Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.s1.t7.5

v2.c10.s1.t7.5

Buddhist literary works of India cover a variety of genres including fables, fairy tales, myths and stories as well as verses and dramas, such as Asvaghasa’s *Buddhcarita* and *Sariputra-prakarana*. Tales in Buddhist texts of India can be divided into several categories: 1. Tales of the Buddha, which are mainly about the life of Sakyamuni and his birth, growth, monkhood, enlightenment, preaching and nirvana. 2. *Jataka Tales* ie tales told in *Jataka* concerning the previous lives of the Buddha in human and animal forms. They are ancient Indian folk tales affixed with a Buddhist tag. 3. Myths and legends including ancient Indian myths and legends recorded, polished and adapted by Buddhists, especially Brahmanic ones. 4. Karma tales or apadanas, tales used in Buddhist sutras to explain or demonstrate an argument or vinaya. 5. Magic power tales recorded in Buddhist texts about the supernatural power of various Buddhas and their disciplines. These are new myths created by Buddhists.