Today’s
The World Around Us
will be presented
in Nepali and English,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese, English, French,
German, Hungarian,
Indonesian,
Japanese, Korean, Malay,
(Nepali,) Persian,
Portuguese, Russian,
Spanish and Thai.
Noble viewers, today’s
The World Around Us
will take us to Nepal
as we introduce you to
one of the most famous
Buddhist pilgrimage sites:
Lumbini,
the birthplace of
the enlightened Master
Sakyamuni Buddha.
Known as
the “Awakened One,”
Sakyamuni Buddha led
the world on the path of
peace and enlightenment
when he lived
some 2,500 years ago.
Nestled in the foothills
of the Siwalik range
in the Rupandehi district
of Nepal, Lumbini is
where Queen Maya Devi
had given birth
to Siddhartha Gautama,
who in turn,
as the Gautama Buddha,
gave birth to
the Buddhist philosophy.
Sakyamuni Buddha
is said to have lived here
till the age of 29.
Hari Rai,
the Information Incharge
Officer at Lumbini
Development Trust,
a non-governmental
organization dedicated to
the restoration of Lumbini,
explained to us
the historical significance
of Lumbini.
These are the remains of
of an ancient monastery.
It has got two sections,
as we can fairly see.
This is a residential block
and that is
a meditation block.
So after the arrival
of Emperor Ashoka
to Lumbini, a large
group of devotees
from different parts
of the world
came to Lumbini
to pay homage
to the Lord Buddha.
To support
the increasing number
of devotees,
these monasteries were
built during the time.
The nuns and monks
From 4th century BC
to 8th century AD
drank water
from this well.
Buddhist literature
mentions that
the newly born
Prince Siddhartha took
seven steps and uttered
some precious words as
an epoch making message
to the suffering humanity.
It happened
in the beautiful Sal grove
of Lumbini, Nepal.
The garden was
renowned for the beauty
of its shady grove
of lush green trees
and colorful flowers.
In 7th century BC,
Lumbini was
a beautiful garden.
We read
in the Buddhist scripture
that more than
five types of bees,
hundreds of types
of birds and butterflies
used to fly here.
Maya Devi, the queen of
Sakya King Suddhodana
of Kapilavastu, on
the way to her maternal
hometown Devadaha,
was passing through
the Lumbini Garden.
Before she could go
further, she gave birth
to Prince Siddhartha.
So to the west of Lumbini
was ancient Kapilvastu
this side, and to the east
was Koliya Kingdom.
And between these
two kingdoms there was
matrimonial relationship.
And this tradition of
matrimonial alliance
was kept for
many generations.
And this connection
in 7th century BC,
Maya Devi,
beautiful princess
of Koliya Kingdom,
Devadaha at present,
was given in marriage
to the king of Kapilvastu
named Suddhodhana.
In due course of time
she became pregnant
and according
to Sakya's tradition
that the first child
was not allowed
to give a birth at home,
so she asked
for the permission to
the King Suddhodhana.
She said, “Oh Maharaja,
I want to go to visit
my parents to give birth
to our first baby.”
Suddhodhana
was overjoyed.
He was very happy
because they did not
have any child for
10 years after marriage.
And a special
preparation was made.
A procession
of all 500 people
started for Devadaha.
We believe where
this tree stands today,
in this spot
her palanquin was put.
The birth of the Buddha
is believed
to have been marked
by the blossoming
of seven lotus flowers.
According
to Buddhist scriptures,
when the baby
was given birth to,
there was a miracle.
From the Heaven,
from the sky, clouds
were offered to him.
Devas (gods) came
and worshipped him,
prayed to him,
sang the song of glory
of the newly born baby.
Promptly there bloomed
seven lotus flowers
and baby Buddha, with
his right index up, stepped
on each of the petals
of the lotus flowers
and proclaimed.
He said, “I am
the first and foremost
of all the creatures
to cross the riddle
of the ocean of existence.
I have come to the world
to share
the path of emancipation.
This is my last birth
and here after,
I will not be born again.”
He proclaimed like that.
By then nobody
could look at him directly
because immense light
was emanating
out of his body.
There was
a very powerful halo
around his head.
Soon after completion
of his seven steps
and proclamation,
he turned
into a normal baby.
And the baby
was kept back and given
the first purification bath
in the sacred tank.
The holy pond Puskarini
is the site
where Maya Devi
is said to have bathed
before giving birth
to the little Buddha.
It is also believed
to be the site where the
infant prince Siddhartha
was given
his first purification bath.
That day was
the Baisakha Poornima
(Full Moon Day).
Baisakha normally
is the first month
of Nepali calendar
and Poornima
means full moon day.
But it falls on,
sometimes April
and sometimes May.
Three major events
of Buddha's life:
his birth, enlightenment,
and his passing away,
Mahaparinirvana,
took place
on the same date.
