batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l3350-l3445
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l3350-l3445
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
passage_locator:
label: TABLE VII. / THE BODISATS. / TABLE VIII. / THE DISTANT EPOCH.; lines 3350-3445
start: '3350'
end: '3445'
translation: Buddhist birth stories; or, Jataka tales, Volume 1
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The hermit Sumedha adopts ascetic practices, leaves hut-life for the tree-foot,
rejects cultivated grain, and attains supernatural faculties. Dīpankara Buddha
appears in the world with cosmic signs, though Sumedha does not perceive them
while absorbed in meditation. Dīpankara comes to Ramma with many saints; the townspeople
worship him, invite him, prepare offerings, decorate the town, and repair the
road for his arrival. Sumedha travels through the air, descends to ask why the
road is being adorned, learns that it is for Dīpankara Buddha, asks to help, receives
a swampy section, and chooses to fill it manually rather than by supernatural
power.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Sumedha builds a cloister, changes clothing from a cloak to bark raiment,
leaves a hut, and goes to the foot of a tree.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Sumedha rejects sown and planted grain and eats constant fruits of the earth.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Sumedha strives while sitting, standing, and walking, and attains the strength
or might of supernatural faculties within seven days.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: At Dīpankara Buddha’s conception, birth, Buddhahood, and first preaching,
the universe of ten thousand worlds trembles, shakes, quakes, gives a mighty sound,
and thirty-two prognostics appear.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Sumedha, absorbed in the bliss of the Attainments, neither hears the sound
nor sees the signs accompanying Dīpankara’s appearance.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Dīpankara Buddha comes to the city of Ramma with a hundred thousand saints
and resides at the great monastery of Sudassana.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: The dwellers of Ramma bring medicinal requisites, clothing, perfumes, garlands,
and other offerings, worship Dīpankara, hear his preaching, and invite him for
the next day.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: The townspeople prepare almsgiving, decorate the town, repair and level the
road, scatter sand, sprinkle fragrant roots and flowers, raise flags and banners,
and set up banana arches and brimming jars.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: Sumedha leaves his hermitage, travels through the air, descends after seeing
the joyful multitude, and asks why the road is being cleared.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: After learning the road is being prepared for Dīpankara Buddha, Sumedha asks
for a portion of ground to clear; he receives a swampy spot and decides to do
the work manually rather than by supernatural power.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Sumedha
description: A hermit who practices austerities, attains supernatural knowledge
or faculties, travels through the air, and volunteers to clear road-ground for
Dīpankara Buddha.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Dīpankara Buddha
description: The Buddha called Dīpankara, described as lord of ascetics, supreme
Buddha, Teacher, and chief of the universe, whose appearance is accompanied by
cosmic signs.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:8
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Hundred thousand saints
description: A large company of saints accompanying Dīpankara Buddha as he travels
to Ramma.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Dwellers of Ramma
description: The townspeople who bring offerings, worship Dīpankara Buddha, invite
him, and prepare and adorn the road for his arrival.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: ascetic practitioner
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Sumedha builds a cloister, wears bark raiment, rejects grain, practices strenuous
postures, and attains supernatural faculties.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: Buddha and teacher
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Dīpankara is named as Buddha, Teacher, lord of ascetics, and preacher of
the Law.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: saintly retinue
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The passage says Dīpankara is accompanied by a hundred thousand saints.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:4
label: voluntary road worker
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Sumedha asks for ground to clear and chooses menial labor rather than using
supernatural power.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:5
label: devotees and preparers of the Buddha’s road
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The people worship Dīpankara, offer gifts, invite him, and clear and decorate
the road for his coming.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: tree-foot
literal_form: tree-foot
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: bark raiment
literal_form: raiment of bark
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: cosmic trembling
literal_form: the universe of ten thousand worlds trembling, shaking, quaking, and
giving a mighty sound
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: offerings
literal_form: ghee, butter, medicinal requisites, clothes, raiment, perfumes, garlands,
and other offerings
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:5
label: adorned road
literal_form: repaired and decorated road with sand, fragrant roots, flowers, flags,
banners, banana arches, and brimming jars
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:4
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: air travel
literal_form: departing or proceeding through the air and descending from the air
