Once upon a time,Lady Māyā,the mother of Siddhartha Gautama, went with her father, Lord Zengaku, to the Lumbini Garden to view the ashoka trees on the 8th day of the second month, early in spring. Upon arriving at the garden, the lady descended from her jeweled chariot. Adorned with many beautiful ornaments, such as necklaces and bracelets, she walked toward an ashoka tree. She was accompanied by 84,000 maidservants and a procession of 100,000 chariots. Ministers, court nobles, and various officials followed her.
Lumbini (Tarai Plain, Southern Nepal)
Ashoka tree (In Japanese it is called ‘Muju’ meaning ‘the tree without sorrow’)
The tree was lush with leaves, its branches drooping down to the ground. The greenery shimmered like a peacock’s neck, radiating an extraordinary beauty. When Lady Māyā reached the tree and raised her right hand to grasp one of its branches, the prince was born from her right side, emitting a brilliant light.
At that moment, heavenly person, Demon King, Brahma, priests, and brahmins filled the space beneath the tree. Supporting the newborn prince with their hands, the celestial beings guided him as he took seven steps in each direction.
As his feet touched the ground, lotus flowers bloomed beneath them, supporting his steps. As he walked seven steps south, he signified that he would become a source of blessings for all people. With seven steps west, he indicated that this was his final birth, free from the cycle of aging and death. With seven steps north, he showed his liberation from life and death. And with seven steps east, he demonstrated his future role as a guide for humanity. Walking seven steps in each direction symbolized his breaking of worldly desires and his attainment of Buddhahood. Taking seven steps upward signified his purity, unsullied even when touched by the impure, and taking seven steps downward symbolized his ability to extinguish the fires of hell with the rain of the Dharma, bringing peace and joy to all.
After completing his seven steps in each direction, the prince spoke a verse:
“I have lived through the full cycle of rebirths. This is my final body. I have already eradicated the defilements. From now on, I will guide all beings.”
The seven steps symbolize the Seven Factors of Awakening, a key concept in Buddhist practice. The blooming of lotus flowers with each step is due to the work of the earth deity.
The Four Heavenly Kings wrapped the prince in heavenly cloth and placed him upon a jeweled pedestal. Indra held a jeweled umbrella over him, and Brahma stood to his left and right with a white fly whisk (hossu, a whisk with white hair often carried by monks). The Nanda and Upananda dragon kings showered the prince with pure water from the sky, adjusting its temperature between warm and cool. The prince’s body shone with a golden hue and displayed the 32 marks of a great man, unique to Buddhas. His radiance illuminated all worlds. The heavenly nagas (dragons), Yakshas (spirits), and other celestial beings played heavenly music from the sky, and garments and ornaments rained down from the heavens like a shower of blessings.
The Birth of Buddha.The central woman is his mother, Lady Māyā, with the Buddha being born from her right side. The one receiving him is the king of gods, Indra. The woman supporting Lady Māyā on her left is her sister, who would become the Buddha’s wet nurse after Lady Māyā’s death. The man with hands joined in reverence is Brahma. (From Pakistan, 2-3 century)
[Translation]
Siro Inuzuka
This text was created by using ChatGPT-4o to translate a modern Japanese translation into English, and then making some modifications. There may be errors in the English expressions. Please correct any mistakes.
[Explanation]
Shinichi Kusano / Siro Inuzuka
There is archaeological evidence confirming the existence of Siddhartha, making it indisputable. This is an episode that narrates his birth. There are differing opinions on the birthplace, with some claiming ‘it is in Nepal’ and others saying ‘it is in India,’ so the exact location is unknown. While Lumbini is now a place name in Nepal, the name itself is much more recent than Siddhartha’s time.
[Cooperation]
Shinichi Kusano
●Japanese
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