Sama Jataka, Sāma-jātaka, Samajataka: 3 definitions
Introduction:
Sama Jataka means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesOnce two hunters, chiefs of villages, made a pact that if their children happened to be of different sexes, they should marry each other. One had a boy called Dukulaka, because he was born in a wrapping of fine cloth; the other had a daughter called Parika, because she was born beyond the river. When they grew up the parents married them, but, because they had both come from the Brahma world, they agreed not to consummate the marriage. With their parents consent they became ascetics, and lived in a hermitage provided for them by Sakka on the banks of the Migasammata. Sakka waited on them, and perceiving great danger in store for them, persuaded them to have a son. The conception took place by Dukulaka touching Parikas navel at the proper time. When the son was born they called him Sama, and, because he was of golden colour, he came to be called Suvannasama. He was the Bodhisatta.
One day, after Sama was grown up, his parents, returning from collecting roots and fruits in the forest, took shelter under a tree on an anthill. The water which dripped from their bodies angered a snake living in the anthill, and his venomous breath blinded them both. When it grew late Sama went in search of them and brought them home. From then onwards he looked after them.
Piliyakkha, king of Benares, while out hunting one day, leaving his mother in charge of the kingdom, saw Sama drawing water, and, lest he should escape, shot at him with his arrow. The king took him for some supernatural being, seeing that the deer, quite fearless, drank of the water while Sama was filling his jar.
When Piliyakkha heard who Sama was and of how he was the mainstay of his parents, he was filled with grief. Sama fell down fainting from the poisoned arrow, and the king thought him dead. A goddess, Bahusodari, who had been Samas mother seven births earlier, lived in Gandhamadana and kept constant watch over him. This day she had gone to an assembly of the gods and had forgotten him for a while, but she suddenly became aware of the danger into which he had fallen. She stood in the air near Piliyakkha, unseen by him, and ordered him to go and warn Samas parents. He did as he was commanded, and, having revealed his identity, gradually informed them of Samas fate and his own part in it. But neither Dukulaka nor Parika spoke to him one word of resentment. They merely asked to be taken to where Samas body lay. Arrived there, Parika made a solemn Act of Truth (saccakiriya), and the poison left Samas body, making him well.
Bahusodari did likewise in Gandhamadana, and Samas parents regained their sight. Then Sama preached to the marvelling king, telling him how even the gods took care of those who cherished their parents.
The story was told in reference to a young man of Savatthi. Having heard the Buddha preach,
Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary1) Sāma, 2 (nt.) (perhaps=Vedic sāman) song, sacred song, devotion, worship, propitiation D. II, 288. (Page 704)
2) Sāma, 1 (cp. Vedic śyāma black & śyāva brown; Av. syāva; Ags. h&amacremacr; ven blue (=E. heaven); Gr. skoiόs, skiά (shadow)=Sk. chāyā; Goth. skeinan=shine, etc. ) 1. black, dark (something like deep brown) Vin. IV, 120 (kāḷasāma dark blue (?)); D. I, 193; M. I, 246 (different from kāḷa); J. VI, 187 (°aṃ mukhaṃ dark, i.e. on account of bad spirits); Vism. 422 (opp. to odāta in colour of skin).—2. yellow, of a golden colour, beautiful J. II, 44, 45 (migī); V, 215 (suvaṇṇa-sāmā), 366 (suvaṇṇa-vaṇṇa).—f. sāmā, q. v.—See sabala. (Page 704)
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionarySāmajātaka (सामजातक):—[=sāma-jātaka] [from sāma > sāman] n. Name of a Buddhist Sūtra.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Jataka, Cama, Sama.
Full-text: Bahusodari, Suvannasama, Paraga, Piliyakkha, Dukula, Parika, Matuposaka Sutta, Salikedara Jataka, Sutano Jataka, Sona Nanda Jataka, Matuposaka Jataka, Gijjha Jataka, Jayaddisa Jataka, Sama.
Relevant text
Search found 4 books and stories containing Sama Jataka, Sāma-jātaka, Samajataka, Sāmajātaka; (plurals include: Sama Jatakas, jātakas, Samajatakas, Sāmajātakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (by Fa-Hien)
Buddhist records of the Western world (Xuanzang) (by Samuel Beal)
Chapter 21 - Country of Kien-t’o-lo (Gandhara) < [Book II - Three Countries]
The Jataka tales [English], Volume 1-6 (by Robert Chalmers)
Jataka 540: Sāma-jātaka < [Volume 6]
The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
(7) Seventh Pāramī: The Perfection of Truthfulness (sacca-pāramī) < [Chapter 6 - On Pāramitā]