Mahavessantara Jataka in Thailand

A retrospective viewpoint

Abstract

This article traces the evolution of Mahachat or Mahavessantara Jataka since it spread orally from India and was used as an efficient instrument to win over new believers of Buddhism in the land now called The Kingdom of Thailand. Later, from Sri Lanka came the complete Pali scripture consisting of a thousand verses. This was commonly recited in full before the free-form translation of the Thai version in brief or with long descriptive details as demanded by the audience. The first manuscript version of the Pali-Thai authoritative translation was accomplished by a team of revered monks, famous sages and royal poets under the patronage of King Boromtrailokanath in B.E. 2025 and was called Mahachat Kamluang. Having been preserved through manuscripts and rote learning for more than 400 years, the KamLuang has been both a referential base and inspirational resource for literary and artistic creations concerning the jataka. Then it was recompiled by a royal committee assigned by King Rama V, and the first published version came out in B.E. 2460.

Later on, during the reign of King Rama IX, many official and private organizations both organized the Ceremony of Mahachat Recitals for public charity and helped publishing old and new Thai versions of the jataka (including a revised edition of the 2025 KamLuang on the occasion of the centenary celebration of Chulalongkorn University) as well as academical and/or critical literary creations, some of which, due to lack of reference-checking and disrupted memory, have confused and damaged the true story of the jataka. Timely notice and corrections are needed so as to restore the factual interpretation of our Buddha’s teachings.