The Jataka |Volume II

The Jataka is a collection of stories recounting the previous lives of Siddhartha Gautama who would later become known as Gautama Buddha. Each story in the Jataka collection serves to illustrate a moral or ethical lesson and they are an integral part of Buddhist literature and teachings. W. H. D. Rouse the scholar you mentioned translated and compiled The Jataka stories into English in multiple volumes. His work aimed to make these ancient tales more accessible to English-speaking audiences and to provide insights into the ethical and spiritual teachings of Buddhism. The Jataka Volume II is likely a continuation of Rouses translation of The Jataka stories with each volume containing a selection of stories from the larger collection. The Jataka stories feature various characters often including the Buddha in his previous lives as well as animals and humans. These stories offer lessons on virtues such as compassion generosity humility and wisdom. While The Jataka stories are an important part of Buddhist literature they are also appreciated for their cultural and literary significance. They have influenced art literature and moral teachings in various Buddhist cultures.