Lumbini has a number of old temples, including theMayadevi Temple, and several new temples, funded by Buddhist organisations from various countries. Most of the temples have already been completed and some are still under construction. Many monuments,monasteries, stupas, a museum, and the Lumbini International Research Institute are also near to the holy site. The Puskarini, or Holy Pond, is where Mayadevi, the Buddha's mother, is believed to have taken the ritual bath prior to his birth and where the Buddha also had his first bath. At other sites near Lumbini, earlier Buddhas were born, then achieved ultimate Enlightenment and finally relinquished their earthly forms.[10]
In the time of the Buddha, Lumbini was situated east ofKapilavastu and south-west ofDevadaha ofShakya, an oligarchic republic.[12][13] According to the Buddhist tradition, it was there that the Buddha was born.[14]Ashoka Pillar of Lumbini, a monolithic column with an inscription in the ancientBrahmi script discovered atRupandehi in 1896, is believed to mark the spot ofAshoka's visit to Lumbini. The site was not known as Lumbini before the pillar was discovered.[15] The translation of inscription (by Paranavitana) reads:
When King Devanampriya Priyadarsin had been anointed twenty years, he came himself and worshipped (this spot), because the Buddha Shakyamuni was born here. (He) both caused to be made a stone bearing a horse and caused a stone pillar to be set up, (in order to show) that the Blessed One was born here. (He) made the village of Lumbini free of taxes, and paying (only) an eighth share (of the produce).[16][17][note 2]
The park was previously known asRupandehi, 2 mi (3.2 km) north of Bhagavanpura. The Sutta Nipáta (vs. 683) states 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.[20]
At the top of the pillar, there is a second inscription by kingRipumalla (1234Saka Era, 13-14th century CE), who is also known from an inscription at theNigali Sagar pillar:
— Inscription of KingRipumalla on the Lumbini pillar of Ashoka, 1234 Saka Era (13–14th century).[1]
A second pillar of Ashoka is located about 22 kilometers to the northwest of Lumbini, theNigali Sagar pillar (with inscription), and a third one 24 kilometers to the west, theGotihawa pillar (without inscription).
Lumbini is 4.8 km (3 mi) in length and 1.6 km (1.0 mi) in width. The holy site of Lumbini is bordered by a large monastic zone in which only monasteries can be built, no shops, hotels or restaurants. It is separated into an eastern and western monastic zone, the eastern having theTheravadin monasteries, the western havingMahayana andVajrayana monasteries. There is a long water filled canal separating the western and eastern zones, with a series of brick arch bridges joining the two sides along the length. The canal is serviced by simple outboard motor boats at the north end which provides tours. The holy site of Lumbini has ruins of ancient monasteries, a sacredBodhi tree, an ancient bathing pond, theAshokan pillar and the Mayadevi Temple, a site traditionally considered to be the birthplace of the Buddha. From early morning to early evening, pilgrims from various countries perform chanting and meditation at the site.
Lumbini complex is divided into three areas: the Sacred Garden, the Monastic Zone and the Cultural Center and New Lumbini Village. The Sacred Garden remains the epicenter of the Lumbini area and consists of the birthplace ofBuddha and other monuments of archaeological and spiritual importance such as theMayadevi Temple, theAshoka Pillar, the Marker Stone, the Nativity Sculpture, Puskarini Sacred Pond and other structural ruins of Buddhist stupas and viharas. The Monastic Zone, spanning an area of one square mile is divided into two zones: the East Monastic Zone which representsTheravada school of Buddhism and the West Monastic Zone which representsMahayana andVajrayana school of Buddhism, with their respective monasteries on the either side of a long pedestrian walkway and canal. Marking the monastic spot as a sacred pilgrimage site, many countries have established Buddhist stupas and monasteries in the monastic zone with their unique historical, cultural and spiritual designs. The Cultural Center and New Lumbini Village comprises Lumbini Museum, Lumbini International Research Institute, World Peace Pagoda of Japan, Lumbini Crane Sanctuary and other administrative offices.[10] In 2021, TheGovernment of Bangladesh signed an agreement to construct a Buddhist monastery in Lumbini under the chairmanship of former premier of BangladeshSheikh Hasina with an intention of keeping a "symbol of Bangladesh at the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha".[21][22] Similarly, in 2023, Russian Ambassador to Nepal Aleksei Novikov laid the foundation for the Russian Buddhist monastery in Lumbini to representRussian Federation as well.[23]
Nepalese Temple
Indian Temple
Japanese Stupa
Royal Thailand Monastery
Chinese Monastery
German Monastery
French Monastery
Sri Lankan Temple
South Korean Temple
Cambodian Monastery
Austrian Monastery
Singapore Monastery
Canadian Temple
Vietnamese Temple
Urgen Dorjee Choling Centre
Golden Temple of Myanmar
Russian Monastery (under construction, April 2024)
There are, O monks, four places on earth which a believing householder's son or a believing householder's daughter should commemorate as long as they live. Which are those four? –here the Venerable One has been born – here the Venerable One has attained the unsurpassable complete enlightenment – here the Venerable One has turned the threefold-turning, twelve-spoked lawful wheel – here the Venerable One has gone to the realm of complete nirvāṇa.
