Grammatical Analysis
Jātakaṭṭhavaṇṇanā: [f.] The Explanation of the Meaning of the Jātakas. Formed by jātaka (birth story) + attha (meaning) + vaṇṇanā (explanation, description, commentary).
Orthodox Definition
The Jātakaṭṭhavaṇṇanā is the colossal prose commentary on the Jātaka verses. Traditionally attributed to Buddhaghosa (though likely compiled by a collective of Mahāvihāra monks), it is the primary vehicle for Theravāda storytelling.
Because the canonical Jātaka consists almost entirely of cryptic verses, the entire narrative body of the 547 past-life stories of the Buddha exists solely within this commentary. It provides the “Story of the Present” (the incident that prompted the Buddha to speak), the “Story of the Past” (the actual past-life narrative), the verses, the word-by-word explanation, and the “Identification” (where the Buddha reveals who the past characters are in the present).
Its famous introduction, the Nidānakathā, serves as the definitive, orthodox biography of Gotama Buddha, spanning from his vow before Dīpaṅkara Buddha to his enlightenment and the donation of Jetavana.
Textual References
- Subject Matter: Commentary on the Jātaka.