user7141: This question is about these images:
  
This incident (depicted) happened after Lord Buddha visited a certain Deva realm.

Can someone provide any sutta or sutra reference?
If you can, please explain the event and the drawings?


user254: One of those pictures is shown on this page: Lhabab Duchen – the Day Buddha Descended from Tushita Heavens:

This article from Bhutan Journals describes the iconography of the Buddha Shakyamuni Descending from Tushita Heavens to the Earth.

A version of this story is told/included in the Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā (verse 181):

On return from the Tavatimsa deva world, the Buddha uttered Verse (181) of this book at Sankassanagara, in reply to Thera Sariputta's words of welcome.

There's a more detailed version of this story somewhere else (I don't know where), for example Wikipedia's Lhabab Duchen article includes details about a "triple ladder" (shown in all the pictures):

He was exhorted by his follower and representative Maudgalyayana to return, and after a long debate and under a Full Moon agreed to return. He returned to earth a week later by a special triple ladder prepared by Viswakarma, the god of machines. This event is considered to be one of the eight great deeds of the Buddha.


7141: <p>This question is about these images:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/eMDPe.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/eMDPe.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>  <a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/UstXu.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/UstXu.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a> <a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/vtvoZ.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/vtvoZ.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>This incident (depicted) happened after Lord Buddha visited a certain Deva realm.</p>

<ul>
<li>Can someone provide any sutta or sutra reference?</li>
<li>If you can, please explain the event and the drawings?</li>
</ul>
 254: <p>One of those pictures is shown on this page: <a href="https://buddhistartnews.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/lhabab-duchen-the-day-buddha-descended-from-tushita-heavens/" rel="nofollow">Lhabab Duchen – the Day Buddha Descended from Tushita Heavens</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>This article from Bhutan Journals describes the iconography of the Buddha Shakyamuni Descending from Tushita Heavens to the Earth.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>A version of this story is told/included in <a href="http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=181" rel="nofollow">the Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā (verse 181)</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>On return from the Tavatimsa deva world, the Buddha uttered Verse (181) of this book at Sankassanagara, in reply to Thera Sariputta's words of welcome.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>There's a more detailed version of this story somewhere else (I don't know where), for example Wikipedia's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lhabab_Duchen" rel="nofollow">Lhabab Duchen</a> article includes details about a "triple ladder" (shown in all the pictures):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>He was exhorted by his follower and representative Maudgalyayana to return, and after a long debate and under a Full Moon agreed to return. He returned to earth a week later by a special triple ladder prepared by Viswakarma, the god of machines. This event is considered to be one of the eight great deeds of the Buddha.</p>
</blockquote>
