around 300 BC and later translated into other languages.
Many of the tales are set in Benares (now Varanasi) and have animal characters who speak and act much like humans, teaching the values of self-sacrifice, honesty, morality, perseverance etc. Especially when the joint family system is breaking up and both parents could be working, the Jataka Tales are particularly relevant in our modern times, since children need proper guidance to lead stable lives and succeed professionally when they are adults.
