batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l5655-l5757
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l5655-l5757
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 5655-5757
start: '5655'
end: '5757'
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 Siddhattha’s royal luxury, public doubts about his
training, his display of archery skill, his chariot outings, the divine presentation
of the four Omens, the king’s attempts to keep him in pleasure, and Sakka’s command
that Vissakamma adorn him before the Great Renunciation.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The rāja pays homage to his son and calls it the second homage paid to him.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Bodisat grows to manhood in royal luxury, with three seasonal mansions,
many dancing girls, self-playing musical instruments, and Rāhula’s mother as principal
queen.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The Bodisat’s clansmen say publicly that he is devoted to pleasure and learns
nothing.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: The Bodisat announces a public display of skill and then shows unsurpassed
twelvefold archery skill before his relatives.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: The Bodisat orders his charioteer to harness a decorated chariot with four
white Sindhi horses and goes toward the garden.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: Angels decide that Siddhattha’s time for Enlightenment is near and arrange
for him to see Omens.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:7
text: A son of the gods represents an aged man with decayed teeth, grey hair, bent
body, and a stick; only the Bodisat and charioteer can see him.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: After the old-age sight, the Bodisat questions the charioteer, condemns life
because all living beings decay, and returns to the palace with an agitated heart.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: The king responds to the old-age sight by ordering concerts and plays and
by increasing guards around the Bodisat.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: On later outings the Bodisat sees a sick man and a dead man represented by
the gods, questions as before, and returns agitated to the palace each time.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:11
text: The king repeats his earlier response after the sickness and death sights,
increasing the guarded perimeter each time.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:12
text: The Bodisat sees a person who has abandoned the world, and the charioteer,
inspired by the gods, identifies him as a mendicant friar and describes renunciation.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:13
text: After the mendicant sight, the Bodisat cherishes the thought of renouncing
the world and continues to the pleasure ground.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:14
text: The passage notes that repeaters of the Dīgha Nikāya say the Bodisat saw all
four Omens on the same day.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:15
text: At the pleasure ground the Bodisat bathes in a beautiful lake and sits at
sunset to be robed while attendants bring robes, ornaments, garlands, perfumes,
and ointments.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:16
text: Sakka’s throne becomes warm; he recognizes the time for Siddhattha’s adornment
and sends Vissakamma to adorn him with heavenly array before the midnight Great
Renunciation.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Bodisat / Siddhattha / future Buddha
description: Royal son who grows up in luxury, displays archery skill, sees the
Omens, and prepares for the Great Renunciation.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:9
- ev:11
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: rāja / king
description: The Bodisat’s father, who pays homage to his son, provides royal luxuries,
questions him about his training, and tries to prevent renunciation by pleasures
and guards.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: mother of Rāhula
description: Named as the Bodisat’s principal queen.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: clansmen / relations
description: Public assembly members who say Siddhattha is devoted to pleasure and
later cease doubting after his display of skill.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: charioteer
description: Harnesses the chariot, accompanies the Bodisat, answers questions about
the sights, and identifies the mendicant while inspired by the gods.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: angels / gods
description: Divine beings who decide to show Siddhattha the Omens and represent
the old, sick, and dead figures.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: son of the gods representing an aged man
description: Divine actor made to appear as a man wasted by age, with decayed teeth,
grey hair, bent body, and a stick.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: represented sick man
description: A sick man represented by the gods and seen by the Bodisat on an outing.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: represented dead man
description: A dead man represented by the gods and seen by the Bodisat on an outing.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: one who had abandoned the world / mendicant friar
description: Carefully and decently clad figure identified by the charioteer as
a mendicant friar.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Sakka
description: Divine figure whose throne becomes warm and who sends Vissakamma to
adorn Siddhattha.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Vissakamma
description: Figure addressed by Sakka and sent to adorn Siddhattha with heavenly
array.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: attendants
description: Attendants who bring robes, ornaments, garlands, perfumes, and ointments
at the pleasure ground.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
roles:
- id: role:1
label: future Buddha approaching Enlightenment
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The angels say the time for young Siddhattha to attain Enlightenment is near.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:2
label: renunciation-bound royal youth
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: He sees the Omens, cherishes the thought of renouncing the world, and is
expected to carry out the Great Renunciation at midnight.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:11
- id: role:3
label: royal father and pleasure-guardian
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: He calls the Bodisat his son, provides pleasures, and increases guards to
prevent forsaking the world.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:4
label: principal queen
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The passage says the mother of Rāhula was his principal queen.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: public critics and witnesses
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: They criticize Siddhattha’s pleasure-devotion and later no longer doubt after
his skill display.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: chariot attendant and interpreter of sights
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: He harnesses the chariot and answers or identifies the figures seen by the
Bodisat.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: role:7
label: divine agents of the Omens
assigned_to:
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
basis: The angels and gods arrange and represent the forms seen as Omens.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: role:8
label: embodied mortality signs
assigned_to:
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
basis: The old, sick, and dead figures confront the Bodisat with decay, illness,
and death.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:9
label: renunciant exemplar
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: The figure has abandoned the world and is identified as a mendicant friar
whose state prompts thought of renunciation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: role:10
label: divine adornment sponsors
assigned_to:
- fig:11
- fig:12
basis: Sakka sends Vissakamma to adorn Siddhattha with heavenly array.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:11
label: royal dressing attendants
assigned_to:
- fig:13
basis: They bring robes, ornaments, garlands, perfumes, and ointments.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: three seasonal mansions
literal_form: one mansion nine stories high, one seven stories high, and one five
stories high, suitable for the three seasons
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: royal pleasures
literal_form: forty thousand dancing girls and musical instruments which played
of themselves
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: bow skill
literal_form: twelvefold skill and mastery of the bow
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:4
label: decorated chariot and four white horses
literal_form: gloriously beautiful chariot with four state horses of the Sindhi
breed, white as white lotus leaves
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:5
label: old-age Omen
literal_form: aged man with decayed teeth, grey hair, bent and broken body, and
a stick
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: sym:6
label: sickness Omen
literal_form: sick man represented by the gods
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:7
label: death Omen
literal_form: dead man represented by the gods
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:8
label: renunciant Omen
literal_form: one who had abandoned the world, carefully and decently clad, identified
as a mendicant friar
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: sym:9
label: beautiful lake
literal_form: beautiful lake at the pleasure ground where the Bodisat bathes
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: sym:10
label: warm throne of Sakka
literal_form: Sakka’s throne becomes warm
associated_figures:
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: sym:11
label: heavenly array
literal_form: heavenly adornment to be put on Siddhattha before the Great Renunciation
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:11
- fig:12
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Royal luxury and public challenge
summary: The Bodisat lives in seasonal mansions with royal pleasures; his clansmen
criticize his lack of learning, and he answers by displaying unsurpassed archery
skill.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:2
label: First chariot outing and old-age Omen
summary: The Bodisat rides toward the garden in a decorated chariot, and divine
beings show him an aged man; he questions the charioteer and returns troubled
to the palace.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:3
label: Royal attempts to prevent renunciation
summary: After the old-age, sickness, and death sights, the king orders pleasures
and expands guards to keep the Bodisat from forsaking the world.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:4
label: Renunciant Omen
summary: The Bodisat sees one who has abandoned the world; the charioteer, inspired
by the gods, identifies him as a mendicant and describes the advantages of renunciation.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: scene:5
label: Pleasure ground and divine adornment before the Great Renunciation
summary: A Dīgha Nikāya variant is noted; at the pleasure ground the Bodisat bathes,
attendants prepare adornments, and Sakka sends Vissakamma to dress him in heavenly
array before midnight.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:11
- fig:12
- fig:13
symbol_refs:
- sym:9
- sym:10
- sym:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Pleasure palace before renunciation
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
basis: The Bodisat is surrounded by mansions, dancing girls, music, and royal enjoyment,
while the king later intensifies pleasures to keep him from forsaking the world.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents this as a narrative prelude to renunciation rather
than as a separately named motif.
