Jataka Tales: Stories of Virtue and Enlightenment - Shaurya Chaturvedi

"Enlightenment is not a destination, but a journey paved with stories of compassion and wisdom."

Jataka Tales are an extensive collection of stories that originated in ancient India within the Buddhist tradition. They recount the various past lives of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the Buddha, before his enlightenment. Each tale illustrates moral lessons and ethical principles through the experiences and actions of the Buddha in his previous incarnations.

The Jataka Tales often feature a wide array of characters, including humans, animals, and mythical beings, engaging in diverse scenarios and settings. These stories are not only entertaining but also serve as powerful vehicles for conveying Buddhist teachings on virtues such as kindness, compassion, generosity, selflessness, and wisdom.

Throughout the tales, the Buddha-to-be demonstrates exemplary behavior, facing challenges, making sacrifices, and ultimately embodying the virtues central to Buddhist practice. By reflecting on these stories, practitioners seek to cultivate these virtues in their own lives, thereby progressing on the path toward enlightenment.

The Jataka Tales have been passed down through oral tradition and later written down in various versions, becoming an integral part of Buddhist literature and culture. They continue to be studied, recited, and interpreted by Buddhists worldwide as a source of inspiration and guidance on the journey to spiritual awakening.

Shaurya Chaturvedi 

Class - IX D

Sunbeam Hostel Lahartara 

            

A Metaphor for Life: The Climb to Success - Animesh Kashyap

The best view comes after the hardest climb.

The adage "The best view comes after the hardest climb" encapsulates a profound truth about life's challenges and accomplishments. This saying extends beyond the literal act of climbing a physical mountain; it is a metaphor for the journey one undertakes to achieve success or overcome obstacles.

Some challenges and hurdles in every individual's life demand perseverance, dedication, and resilience. These challenges are akin to ascending a steep and arduous mountain. The climb may be exhausting, testing one's physical and mental limits, but it is during this struggle that character is shaped and strengths are revealed.

The metaphorical mountain represents goals, dreams, or aspirations. It symbolizes the path to personal and professional success. As individuals encounter obstacles, setbacks, and difficulties, they embark on a metaphorical ascent, facing the uphill battle of life's complexities. The journey is often filled with uncertainties, requiring determination and the willingness to endure hardships.

Animesh Kashyap
Class-IX D
Sunbeam Hostel Lahartara

Passion, Commitment, and the Journey to Success - Shambhavi Nautiyal

"Fuel your journey with passion, but anchor it with commitment. Success awaits those who walk the path with dedication."

Passion is a barely controllable emotion, and that’s wholly true if you ask me: Anyone can strongly hate or love a subject or job inexplicably, but this is where ‘commitments’ enter the chat. Whether we like something or not, if we want to enhance our skills and achieve a specific goal, we have to work towards our goal consistently. 

If we aim to succeed, we have to set aside all our distractions and “passions,” other than the passion for working hard and becoming successful. To remind ourselves of the spark and determination we had while setting our goals, we should remind ourselves of our purpose through vision-boarding and reading the transcript written at the time of goal-setting. 

Because our results seem unknown, we feel demotivated to work (which is pleasant in a way as it indicates our self-awareness), which is why we should romanticize the process of working and make that our goal. Consistency and discipline make up our commitments and should be our only goal.

Leave the rest to God.

Shambhavi Nautiyal
APS