The Buddha
“So, what do we actually know about the [historical] Buddha? It is
fair to say that he was born, he lived, and he died. The rest remains
lost in the mists of myth and legend…’ 1
The Conception:
- Shakyamuni’s mother dreamt off a white elephant with 6 tusks and a head the colour
of rubies entered her womb. (Elephants are auspicious. They represent power and
majesty. White represents purity).
- Asked 8/64 Brahmins to interpret her dream – the dream is a sign that the child
would be holy and achieve perfect wisdom.
- Some stories say Shakyamuni was conceived whilst Queen Mahamaya was
undertaking a temporary vow of celibacy – the birth was not ordinary which indicates
the specialness of Shakyamuni.
Pregnancy:
- Shakyamuni’s mother was pregnant for 10 months – which is a sign that the baby
would be awakened.
- According to legend, during the pregnancy, Shakyamuni lived in a glass case inside his
mother’s womb. Meaning that Shakyamuni was kept pure and is not polluted by the
blood of childbirth.
Birth:
- Queen Maya gave birth in the garden at Lumbini, under a Sala tree. UNESCO made
this a world heritage site and a place of pilgrimage for many Buddhists.
- Shakyamuni appears from the side of Queen Maya. This avoids the pollutants of
childbirth (in order to be pure). This means Shakyamuni remembered his previous
lives.
- As Queen Maya gave birth, two jets of water appear in the sky to bathe the baby and
the earth shakes. The god Brahma attends the birth. This shows the significance of
Shakyamuni’s birth.
- Once The Buddha was birthed, he took 7 steps in 4 different directions. With each
step, lotus flowers sprung up. These 4 different directions showed the directions in
which the Buddha’s teachings will spread.
1
Bernard Faure, 2009. Unmasking Buddhism, p.12.
, - When born Shakyamuni said “I was born for enlightenment and for the good of all
that lives. This is my last birth in this world.” This indicates that Shakyamuni knew
who he is, his past lives and his mission in this life.
- Shakyamuni was born with 32 auspicious signs; the signs show that he is special.
Examples:
o Bust like a lion.
o Broad shoulders.
o Jaw like a lion.
o 40 teeth.
o No gaps between teeth.
o Teeth are even.
Prophecy:
- Shakyamuni’s father bowed before Shakyamuni and his 32 auspicious signs, which
shows Shakyamuni’s significance.
- The Brahmin Asita saw the signs and made a prophecy that Shakyamuni will either
become a great king or a great religious leader. (debate over the authenticity of the
prophecy or whether it is there to show The Buddha’s authority over both kings and
gods.
- Shakyamuni’s mother dies after 7 days, this is the tradition for mothers of great
leaders.
Childhood:
- The ‘festival’ story illustrates the greatness of Shakyamuni – Shakyamuni was taken
to a festival to mark the first ploughing of the fields. Shakyamuni notices the
labouring oxen, the sweating men and the insects and worms that are turned up in
the ploughed fields to be eaten by the birds. Shakyamuni now realises that life and
death are interconnected and the festival, which is supposed to be fill of joy, is in fact
filled with suffering. The event caused Shakyamuni to fall into a reflective trance, and
this was a minor miracle as time stopped still – he remined under the shadow of the
rose-apple tree whilst the shadows of the other trees moved all afternoon. This
miracle is said to have caused his father to bow down in front of his son for a second
time. This shows how easy Shakyamuni was able to mediate and gain the first of the
four Jhanas in meditation.
- A second story illustrates his compassion: Devadatta, his cousin, shoots and injures a
swan. He plans to eat it, but Shakyamuni rescues the swan, nurses it back to health
and realises it.
Life in the palace:
“So, what do we actually know about the [historical] Buddha? It is
fair to say that he was born, he lived, and he died. The rest remains
lost in the mists of myth and legend…’ 1
The Conception:
- Shakyamuni’s mother dreamt off a white elephant with 6 tusks and a head the colour
of rubies entered her womb. (Elephants are auspicious. They represent power and
majesty. White represents purity).
- Asked 8/64 Brahmins to interpret her dream – the dream is a sign that the child
would be holy and achieve perfect wisdom.
- Some stories say Shakyamuni was conceived whilst Queen Mahamaya was
undertaking a temporary vow of celibacy – the birth was not ordinary which indicates
the specialness of Shakyamuni.
Pregnancy:
- Shakyamuni’s mother was pregnant for 10 months – which is a sign that the baby
would be awakened.
- According to legend, during the pregnancy, Shakyamuni lived in a glass case inside his
mother’s womb. Meaning that Shakyamuni was kept pure and is not polluted by the
blood of childbirth.
Birth:
- Queen Maya gave birth in the garden at Lumbini, under a Sala tree. UNESCO made
this a world heritage site and a place of pilgrimage for many Buddhists.
- Shakyamuni appears from the side of Queen Maya. This avoids the pollutants of
childbirth (in order to be pure). This means Shakyamuni remembered his previous
lives.
- As Queen Maya gave birth, two jets of water appear in the sky to bathe the baby and
the earth shakes. The god Brahma attends the birth. This shows the significance of
Shakyamuni’s birth.
- Once The Buddha was birthed, he took 7 steps in 4 different directions. With each
step, lotus flowers sprung up. These 4 different directions showed the directions in
which the Buddha’s teachings will spread.
1
Bernard Faure, 2009. Unmasking Buddhism, p.12.
, - When born Shakyamuni said “I was born for enlightenment and for the good of all
that lives. This is my last birth in this world.” This indicates that Shakyamuni knew
who he is, his past lives and his mission in this life.
- Shakyamuni was born with 32 auspicious signs; the signs show that he is special.
Examples:
o Bust like a lion.
o Broad shoulders.
o Jaw like a lion.
o 40 teeth.
o No gaps between teeth.
o Teeth are even.
Prophecy:
- Shakyamuni’s father bowed before Shakyamuni and his 32 auspicious signs, which
shows Shakyamuni’s significance.
- The Brahmin Asita saw the signs and made a prophecy that Shakyamuni will either
become a great king or a great religious leader. (debate over the authenticity of the
prophecy or whether it is there to show The Buddha’s authority over both kings and
gods.
- Shakyamuni’s mother dies after 7 days, this is the tradition for mothers of great
leaders.
Childhood:
- The ‘festival’ story illustrates the greatness of Shakyamuni – Shakyamuni was taken
to a festival to mark the first ploughing of the fields. Shakyamuni notices the
labouring oxen, the sweating men and the insects and worms that are turned up in
the ploughed fields to be eaten by the birds. Shakyamuni now realises that life and
death are interconnected and the festival, which is supposed to be fill of joy, is in fact
filled with suffering. The event caused Shakyamuni to fall into a reflective trance, and
this was a minor miracle as time stopped still – he remined under the shadow of the
rose-apple tree whilst the shadows of the other trees moved all afternoon. This
miracle is said to have caused his father to bow down in front of his son for a second
time. This shows how easy Shakyamuni was able to mediate and gain the first of the
four Jhanas in meditation.
- A second story illustrates his compassion: Devadatta, his cousin, shoots and injures a
swan. He plans to eat it, but Shakyamuni rescues the swan, nurses it back to health
and realises it.
Life in the palace:
