batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l5145-l5241
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l5145-l5241
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 5145-5241
start: '5145'
end: '5241'
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 passage describes three angelic proclamations: a future new age accompanied
by world destruction, a future Buddha, and a future universal monarch. Deities
then assemble before the Bodisat in the Heaven of Delight and beseech him to become
Buddha. The Great Being reflects on five conditions for his final birth: time,
continent, district, caste or tribe, and mother, choosing Jambudvīpa, the Middle
Country, Kapilavastu, the Kshatriya caste, Suddhodana as father, and Mahā Māyā
as mother.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The Bodisat is dwelling in the City or Heaven of Delight when the Buddha proclamation
takes place.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: 'Three proclamations are described: a new Age, a Buddha, and a Universal monarch.'
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- id: obs:3
text: The Loka-byūhā angels proclaim that after one hundred thousand years a new
dispensation will begin and the world-system will be destroyed.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The new Age proclamation says the ocean will dry up, Sineru and the great
earth will be burned up, and the world will pass away up to the realms of immaterial
angels.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: The new Age proclamation urges people to do mercy, live in kindness, sympathy,
and peace, cherish mothers, support fathers, and honor elders.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: Angel-guardians proclaim that an omniscient Buddha will appear on earth after
one thousand years.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: Angels proclaim that a universal monarch will appear on earth after one hundred
years.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:8
text: Deities from ten thousand world-systems assemble, identify the being who will
become Buddha, and beseech him to do so as his present life nears its end.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:9
text: The deities state that the Bodisat fulfilled the Ten Perfections for Omniscience
and the salvation of mankind, not for angelic or royal status.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: 'The Great Being reflects on five points: the time of advent, continent and
country, tribe of birth, mother, and the time when the mother’s life will be complete.'
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:11
text: The Great Being judges that the proper human lifespan for a Buddha’s advent
is under one hundred thousand years and over one hundred years; at that time human
life is one hundred years.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:12
text: The Great Being decides that Buddhas appear in Jambudvīpa, in the Middle Country,
and specifically in Kapilavastu.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:13
text: The Great Being decides to be born in the Kshatriya caste and to have Suddhodana
the chief as father.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:14
text: The Great Being chooses Mahā Māyā as mother because she is described as morally
pure, observant of the five Precepts, and one who has fulfilled the Perfections
for a hundred thousand ages.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:15
text: The Great Being foresees that Mahā Māyā’s life will last ten months and seven
days more.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Bodisat / Great Being / future Buddha
description: A being dwelling in the Heaven of Delight, beseeched by deities to
become Buddha, who reflects on the conditions of his advent and birth.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Loka-byūhā angels
description: Angels who wander among men with dishevelled hair, weeping faces, red
garments, and disordered clothes, announcing the new Age.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Angel-guardians of the world
description: Angelic beings who go from place to place proclaiming that a Buddha
will appear on earth.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Angels proclaiming the universal monarch
description: Angels who go from place to place announcing that a universal monarch
will appear on earth.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Deities of the ten thousand world-systems
description: Deities who assemble, identify the future Buddha, go to him in the
Heaven of Delight, and beseech him to accept Buddhahood.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Archangels in each world-system
description: Archangels who assemble with the deities in one world and go to the
future Buddha.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Universal monarch
description: A future ruler whose appearance on earth is announced as one of the
three great proclamations.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Suddhodana the chief
description: The chief selected by the Great Being as his future father.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Mahā Māyā
description: The lady selected as the future Buddha’s mother, described as observant
of the five Precepts and as having fulfilled the Perfections.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
roles:
- id: role:1
label: future Buddha
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The passage says the deities identify the living being who will become the
Buddha and go to him in the Heaven of Delight.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:2
label: angelic herald
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
basis: These angelic figures go among men or from place to place making proclamations.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: divine supplicant assembly
assigned_to:
- fig:5
- fig:6
basis: The deities and archangels assemble and beseech the future Buddha, declaring
that the time for Buddhahood has arrived.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: future universal ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The proclamation announces that a universal monarch will appear on earth.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: deliberating chooser of birth conditions
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Great Being reflects on time, place, tribe, mother, and the mother’s
remaining lifespan before deciding the conditions of birth.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: role:6
label: chosen father
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The Great Being decides that Suddhodana the chief shall be his father.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: role:7
label: chosen mother
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: The Great Being identifies Mahā Māyā as the woman who shall be his mother.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: world-consuming fire
literal_form: The great earth and Sineru are burned up and destroyed.
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: drying ocean
literal_form: The mighty ocean will dry up during the destruction of the world-system.
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: Sineru monarch of mountains
literal_form: Sineru is called the monarch of mountains and is included in the burning
destruction.
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs:
- mountain
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: red garments and tears of herald angels
literal_form: The Loka-byūhā angels have weeping faces and wear red garments in
disorder while proclaiming the new Age.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:5
label: ten thousand world-systems
literal_form: Deities of the ten thousand world-systems assemble together after
hearing the Buddha-proclamation.
