Environmental Consciousness in Buddhist Jatakas

This article focuses on Buddhist Jatakas to understand the environmental consciousness in Buddhism. Jatakas have been chosen primarily because firstly, they have been around for a long. Historians have argued that Jataka tales were a part of oral tradition of Pali Canon which existed almost 500 years ago than the written version. Secondly, as the tales have been a tool to educate the laymen in Buddhist philosophy and inculcate in them the virtues of Buddhism, it will be interesting to observe and analyse how the common folk understand and perceive his relationship with environment. There could be certain limitations in this effort as the stories were based and modulated according to Buddhist philosophy rather than conservation and environment concerns. Animal and plant life depicted in these stories is symbolic and certain parallels to human life have been drawn. They have greater inclination to human life rather than plant and animal life. Still with minute observations concern towards environment could be witnessed in many of them. It should also be kept in mind that it is in the world of humans that we are trying to develop the conscious and certain ethics towards environment, for this the Jataka tales help in great deal.