Wat Sisowath Ratanaram Main Hall: Prince Vessantara Jataka

CAMBODIA, Phnom Penh

The Prince Vessantara Jataka, Pali Jataka No. 547, tells of the Buddha’s previous life as the generous prince Vessantara. In this mural in the main hall of Wat Sisowath Ratanaram, Suja, Sakra’s consort, is shown in Trayastrimsa Heaven making vows and preparing for rebirth in the human realm as the future Prince Vessantara’s mother. Although the Prince Vessantara Jataka is one of the most commonly illustrated Jataka tales in Cambodia, this particular scene is rarely depicted.
On the left side of the image, the resplendent Sakra sits within the Trayastrimsa heavenly palace, flanked by kneeling heavenly beings who join their palms in reverence. On the right, Sakra and Suja sit on pedestals in a garden. Attendants crouch behind them holding canopies. Heavenly beings wade in a pond and pick lotuses below. Colorful trees and a golden sunset are painted in the background.