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Buddha's Birthday: The Legend of Shakyamuni Buddha's Birth and When it is Celebrated

© Yeshe Chodon

Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical founder of Buddhism, was born Prince Siddhartha Gotama in the foothills of the Himalayas over 2,500 years ago.

According to Buddhist tradition, he was born April 8, 1029 BC and died on February 15, 949 BC, although other Buddhist scholars place his birth five hundred years later.

Celebrating Buddha's Birthday

Shakyamuni Buddha was the son of Shuddhodana, the king of the Shakyas, a small tribe whose kingdom was located in the foothills of the Himalayas, south of what is now central Nepal, 15 miles from Kapilavastu.

Pilgrimages are made to Lumbini garden, reputedly the site of Buddha's birth. Lumbini has been identified with the site of Rummindei in Nepal. Here there is an ancient shrine with an image representing his birth as Prince Siddhattha.

Observances of the birthday vary from country to country. There is a legend that, at the time of his birth in Lumbini garden, the heavenly gods celebrated by creating a rain of amrta (heavenly nectar). Today this is symbolized in some temples by pouring sweet tea over a statue of the infant Buddha.

The Story of Buddha's Birth

The book Old Path White Clouds by Thich Nhat Hanh tells of Buddha's birth:

Mahamaya, Siddhartha's mother, had a premonitory dream: A white elephant with six tusks descended from the heavens surrounded by a chorus of beatific praises. The elephant approached her, holding a pink lotus flower in its trunk, and placed the flower within the queen's body. Then the elephant, too, entered her effortlessly, and she was filled with deep ease and joy.

The king summoned holy men to divine the meaning of this dream. Their conclusion: "The queen will give birth to a son who will be a great leader. He is destined to become either a mighty emperor who rules throughout the four directions, or a great Teacher who will show the Way of Truth to all beings in Heaven and Earth."

...In those days, a woman returned to her parents' home to give birth. Along the way she stopped to rest in the garden of Lumbini. The forest there was filled with flowers and singing birds. Admiring an ashok tree in full bloom, the queen walked toward it, when suddenly feeling unsteady, she grabbed a branch of the ashok tree to support her. Just a moment later, still holding the branch, Queen Mahamaya gave birth.

Mahayana Buddhism teaches that there were many Buddhas before this historical Buddha, and there will be many after. We are most fortunate to be born in a time when there is a recognized Buddha, and the teachings are so widely available.

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