It is a "strange small work of late Pali literature" and "the only example of a book devoted entirely to extolling the Bodhisattas who will be Buddhas in future ages.
Each character has lived a meritorious life and dies through some self-inflicted act, often gruesome, which serves as an offering to the universal Buddha.
In the Sotattakī Scripture, one of the exclusive texts to the Pali Canon, Ānanda asked Gautama Buddha about the people who were practising to achieve the Buddhahood.
The Bhodhisattas are introduced as: "Metteyyo Uttamo Rāmo, Paseno Kosalobibū, Dīghasoṇīca Caṅkīca, Subo, Todeyya Brahmano.
Nāḷāgirī Pālileyyo, Bodhisatthā imedasa anukkamena sabhodiṁ, pāpuṇissanti nāgate".
In order to prove that Ajita is his successor, Gautama Buddha hid his emerald alms bowl and told his disciples to help retrieve it.
In the time of the Kassapa Buddha, King Uttarāma was a young man named Nārada.
He usually invited him and his disciples to his palace for meals and also went to Buddha's Place to listen to his Dhamma.
[7] According to the Majjhima Nikāya of the Pali Canon, Subha was the son of Aoi Todo.
[8] When Gautama Buddha visited Subha's house, his pet dog barked continuously.
As they could find the hidden possessions, Subha began to respect him and to do donations for his father.
After preaching, the elephant was tamed and paid respect to Buddha, then gradually walked away.
[11] Gautama Buddha once left alone to the Palileyaka village due to the conflict between his disciples.
Meanwhile, an elephant named Palileya (Burmese: ပလလဲ) left his family because he felt cramped.
[13] According to the Hmannan Yazawin of Myanmar, it is believed that the Bagan Kings, Thamoddarit, Anawrahta and Kyaswa are the future lives of Palileyya.
[14] King Myet-Hna Shay of Prome was also believed to be another afterlife as he spent most of his time mediating at a pagoda.