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:7
label: swampy ground
literal_form: a swampy piece of ground assigned to Sumedha for preparation
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Sumedha’s ascetic transition and attainment
summary: Sumedha adopts bark raiment, leaves the hut for the tree-foot, rejects
cultivated grain, practices strenuously, and attains supernatural faculties.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Dīpankara’s appearance with cosmic signs
summary: Dīpankara appears in the world, and major events of his career are accompanied
by universal trembling, sound, and prognostics; Sumedha does not perceive them
because he is absorbed in meditative attainment.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Ramma’s worship and preparation
summary: Dīpankara arrives at Ramma with saints; the townspeople worship him, invite
him, prepare almsgiving, adorn the town, and repair the road for his arrival.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Sumedha’s aerial arrival and question
summary: Sumedha leaves his hermitage, travels through the air, sees the joyful
crowd, descends, and asks why the road is being cleared.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: scene:5
label: Sumedha receives and works the swampy ground
summary: After hearing that the road is for Dīpankara Buddha, Sumedha asks to help,
receives a swampy section from the townspeople, and decides to perform the work
by menial labor rather than supernatural power.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: ascetic renunciation and attainment of supernatural faculties
taxonomy_refs:
- initiation
- wisdom
basis: Sumedha leaves ordinary shelter for tree-foot asceticism, rejects cultivated
food, practices strenuously, and attains supernatural faculties.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy labels are broad; the passage describes ascetic discipline
and attainment but does not explicitly frame the episode as an initiation rite.
- id: motif:2
label: Buddha’s appearance marked by cosmic signs
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Dīpankara’s conception, birth, Buddhahood, and first preaching are accompanied
by universal trembling, sound, and thirty-two prognostics.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: No narrower supplied taxonomy reference directly matches cosmic portents
in this passage.
- id: motif:3
label: devotional offering and preparation for a sacred visitor
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: The townspeople bring offerings, worship Dīpankara, invite him, prepare almsgiving,
and decorate and repair the road for his arrival.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage presents offerings and hospitality; interpreting this as sacred
exchange uses a broad taxonomy category.
- id: motif:4
label: aerial movement of an accomplished ascetic
taxonomy_refs:
- ascent
basis: Sumedha departs through the air, proceeds above the people, and descends
to question them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage includes flight and descent rather than an explicit symbolic
ascent narrative.
- id: motif:5
label: voluntary humble labor despite supernatural power
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Sumedha believes he could prepare the ground by supernatural power but chooses
menial duties and begins fetching earth for the swampy spot.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy reference directly matches this humility-and-service
pattern.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: quote
locator: lines 3350-3360
quote_or_summary: Sumedha says he built a cloister, put on bark raiment, left the
hut, and went to the tree-foot.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 3362-3369
quote_or_summary: Sumedha rejects sown and planted grain, eats fruits of the earth,
strives while sitting, standing, and walking, and attains the might of the Faculties
within seven days.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 3371-3387
quote_or_summary: Dīpankara appears; at conception, birth, Buddhahood, and first
preaching, the ten-thousand-world universe trembles and signs appear, but Sumedha,
absorbed in meditative bliss, does not hear or see them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 3389-3393
quote_or_summary: Dīpankara Buddha, accompanied by a hundred thousand saints, reaches
Ramma and resides in the great monastery of Sudassana.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 3393-3404
quote_or_summary: The dwellers of Ramma hear of Dīpankara’s arrival, bring requisites
and offerings, worship him, hear his preaching, invite him for the next day, and
depart.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 3404-3413
quote_or_summary: The next day the townspeople prepare almsgiving, decorate the
town, repair and level the road, scatter silver-like sand, sprinkle fragrant roots
and flowers, raise flags and banners, and set up banana arches and rows of brimming
jars.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 3413-3431
quote_or_summary: Sumedha ascends from his hermitage, proceeds through the air,
sees the joyful multitude, descends, and asks why the road is being cleared.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 3433-3445
quote_or_summary: The people explain that the road is being prepared for Dīpankara
Buddha; Sumedha asks to join the work, receives a swampy piece of ground, and
chooses menial labor over using supernatural power.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source text.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Literal extraction is well supported by the supplied passage. Motif taxonomy
assignments are broad and should be reviewed, especially where no exact supplied
taxonomy label matches the passage pattern.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not support a specific cross-textual comparison.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg__l3350-l3445
passage_sha256=dd24b9738e5803e0f227e12a6bdf9c6841df630726d1b046e658aed4456745dc