Numbered verses are direct translations. The numbers are those of Jayawickrama's PTS edition of 1974, in which Chapter II, vv. 2 and 3 have three lines each; Horner's (1978) translation numbers them as 2–4, each with two lines, and so verses after this point are numbered one higher in her translation than in the text. Passages indented within square brackets are summaries. Gaps between verses indicate a new scene or theme.

CHAPTER 1: THE JEWELED WALKWAY

1. Brahma Sahampati, the Lord of the World, his hands together (reverently, in añjali), requested the peerless (Gotama Buddha, in these words): “There are beings in this world who have but little passion; take pity on them and teach the Doctrine (dhamma).”

[In vv. 2–5, Gotama agrees to Brahma Sahampati's request, in the first person singular of direct speech; in 6–63, the Redactor's voice depicts Gotama's making of the jeweled walkway, the arrival of large numbers of gods and other supernaturals, and the joyous scene they create, interspersing various remarks of praise addressed by the gods to the Buddha; then describes Sāriputta and other of his important monastic followers, who were present. In vv. 64–70 the Buddha tells of his previous birth in the Tusita heaven, as a god called Santusita, and subsequent rebirth on earth.