The Bodhisattva announces he will descend to Jambudvīpa and passes the crown of Tuṣita to Maitreya. There are omens on earth. Queen Māyā is given a pavilion at the top of the palace by King Śuddhodana. Various goddesses visit her. The gods and goddesses then venerate the Bodhisattva as he prepares to descend to Jambudvīpa.
1. The Bodhisattva announced to the devas that he would descend to Jambudvīpa. So Tuṣita would not lose its splendour after he left, he crowned Bodhisattva Maitreya.
2. The devas debated the form the Bodhisattva should take when entering the womb.
a. The Brahmā Ugratejā noted that the proper form for a bodhisattva to take is a great six tusked elephant with golden netting and a red head.
3. While the Bodhisattva was considering the time for birth, there were eight omens:
(1) Everything became clean and level like the palm of a hand.
(2) Many rare birds arrived and sang melodious songs.
(3) All trees blossomed bearing fruits of all seasons.
(4) Lotus ponds gave rise to lotuses the size of cartwheels with trillions of petals.
(5) Provisions in the king’s residence were full even when used abundantly.
(6) All instruments in the king’s residences emitted music by themselves.
(7) Containers of precious substances opened and displayed flawless abundance.
(8) A light brighter sun or moon appeared and gave physical and mental pleasure.
4. Queen Māyā bathed and adorned herself, and said to King Śuddhodana:
a. She will observe the eight precepts and ten virtuous actions.
b. She will love others as herself, renounce anger and attachment.
c. She requests to dwell in a pavilion at the top of the palace with no males or common women in attendance.
d. She requests prisoners be given amnesty and the poor be given wealth.
e. She requests that the king not punish harshly but look upon all beings as his only child with a loving and composed mind.
5. The king did as she requested and she went to dwell in the pavilion with her maidens.
6. The various gods who had gathered decided:
a. They must accompany and serve the Bodhisattva as he goes about his life on earth.
b. They note, in verse, that by doing this they can be assured of another birth in the deva realms or as a successful human or one who can attain nirvāṇa.
7. After hearing this hundreds of thousands of other gods assembled and said to those who had already assembled:
a. They will also serve the Bodhisattva so that no one shall cause him problems.
b. They will serve and make offerings to him through the stages of his career.
8. The goddesses of the Desire Realm were curious about what Queen Māyā was like, so they appeared in Kapilavastu and seeing her they sang to each other:
a. Seeing her they see that she is full of charms, her body shines with an excellent light, her complexion is like gold, and so forth.
9. After the goddesses returned to the heavens, the four Great Kings, Śakra, and various other divinities said that they shall all protect the Bodhisattva. They then came to and kept watch over Queen Māyā and requested the Bodhisattva to demonstrate the Dharma now.
10. Millions of gods and goddesses came to make offerings to the Bodhisattva seated on his throne, who then began to set out from Tuṣita Heaven.
11. As the Bodhisattva began to move his body gave forth a great light which illuminated even the hells. Great and pleasant sounds and songs issued forth by the devas and spontaneously from divine instruments. They praised the bodhisattva:
a. They offer today for his accumulating virtue over a long time.
b. He gave up his own sons and daughters out of generosity.
c. He cut his own flesh to release a bird (King Sibi Jātaka), the result of which is that hungry ghosts may obtain food and drink.
d. By his unbroken discipline beings in lower realms without freedom are purified.
e. Through his patience, gods and humans develop loving minds.
f. The result of his diligence is that his body is beautiful like Mount Meru.
g. Through his concentration beings are not harmed by afflictions.
h. Through wisdom he emits a sublime and beautiful light.
i. By destroying afflictions and gaining great compassion, he has perfect delight and excellent equanimity.
j. Seeing the truth he liberates others.
k. Using skilful means and wisdom he shows the way out of birth and death, and while harmonious with the world he is not attracted by the world.
l. Anyone who comes to hear or see him obtains benefit, let alone those who actually listen to the Dharma and develop faith and joy.
m. Tuṣita is gloomy, but the sun rises in Jambudvīpa as beings sleep in afflictions.
n. Today the palace will have great music.
o. While Māyā is beautiful, her son will outshine her in splendour.
p. Beings in that palace, after his birth, will no longer have greed or quarrels.
q. All beings who stand guard over the prince will attain liberation.
r. They dedicate any merit that accumulates while they praise him to awakening.