- id: motif:2
label: Four Omens prompting world-renunciation
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
- departure
basis: Divine beings show the Bodisat old age, sickness, death, and a mendicant;
these sights agitate him and lead him to cherish renunciation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: high
cautions: The exact sequencing varies within the passage because a Dīgha Nikāya
version is also reported.
- id: motif:3
label: Superlative royal skill demonstration
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: In response to criticism that he learns nothing, the Bodisat publicly displays
twelvefold archery skill and removes his clansmen’s doubts.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not explicitly connect this display to the later renunciation
sequence, beyond narrative placement.
- id: motif:4
label: Divine signal and adornment before Great Renunciation
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
basis: Sakka’s throne becomes warm, he perceives the time of Siddhattha’s adornment,
and he sends Vissakamma to prepare him before the midnight Great Renunciation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives the signal and command but does not narrate the actual
departure in this excerpt.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: 'The passage itself records an internal variant: the preceding narration
presents the Omens across repeated outings, while the Dīgha Nikāya repeaters say
all four Omens were seen on the same day.'
claim_level: same_motif
target: Dīgha Nikāya account of the four Omens
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: This comparison is limited to the variant note contained in the passage
and does not verify the Dīgha Nikāya account independently.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 5655-5657
quote_or_summary: The rāja hurries to see a miracle, pays homage to his son, and
calls it the second homage paid to him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 5658-5667
quote_or_summary: The Bodisat grows to manhood; the king provides three seasonal
mansions, forty thousand dancing girls, self-playing instruments, and Rāhula’s
mother is principal queen.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 5668-5678
quote_or_summary: Clansmen publicly say Siddhattha is devoted to pleasure and learns
nothing; the king asks him what he will do about this.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 5679-5688
quote_or_summary: The Bodisat says no art is necessary for him to learn, calls for
a public skill display, and shows unsurpassed twelvefold archery skill before
his kindred.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 5689-5697
quote_or_summary: The Bodisat orders the charioteer to harness the chariot; it is
adorned and drawn by four white Sindhi horses, and the Bodisat goes toward the
garden.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 5698-5705
quote_or_summary: Angels decide Siddhattha’s Enlightenment is near and show Omens
by making a son of the gods represent an aged man visible only to the Bodisat
and charioteer.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 5706-5721
quote_or_summary: The Bodisat asks about the aged man, laments the decay of living
beings, returns agitated, and the king orders entertainments and guards to prevent
renunciation.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 5722-5736
quote_or_summary: On later outings the Bodisat sees a sick man and then a dead man
represented by the gods; each time he returns agitated, and the king repeats and
increases guarding measures.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 5737-5748
quote_or_summary: The Bodisat sees one who has abandoned the world; the charioteer,
inspired by the gods, calls him a mendicant friar and describes renunciation,
which the Bodisat begins to cherish.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 5749-5757
quote_or_summary: The passage says Dīgha Nikāya repeaters place all four Omens on
the same day; the Bodisat then enjoys the pleasure ground, bathes in a beautiful
lake, and attendants bring adornments.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: lines 5758-5767
quote_or_summary: Sakka’s throne becomes warm; he recognizes the time for Siddhattha’s
final splendid adornment before the midnight Great Renunciation and sends Vissakamma
to adorn him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief summary used; locator extends to the final
sentence included in the supplied passage.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Extraction relies only on the supplied passage. Motif labels are candidates
and should be reviewed, especially where broad taxonomy labels such as departure
and wisdom are applied.
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: |-
The supplied passage text extends beyond the stated end line 5757 for the Sakka and Vissakamma sentence; evidence ev:11 notes this locator issue.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg__l5655-l5757
passage_sha256=feb35fe1184f620e091b74f101cf7e1bbd0e4cd351cd85d1e3a0ca8361dc92e1