[Buddha-l] A couple of questions on the Tushita Heaven visit of the Buddha

[jkirk]

A friend sent me the following, as it is the 22nd of the 9th month, celebrated as "Buddha's Descent from Tushita Heaven":

"During his forty-first year the Buddha went up from Shravasti to the Tushita Heaven and passed the rainy season retreat teaching Abhidharma to his mother, Queen Mayadevi, who had died seven days after Buddha's birth and been reborn as a male god in Tushita. The same happens to the mothers of all the buddhas, and they too later go to teach them, afterwards descending to Sankashya..."

This is the first I've heard of his mother being reborn in heaven as a male god. Is this a widespread Mahayana idea, or limited to Nepal (where my friend lives)?

Next item of the story: "Anuruddha urged Maudgalyayana to go and greet him. The great disciple did so, telling the Buddha that the Order longed to see him. This was the time Prasenajit's statue was made...."

Can anyone amplify about Prasenajit's statue? Considering that Buddhist art for a while did not represent the Buddha himself, that there is a statue (but of what or whom?) in this story strikes me as notable.  

My friend is probably reproducing a popular text, he is not quoting from any particular scripture, is my guess anyway. He accompanies his postings (on Hindu as well as Buddhist holidays) with color pictures and/or posters, in this case two tankas showing the descent from Tushita.

Thanks, Joanna 
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