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:6
label: five points of advent
literal_form: The Great Being reflects on time, continent and country, tribe, mother,
and the mother’s remaining life.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:7
label: Jambudvīpa and Middle Country
literal_form: The Great Being decides that Buddhas appear in Jambudvīpa and fixes
upon the Middle Country and Kapilavastu.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:8
label: Kshatriya birth status
literal_form: The Great Being chooses birth in the Kshatriya caste because it is
predominant.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: sym:9
label: pure chosen mother
literal_form: Mahā Māyā is selected as mother because she has fulfilled the Perfections
and kept the five Precepts unbroken.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Proclamation of a new Age
summary: The Loka-byūhā angels wander among humans and announce a future new dispensation,
destruction of the world-system, drying of the ocean, burning of the earth and
Sineru, and moral duties toward others and kin.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Proclamations of Buddha and universal monarch
summary: Angel-guardians announce a future omniscient Buddha, and angels also announce
a future universal monarch; these complete the set of three great proclamations.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:7
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Deities beseech the future Buddha
summary: After hearing the Buddha-proclamation, deities from ten thousand world-systems
and archangels assemble, go to the future Buddha in the Heaven of Delight, and
ask him to accept Buddhahood for the salvation of mankind.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:4
label: Deliberation on the final birth
summary: The Great Being reflects on five conditions for his advent and decides
that the time is right, the place is Jambudvīpa, the district is the Middle Country
and Kapilavastu, the birth status is Kshatriya, Suddhodana will be father, and
Mahā Māyā will be mother.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:7
- sym:8
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: world destruction by fire after cosmic proclamation
taxonomy_refs:
- world_destroying_fire
basis: The new Age proclamation announces that the world-system will be destroyed
and that the great earth and Sineru will be burned up.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The passage describes future world destruction as part of a proclamation,
not a fully narrated destruction event.
- id: motif:2
label: angelic proclamation of a coming sacred age or figure
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Angelic beings make three public proclamations concerning a new dispensation,
a Buddha, and a universal monarch.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: No specific taxonomy reference is supplied for proclamation or herald
motifs.
- id: motif:3
label: pre-birth selection of the Buddha’s conditions
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_birth
basis: The Great Being deliberately selects time, continent, district, caste, father,
and mother before birth.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: The passage is preparatory to the birth; it does not narrate the birth
itself.
- id: motif:4
label: salvific quest for omniscience
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The deities state that the Bodisat fulfilled the Ten Perfections with the
hope of reaching Omniscience for the salvation of mankind.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: medium
cautions: This is stated as motivation and background, not developed as a full quest
episode in this passage.
- id: motif:5
label: royal or high-status birth legitimating a sacred figure
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
basis: The Great Being chooses the Kshatriya caste because it is predominant and
selects Suddhodana the chief as father.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage emphasizes proper caste and parentage rather than a political
legitimation narrative.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 5145-5150
quote_or_summary: The Bodisat is dwelling in the City of Delight when the Buddha
proclamation occurs; the text introduces three proclamations on earth.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 5150-5165
quote_or_summary: Loka-byūhā angels, weeping and dressed in red garments, announce
a new dispensation after one hundred thousand years, the drying of the ocean,
the burning of the earth and Sineru, the passing away of the world, and moral
duties of mercy and family honor.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 5167-5178
quote_or_summary: Angel-guardians proclaim that a Buddha will appear after one thousand
years; angels also proclaim that a universal monarch will appear after one hundred
years; these are called three great proclamations.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 5180-5187
quote_or_summary: When the Buddha-proclamation is heard, deities of ten thousand
world-systems assemble, identify the future Buddha, and go with archangels to
him in the Heaven of Delight to beseech him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: quote
locator: lines 5188-5195
quote_or_summary: "“Now has the moment come, O Blessed One, for thy Buddhahood;
now has the time, O Blessed One, arrived!”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 5197-5201
quote_or_summary: 'The Great Being reflects successively on five points: time of
advent, continent and country, tribe of birth, mother, and the time when the mother’s
life should be complete.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 5203-5222
quote_or_summary: The Great Being reasons that a Buddha’s advent is not suitable
when human life exceeds one hundred thousand years or is under one hundred years;
the suitable interval is under one hundred thousand and over one hundred years,
and he sees that the time has arrived.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 5224-5232
quote_or_summary: Considering the continents, the Great Being decides that Buddhas
appear in Jambudvīpa; he then fixes on the Middle Country and Kapilavastu.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 5234-5239
quote_or_summary: The Great Being decides that Buddhas are born in the highest-reputed
caste, chooses the predominant Kshatriya caste, and selects Suddhodana the chief
as father.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 5241-5241
quote_or_summary: The Great Being chooses Mahā Māyā as mother because she is morally
restrained, has fulfilled the Perfections, and has kept the five Precepts; he
foresees that her life will last ten months and seven days more.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Extraction is based directly on the supplied passage. Motif labels use only
available taxonomy references where clearly supported; no external comparisons
are made.
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 explicitly compare these events with another tradition or motif family beyond the internally described proclamation types.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg__l5145-l5241
passage_sha256=853889db256e19a5687a8a48e4b1b4a98b1e9ecb8f82390edf3c5ac335919dd2