What is 'Jataka Katha' in the context of Buddhism? Has it any significance in the light of Buddha's life?

Answer 1

Lord Buddha used to elucidate philosophical answers by use of parables and it is said that there were as many as 550 such stories associated with his 550 previous lives. He was able to recollect his past lives and narrate those to explain with real life examples while having dialogue with his disciples on various subjects.

'Jataka' etymologically means certain things associated with ones birth and 'Mala' or 'Katha' means garland of stories. It is canonical so far as Buddhism as a faith is concerned. The Theravada sect might have certain reservations but Buddhists whole over the world hold the Jataka Katha or Jataka Mala in high esteem.

It is originally in Pali, a dialect of Sanskrit but later has been translated into even Persian and other European languages like Greek, German, Italian, English and other Indian languages. In 1890 Harvard University Press published Kern's Book in Harvard's Oriental Series. In 1895 Speyer wrote 'Sacred Books of the Buddhists' published by Oxford University Press.

Answer 2

The Jataka is a voluminous body of folklore and mythic literature, primarily associated with the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as written in the Pali language (from about the 3rd century, A.D.); however, the stories found in the Jataka have been found in numerous other languages and media — many of them being translations from the Pali versions, but others are instead derived from vernacular traditions prior to the Pali compositions. Sanskrit and Tibetan Jataka stories tend to maintain the Buddhist morality of their Pali equivalents, but re-tellings of the stories in Persian and other languages sometimes contain significant amendments to suit their respective cultures.The word most literally refers to a Buddhist Scripture. Jataka also refers to the traditional commentary on the Scriptures anything in the same literary genre.
Jataka tales are not considered Buddha-vacana, i.e., generally, Theravada Buddhists do not accord them the authority of being the actual word of the Buddha, and orthodoxy maintains that they are not canonical writings. However, most of the verses embedded in them, and a small amount of prose, are regarded as part of the Pali canon, and these tales have been among the more popular and influential segments of Buddhist literature, irrespective of their noncanonical status.

These Kathas (tales) describe many principles and teachings of Buddha in simle stories. It has nothing to do with the life for Bhuddha.-

Answer 3

The Jataka tales is a collection of 550 anecdotes and fables of the Buddha's prevoius lives.

Answer 4

The link is the best that I can find.