Endless path

Jataka tales are the stories that reveal the Buddha’s previous births as a bodhisattva (one who has attained enlightenment, but who chooses not to pass into Nirvana [the state of supreme bliss, tranquility, and purity, when the fires of desire are extinguished], opting to remain in the world to help lesser beings attain enlightenment) working towards the goals of Buddhahood. Martin naturally relates to stories, having children of his own. Interest in stories is with us from an early age, with tales being used in most religions to exemplify the principles propagated by the different belief systems concerned (just think of the Parables in the Bible, for example, in terms of Christianity). In Endless Path, Martin shares with the reader original telling of the jataka stories, “versions created to speak in a lively colloquial, vernacular voice to contemporary readers.” He himself has “gained strength from an ongoing connection with the jatakas and the life of the Buddha, enough to begin to trust his own way and then to find it.” The commentaries for each story offer a Zen “take” on the jatakas and on their relevance to our daily lives and practice. Extolling qualities of generosity, mor