Buddhist traditions, Nivedita and Coomaraswamy
Tavatimsa Heaven
The Buddha visits Tavatimsa for three months and receives Indra’s throne, which adjusts to his approach. Divine beings ask him to expound the teaching, linking the visit with instruction rather than permanent residence. For his return Indra extends two golden ladders and one silver ladder to earth. The Buddha, devas and brahmas descend in separate processions with music and ceremonial umbrellas.
Also known as Tāvatiṃsa · Trayastrimsa
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In the sources
Principal account
TraditionalThe Buddha visits Tavatimsa for three months and receives Indra’s throne, which adjusts to his approach. Divine beings ask him to expound the teaching, linking the visit with instruction rather than permanent residence.
Further detail
TraditionalFor his return Indra extends two golden ladders and one silver ladder to earth. The Buddha, devas and brahmas descend in separate processions with music and ceremonial umbrellas.
Context & interpretation
The entry follows the Tavatimsa visit in the 1914 retelling. Throne measurements and ladders are miraculous narrative features; the entry does not equate this heaven with Tusita or attempt a complete cosmological description.
Original passages
Source 1
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists
remained there three monthsOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists (1914), active reader leaf 337
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0109-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0109-E001-P0337
- Original scan leaf
- 337
- Recorded leaf number
- 337
- Current Reader position
- 328
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists
two of gold and one of silverOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists (1914), active reader leaf 337
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0109-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0109-E001-P0337
- Original scan leaf
- 337
- Recorded leaf number
- 337
- Current Reader position
- 328
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed