Syama Jataka

The Syama Jataka or Sama Jataka is one of the Jataka tales or stories of the former lives of the Buddha, one of the "Ten Great Birth Stories of the Buddha" or Mahanipata Jataka, when he was still a Bodhisattva.[2]

Syama Jataka, Sanchi Stupa 1 Western Gateway. [1]
Translations of
Syama Jataka
Khmerសុវណ្ណសាមជាតក
(Sovannasam Cheadok)
Glossary of Buddhism

Story

Syama, the Buddha in a former life, was the only son of a blind hermit and his wife, who are entirely dependent on him for support. He attends to their needs with great devotion in an example of filial piety.

One day, Syama goes to draw water at the river and is shot with an arrow by the King of Benares, who is out hunting. Owing to the king’s penitence and his parents’ sorrow Indra intervenes and allows Syama to be healed and his parents’ sight to be restored.

Sanchi relief
Sama takes care of his blind parents. A modern rendering from Thailand.

The Jataka appear on a relief at Sanchi, Stupa No1, Western Gateway. At the right hand top corner of the panel arc the two hermitages with the father and mother seated in front of them. Below them their son Syama is coming to draw water from the stream.

Then, to the left, we see the figure of the King thrice repeated, first shooting the lad in the water, then with bow in hand, then standing penitent with bow and arrow discarded; and in the left top corner are the father, mother and son restored to health, and by their side the god Indra and the king.

References
  1. Marshall
  2. Asiatic Mythology: A Detailed Description and Explanation of the Mythologies by J. Hackin p.91

Source
  • Public Domain text of "A Guide to Sanchi" published in 1918 in India, John Marshall (1876-1958)
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