Birthplace of Buddha

The birthplace of Buddha is Lumbini Nepal, the Buddhist pilgrimage centre all over the world where Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born in 623 BC. Low land Terai of Nepal at 150 m, located 26 km north of India border (Sunauli), 22 km west of Gautam Buddha International Airport, 305 km southwest of Kathmandu. Lumbini Garden lies 27 km from Tilaurakot (Palace of King Suddhodhana) and 54 km from Devdaha (maternal hometown of Queen Maya Devi). Queen Maya Devi travelled on a horse cart from Tilaurakot to her maternal hometown, Devdha, along with the Lumbini Garden. Maya Devi gave birth to Prince Siddhartha Gautama with a bath of the Puskarini.

Mayadevi Temple is the birthplace of Gautama Buddha in the sacred Lumbini Garden with Marker stone, Nativity Sculpture and Ashokan pillar engraving an inscription (249 BC) about Buddha's birthplace museum, library, garden, monastery, and sacred pond with Bodhi tree. King Ripu Malla of Karnali visited Lumbini in 1312 and left a mark on the pillar, Om Mani Padme Hum Ripu Malla Cirajayatu. Ashokan Pillar was broken in the 7th century by a flash of lightning.

North of the Garden has an Eternal Peace Lamp (1st November 1986) and Theravada monasteries (13 plots) belonging to Thailand, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The Mahayana Monasteries (Vajrayana and Lamaism Buddhist sects) are on the west side (29 plots of land) and belong to Nepal, Korea, China, Vietnam, France, Austria, Japan, India, Germany, Mongolia, Malaysia, and Bhutan.

There is Lumbini Village with a guest house, restaurant and camping ground. There is the World Peace Stupa, Crane Sanctuary, Wetland Garden (US), Lumbini Hokke Hotel (Japan) and Hotel Mikasa (Japan and Sri Lanka). There are various flora and fauna, 200 blue bulls and 300 species of birds, including the tallest flying bird, the Sarus Crane, lizard, snake, and python.

Tilaurakot Durbar is the capital city of King Suddhodhana and Queen Maya Devi, 27 km west of the birthplace of Buddha (Lumbini). The palace complex has found ancient ruins with a moat and wall, a museum, and a traditional pond. Prince Siddhartha spent his first 29 years at the palace. Two Vihars (memory of the king and queen) lie twelve minutes away. 

Life of Gautama Buddha

The son of King Shuddhodhan (58-year-old father) and Queen Maya Devi, Gautama Buddha (The Light of Asia) was born at Lumbini Garden in 623 BC. Infant Siddhartha walked seven steps where a lotus flower bloomed later. Maya Devi died seven days after Siddhartha's birth. Prajapati (the younger sister of Mayadevi) took care of the infant. An astrologer told King Shuddhodhan that his son was an unusual man with 112 characters and 64 knowledge. His favourite subjects were sports and art. The 16-year-old Siddartha married Yashodhara and got a son (Rahul) at the age of 29 years. 

Siddhartha Gautama discovered the suffering reasons of people on renunciation, sick, old and dead people. His father wanted, but he was not interested in becoming a king. Siddhartha secretly left the palace at midnight with a horse (Kanthaka) and a guide (Sarathi). He took off entire clothes given to Sarathi. He wore a ragged cloth from a riverbank and continued seeking salvation.  

Siddhartha found two teachers named Alara-Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta. He benefited from the teachers but could not be completely satisfied. At first, he used to eat once a day, but he did not eat in the last few days. The summer (50° Celsius temperature) life was difficult in Gaya (India), but the ritual bath of the River Niranjana was a relief. The six years of meditation made him skinny. Siddhartha had five fellows. Once, on a full moon day, Siddhartha was sitting underneath the Bodhi tree at Gaya and met a girl named Sujata (daughter of Mukhia). On the morning of Sujata worship, the Bodhi tree found a skinny man who seemed like a God. Sujata brought rice pudding to feed Siddhartha, but he denied it. She requested again to eat. Siddhartha ate some rice pudding for energy with a middle path of life. 

The five friends left for Siddhartha as the reason for the rice pudding. On the full moon day at midnight, underneath the Bodhi tree in Gaya, Siddhartha Gautama (at the age of 35) was enlightened. Afterwards, Gaya changed into Bodhgaya south of Patna in India. After 49 days, Siddhartha met his five fellows in a deer park in Sarnath. He shared the causes of human suffering obtained from the night of the full moon. Buddha distributed his teachings to many people during his life (80 years). Later, Buddha visited his father, King Suddhodana, outside the palace in Kapilvastu. 

Gautama Buddha had no home and used to walk barefoot, though two merchants built him a monk house (in Bihar, India). Lord Buddha suggested visiting Lumbini (birthplace), Bodhgaya (enlightened place), Sarnath (where he shared his teachings) and Kushinagar (nirvana place) if someone likes him. The sage made 253 rules for a monk and 326 for a nun. He implemented five rules for non-professionals not involving killing, stealing, false speaking, drinking, and intercourse with others.

Some 2600 years ago, Buddha did not accept the status of a god. He said that every man could be a priest after an education. He did not discriminate against the caste system and said everybody had red blood. Buddhism translates the white elephant as the descent of the Tushita Heaven, the horse is the Kanthak that Siddhartha had ridden, the lion is the same as Sakyamuni (clan of the Buddha), and the bull is the symbol of power equivalent to the Sakyamuni. The ultimate goal is the liberation of Buddhism. The Light of Asia is a promoter of peace with the five rules.

1. Do not steal 

2. Do not lie

3. Do not hurt with arms 

4. Do not consume intoxicants

5. Do not practice sexual misbehaviour