--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "Ong Yong Peng" <ypong001@...> wrote:

> Dear Robert, Frank and friends,
>
> thanks. Robert, it's quite a mouthful.
>
> metta,
> Yong Peng

__________
Dear Yong peng,
Sorry to be so long winded.
Still at the risk of boring everyone I add more.
As Frank and Cheang OO have indicated these Jataka could all been
myths added by monks in later times into the Tipitaka, perhaps they
copied aesops fables. Or the Buddha could have just added them as
stories not meant to be believed - like fairy stories. I can't be
sure of any of it. Still I take the Tipitaka (belief only, no
proof) to be a faithful complilation of his words and the words of
the great monks. The Jatakas - as far as I believe- dated from the
time of the Buddha. The commentaries to them also were at the same
time (belief only).
From the Anguttara nikaya book of sevens
(Dhamma~n~nuu sutta.m)
Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu dhamma~n~nuu ca hoti attha~n~nuu ca
atta~n~nuu ca matta~n~nuu ca kaala~n~nuu ca parisa~n~nuu ca
puggalaparovara~n~nuu ca.
(1) Katha~nca bhikkhave bhikkhuu dhamma~n~nuu hoti. Idha bhikkhave,
bhikkhuu dhamma.m jaanaati sutta.m geyya.m veyyaakara.na.m gaatha.m
udaana.m itivuttaka.m ***JAATAKA.M*** abbhuutadhamma.m vedalla.m. No
ce bhikkhave, bhikkhuu dhamma.m jaaneyya sutta.m geyya.m
veyyaakara.na.m gaatha.m udaana.m itivuttaka.m jaataka.m
abbhuutadhamma.m vedalla.m nayidha dhamma~n~nuti vucceyya
4. Dhamma¤¤åsuttaü- Knowing the Teaching.
007.04. Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu endowed with seven things is
reverential, .re. the incomparable field of merit for the world.
What seven?
Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu knows the Teaching, the meanings, the
self, the measure, the right time, the gathering and the individual
here and beyond.
Bhikkhus, how does the bhikkhu know the Teaching?
Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu knows the Teaching in expositions, mixed
prose and verse, in explanations, four lined verses, thus said
sayings, birth stories (JATAKA), wonderful things and questions and
answer expositions. Bhikkhus, if the bhikkhu did not know the
Teaching in expositions, mixed verse and prose.re. and questions and
answer expositions, he does not know the Teaching in this
dispensation.

The confounding of Saddhamma
Anguttara Nikaya book of fives 155
Abridged translation.
Monks these five things lead to the confounding, the disappearance
of Saddhamma. What five?
Herein monks, the monks master not Dhamma:. The sayings,
psalms...JATAKAS …..
This monks is the first thing...
The teach not others in detail as heard, as learned....
They make not others speak it in detail....
.They make no repetition of it in detail...
Again monks, the monks do not in their hearts turn over and ponder
upon Dhamma, they review it not in their minds.
This monks is the fifth thing that leads to the confounding, the
disappearance of Saddhamma

Dutiya saddhammasammosa sutta.m)
(Saavatthinidaana.m)
5. Pa~ncime bhikkhave dhammaa saddhammassa sammosaaya
antaradhaanaaya sa.mvattanti. Katame pa~nca:
Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu dhamma.m na pariyaapu.nanti sutta.m geyya.m
veyyaakara.na.m gaatha.m udaana.m itivuttaka.m **JAATAKA.M
**abbhutadhamma.m vedalla.m. Aya.m bhikkhave, pa.thamo dhammo
saddhammassa sammosaaya antaradhaanaaya sa.mvattati.
Puna ca para.m bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathaasuta.m yathaapariyatta.m
dhamma.m na vitthaarena paresa.m2desenti. Aya.m bhikkhave, dutiyo
dhammo saddhammassa sammosaaya antaradhaanaaya sa.mvattati.
Puna ca para.m bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathaasuta.m yathaapariyatta.m
dhamma.m na vitthaarena paresa.m vaacenti. Aya.m bhikkhave, tatiyo
dhammo saddhammassa sammosaaya antaradhaanaaya sa.mvattati.
Puna ca paraü bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathàsutaü yathàpariyattaü dhammaü
na vitthàrena sajjhàyaü karonti. Ayaü bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo
saddhammassa sammosàya antaradhànàya saüvattati.
RobertK