About: Syama Jataka

The Syama Jataka or Sama Jataka or Sovannasam Cheadok is the third of the Jataka tales in the collection of Ten Jataka or Mahanipata Jataka, which tell of the last ten lives of the Buddha prior to the life in which he achieves enlightenment. The Syama Jataka tells the story of a Bodhisatva who descends to earth in order to be born as the child of two a pious hermits. As a young man, Sovannasam becomes a hermit as well, and then dedicates himself to the care of his parents who have been blinded. Followers of Buddhism believe that the Buddha told the story in a sermon at Wat Chetapun in order to explain the virtues of Sovannasam's conduct to a monk who was uncertain whether it was appropriate for a monk to take care of his a parents.