Lumbini

Lumbini is the place where the Buddha, known as the Tathagata (One who has found the Truth. ) was born. It is the place which should be visited and seen by a person of devotion and which should cause awareness and apprehension of the nature of impermanence.

The birthplace of theGautama Buddha, Lumbini, is the Mecca of every Buddhist, being one of the four holy places of Buddhism. It is said in the Parinibbana Sutta that Buddha himself identified four places of future pilgrimage: the sites of his birth, enlightenment, first discourse, and death. All of these events happened outside in nature under trees. While there is not any particular significance in this, other than it perhaps explains why Buddhists have always respected the environment and natural law.

The bas relief above depicts Maya Devi with her right hand holding on to a branch of a sal tree with a newborn child standing upright on a lotus petal, shedding an oval halo, around his head, while two celestial figures pour water and lotuses from vessels of heaven as indicated by the delineation of clouds. This nativity scene was installed by Malla Kings of the Naga dynasty from about the 11th to 15th Century in the Karnali zone of Nepal.

In 249 BC, when the Emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini it was a flourishing village. Ashoka constructed four stupas and a stone pillar with a figure of a horse on top. The stone pillar bears an inscription which, in English translation, runs as follows: "King Piyadasi (Ashoka), beloved of devas, in the 20 year of the coronation, himself made a royal visit, Buddha Sakyamuni having been born here, a stone railing was built and a stone pillar erected to the Bhagavan having been born here, Lumbini village was taxed reduced and entitled to the eight part (only)".

Transportation mode to Lumbini, Siddharthanagar

From India: From all major Indian cities to Gorakhpur (India) by road or train, from Gorakhpur to Lumbini by road.

From Within Nepal: Kathmandu to Lumbini by airlines or by road.

Visa: For entry from India by road, Tourist visa for Nepal can be obtained at border customs.

Maya Devi Temple:

Lumbini remained neglected for centuries. In 1895, Feuhrer, a famous German archaeologist, discovered the great pillar while wandering about the foothills of the Churia range. Further exploration and excavation of the surrounding area revealed the existence of a brick temple and a sandstone sculpture within the temple itself which depicts the scenes of the Buddha's birth.

It is pointed out by scholars that the temple of Maya Devi was constructed over the foundations of more than one earlier temple or stupa, and that this temple was probably built on an Ashokan stupa itself. On the south of the Maya Devi temple there is the famous sacred bathing pool known as Puskarni. It is believed that Maha Devi took a bath in this pool before the delivery. By the side of the Ashoka pillar there is a river which flows southeast and is locally called the 'Ol' river. In 1996, an archaeological dig unearthed a "flawless stone" placed there by the Indian Emperor Ashoka in 249 BC to mark the precise location of the Buddha's birth more than 2,600 years ago, if authenticated, the find will put Lumbini even more prominently on the map for millions of religious pilgrims.

Recently, several beautiful shrines have been built by devotees from Buddhist countries. A visit to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, is not only for spiritual enlightenment but also for solace and satisfaction that one gets in such a calm and peaceful place.

Historical Perspective of the Development of Lumbini.

Lumbini Development Trust considers it moral obligation to inform the people of the world about Lumbini, the Fountain of World Peace and Holy Pilgrimage shrine of the Buddhists and peace loving people of the world, its historical background, development activities in the nineteen components, other activities, contributions of the individuals, organisations and nations, etc.

Being the birthplace of Lord Buddha, Lumbini, situated in Nepal tarai, Nepal , is considered as the holy pilgrimage shrine since ancient time. In the 20 th year of the coronation i,e. 249 B.C. Emperor Ashoka of India guided by his preceptor Upagupta visited the spot and placed the Marker Stone ( Silabigadavicha ) to mark the exact spot of the birthplace of Lord Buddha.; " hidabhudhajate " (here was Lord Buddha born) and " hidabhagavanjateti " ( because Lord Bhagwan - Lord Buddha was born here) mentioned in Lumbini Pillar Inscription of Emperor Ashoka seem to have been said by preceptor Upagupta to the emperor. Buddhist text Divyavadana also refers to almost the same version i.e royal preceptor pointing to the exact birthplace of Lord Buddha to Emperor Asoka.

The joint venture of Lumbini Development Trust, Department of Archaeology/ Nepal and Japan Buddhist Federation for the restoration of Maya Devi Temple revealed the exact birthplace of Lord Buddha with the Marker Stone and a monastery complex nearby. The Mauryan emperor Asoka having erected the stambha (pillar) and placing the Marker Stone, on the birth-spot seems to have constructed a vihar in the complex. The excavations carried out in this particular area have revealed the remains of a Mauryan structure ( monastery) around the pillar. Thus since the 3 rd century B.C. Lumbini was visited by many kings, pilgrims, scholars to pay homage to Lord Buddha up to 1312 A.D., when Ripu Malla, the famous king of Karnali region in western Nepal paid a visit there. However, due to unspecified reasons, the area remained ignored and undetected after 1312 A.D. till the late 19 th century.