Lumbini
| Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| State Party |  Nepal
|
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii, vi |
| Reference | 666 |
| Region** | Asia-Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1997 (21st Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. | |
Lumbini (Sanskrit: लुम्बिनी, "the lovely") is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Kapilavastu district of Nepal, near the Indian border. It is the place where Queen Mayadevi is said to have given birth to Siddhartha Gautama, who in turn, as the Buddha Gautama, gave birth to the Buddhist tradition. The Buddha lived between roughly 563 and 483 B.C.E. Lumbini is one of four magnets for pilgrimage that sprang up in places pivotal to the life of the Buddha, the others being at Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, and Sarnath.
Lumbini is in the foothills of the Himalaya, [1] 25 km east of the municipality of Kapilavastu, where the Buddha is said to have lived till the age of 29. Kapilvastu is the name of the place in question as well as of the neighbouring district. Lumbini has a number of temples, including the Mayadevi temple, and others under construction. Also here is the Puskarini or Holy Pond - where the Buddha's mother took the ritual dip prior to his birth and where he, too, had his first bath - as well as the remains of Kapilvastu palace. At other sites near Lumbini, earlier Buddhas were, according to tradition, born, achieved ultimate awakening and finally relinquished earthly form.
Lumbini in Buddha's time
| Pilgrimage to Buddha's Holy Sites |
|
| The Four Main Sites |
|---|
| Lumbini · Bodh Gaya Sarnath · Kushinagar |
| Four Additional Sites |
| Sravasti · Rajgir Sankissa · Vaishali |
| Other Sites |
| Patna · Gaya Kausambi · Mathura Kapilavastu · Devadaha Kesariya · Pava Nalanda · Varanasi |
In the Buddha's time, Lumbini was a park situated between Kapilavatthu and Devadaha. It was there that the Buddha was born[2]. A pillar now marks the spot of Asoka's visit to Lumbiní. According to an inscription on the pillar, it was placed there by the people then in charge of the park to commemorate Asoka's visit and gifts[3]. The park was previously known as Rummindei, two miles north of Bhagavanpura.
In the Sutta Nipáta (vs. 683) it is stated that the Buddha was born in a village of the Sákyans, in the Lumbineyya Janapada. The Buddha stayed in Lumbinívana during his visit to Devadaha and there preached the Devadaha Sutta[4].
Re-discovery of the site of Lumbini
In 1896, Nepalese archaeologists (effort by Khadga Samsher Rana) discovered a great stone pillar at the site, attributed to Emperor Ashoka. Records made by the Chinese pilgrim Fa Xian were also used in the process of identifying this religiously acclaimed site.
Current Lumbini
Lumbini, as of 1997, is an UNESCO World Heritage Site specifically nominated for the international World Heritage program.
The holy site of Lumbini is bordered by a large monastic zone, in which only monasteries can be built, no shops or hotels or restaurants. It is separated into an eastern and western monastic zone, the eastern having the Theravadin monasteries, the western having Mahayana and Vajrayana monasteries.
The holy site of Lumbini has ruins of ancient monasteries, a sacred Bodhi tree, an ancient bathing pond, the Asokan pillar and the Mayadevi temple, where the precise place of birth of Buddha is located. From early morning to early evening, pilgrims from various countries perform chanting and meditation at the site.
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History of Buddhism Foundations Key Concepts Major Figures Practices Regions Branches Texts | |
Gallery
Bodhi tree and pond at Lumbini
Exact birthplace of Gautama Buddha
Ashokan Pillar
Lumbini Garden
Eternal Peace Flame
Burmese Lokamani Cula Pagoda
Chinese Maitreya Temple
Flags near the Sacred Pool (Puskarni)
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- ↑ Buddhist Temples India,Buddhist Temple Tour,Buddhist Temples in India,Indian Buddhist Temple Tour
- ↑ J.i.52, 54; Kvu.97, 559; AA.i.10; MA.ii.924; BuA.227; Cv.li.10, etc.
- ↑ See Mukerji: Asoka, p.27; see p.201f for details
- ↑ MA.ii.810
External links
- Travel guide to Lumbini from Wikitravel
- Entry on Lumbini in the Dictionary of Pali Proper Names
- WelcomeNepal.com: Lumbini - Places to see
- Buddhist studies: Pilgrimage: Lumbini - Birthplace of the Buddha
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