Paññāsa Jātaka


The Paññāsa Jātaka, is a non-canonical collection of 50 stories of the Buddha's past lives, originating in mainland Southeast Asia. The stories were based on the style of the Jātakatthavaṇṇanā, but are not from the Pāli Canon itself. The stories outline the Buddha's biography and illustrate his acquisition of the perfections, with a strong focus on generosity.

Origins

According to 17th and 18th century Burmese tradition, the stories may have originated in 15th century Lan Na. According to Damrong Rajanubhab, the stories were first composed in Chiang Mai between 1467 and 1667.

Versions

The collection has 3 recensions, one in Laotian and 2 in Pali, one from Burma, and another from Cambodia and Thailand. The Burmese version is also known as Zinme Pyinnyatha, from where the collection was likely transmitted. While there is some overlap between the versions, there is a significant degree of variation in the 3 recensions.