It is not a coincidence,
you know,
but it is a perfect sign
of a Bodhisattva,
of Arahat
Samyak Sam Bodhisattva.
One who becomes Arahat
Samyak Sam Bodhisattva
in this very life
has to show like
these different symbols.
Often this is
one of the symbols.
So the Buddha was born
in 623 BC,
here in Lumbini; the date
was Baisakha Poornima.
He got enlightenment
at the age of 35
in Bodh Gaya
on the same date.
And at the age of 80,
he passed away
on Baisakha Poornima,
again in Kushinagar.
Marking
these three events are
also three special trees:
the Ashoka tree – under
which Buddha was born,
the holy Bodhi tree –
under which
he got enlightened,
and the Sala tree –
under which Lord
Buddha passed away.
The famous Mauryan
Emperor Ashoka
guided by his
spiritual teacher Upagupta
made a pilgrimage to
this holy site in 249 BC.
He built
a memorial stone pillar,
the Ashokan pillar.
It bears
the first historic document
relating to the birthplace
of Sakyamuni Buddha.
The pillar
bears inscription
that has been engraved
in Brahmi scripts
and Pali language.
There are 90 letters
in four and a half lines.
Of all, the second line
is very important.
It is read as:
“Hida Bhagavana Jateti
Lumminigame.”
It means “Here
in this place the Lord
Sakyamuni Buddha was
born in Lumbini village.”
The inscription
on the pillar
deals with three very
fundamental questions.
Who he was, the Buddha?
He was a human being,
Sakyamuni,
as well as divine being,
Bhagavanna.
Where was he born?
He was born
in Lumbini village.
And where is Lumbini?
Here, where the pillar
stands on the top of all.
It proves that Lord Buddha
was not merely
a legendary figure.
He was a historical
personality, celebrated.
He was born here.
More on the historical
importance of Lumbini
when we return.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
Welcome back to
The World Around Us
on Supreme Master
Television
and our presentation
on the birthplace
of Sakyamuni Buddha.
The Maya Devi Temple
is the heart
of all monuments
at this holy site.
The temple
bears testimony
of several layers
of construction
over the centuries.
The main object
of reverence
is the nativity sculpture.
This is a nativity sculpture.
The main object
of worship was Devi.
We see Maya Devi holding
the branch of the tree.
Next to her stands
Prajapati,
her younger sister,
to support,
to solicit divinities
seen at the service.
And baby Buddha
is seen standing upright
on the pedestal
of a lotus flower.
It is made of red
sedimentary sandstone,
and it was carved
in maybe 4 century BC
in Mathura Art College
in India.
And it was brought in,
put in this ancient
Maya Devi Temple
in 7th century AD
and worshipped
for a long time.
The restored
Maya Devi Temple
was reopened in 2003.
The ground floor
consists of the remains
of previous construction
dating to
the 3rd century BC.
The then United Nations
Secretary General
U Thant, who
was deeply impressed
by his visit to Lumbini
in 1967, suggested
the Nepal government
to develop Lumbini as an
international pilgrimage
and a tourist center.
Finally, a master plan
for the development
of Lumbini,
designed by the world
famous architect
Professor Kenzo Tange
of Japan, was approved
by the Government
of Nepal and
United Nations in 1978.
Lumbini
Development Trust
was formed in 1985 to
implement the master plan.
The plan continues
to be realized till today.
It designates
three square miles of land
to be transformed into
a sacred place
of gardens, pools,
buildings, and groves.
The development area
includes
a special monastic zone,
the circular sacred garden
surrounding
the Ashoka pillar
and Maya Devi Temple,
and Lumbini Village.
Today, many
Buddhist communities
from various countries
have built or are building
temples and monasteries
near the Sacred Garden
in the International
Monastery Zone.
The monasteries built
by these communities
showcase the architecture
and cultures
of their respective nations
and are part of the
harmonious environment
of Lumbini.
Because of its
immense archeological
and religious importance,
Lumbini was enlisted
as a World Heritage Site
by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) in 1997.
Today, pilgrims
from all over the world
come and deeply
immerse themselves
in the serene
spiritual atmosphere.
Enjoying the bliss,
they remember
the great Master
Sakyamuni Buddha,
who showed humankind
the way of truth,
peace, compassion,
and enlightenment.
Thank you for joining us
in today’s program of
The World Around Us
about Lumbini,
the birthplace
of Sakyamuni Buddha.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
Words of Wisdom
is coming up next.
May Heavenly light
and sound be with you.
Noble viewers, today’s The World Around Us will take us to Nepal as we introduce you to one of the most famous Buddhist pilgrimage sites:
Lumbini, the birthplace of the enlightened Master Sakyamuni Buddha. Known as the “Awakened One,” Sakyamuni Buddha led the world on the path of peace and enlightenment when he lived some 2,500 years ago.