"May Peace Prevail on Earth" sign in front of the gate of Lumbini
New excavations in the Mayadevi temple in Lumbini in 2013 revealed a series of the most ancient Buddhist shrines inSouth Asia extending the history of the site to a much earlier date.[25] According toRobin Coningham, excavations beneath existing brick structures at the Mayadevi Temple at Lumbini provide evidence for an older timber structure beneath the walls of a brick Buddhist shrine built during the Ashokan era (3rd-century BCE). The layout of the Ashokan shrine closely follows that of the earlier timber structure, which suggests a continuity of worship at the site. The pre-Mauryan timber structure appears to be an ancient tree shrine. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal from the wooden postholes and optically stimulated luminescence dating of elements in the soil suggests human activity began at Lumbini around 1000 BCE.[26] The site, states Coningham, may be a Buddhist monument from 6th-century BCE. Other scholars state that the excavations revealed nothing that is Buddhist, and they only confirm that the site predates the Buddha.[27][28]
Nepal's central bank has introduced a 100-rupee Nepali note featuring Lumbini, the birthplace ofBuddha. TheNepal Rastra Bank said the new note would be accessible only during theDashain, Nepal's major festival in the time of September/October. It displays the portrait of Mayadevi, Gautam Buddha's mother in silver metallic on the front. The note also has a black dot which would help the blind recognise the note. The name of the central bank in Roman script would be printed on the note along with the date of printing in both the Gregorian Era and theBikram Era. The new note is being issued following a cabinet decision 27 August.[29]
Nipponzan Myohoji decided to build aPeace Pagoda in the park in 2001, which is visited by many different cultures and religions every day. Because someHindus regard the Buddha as an incarnation ofVishnu, thousands of Hindus have begun to come here on pilgrimage during the full moon of the Nepali month of Baisakh (April–May) to worshipQueen Mayadevi as Rupa Devi, the mother goddess of Lumbini. Lumbini was grantedWorld Heritage status byUNESCO in 1997.[2][3]
In 2011, Lumbini Development National Director Committee wad formed under the leadership of Prime MinisterPrachanda.The committee was given the authority to "draft a master plan to develop Lumbini as a peaceful and tourism area and table the proposal" and the responsibility to gather international support for the same.[30]
In 2022 onBuddha's Birthday, Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and Nepalese Prime MinisterSher Bahadur Deuba, jointly laid the foundation stone for the Indian monastery in Lumbini.[31] Nepal-India cultural events are held annually in Lumbini highlighting the close spiritual and cultural connection between the two countries.[32]António Guterres,secretary-general of the United Nations made a visit to Lumbini in the October of 2023 and "urged everyone to reflect on the core teachings of Buddhism and their relevance in today’s troubled world ", highlighting conflicts around the world from Middle East to Ukraine to Africa, undermining of global rules and their devastating impacts on ordinary people, especially women and children.[33]
Lumbini is a 10-hour drive fromKathmandu and a 30-minute drive fromBhairahawa. The closest airport isGautam Buddha Airport at Bhairahawa, with flights to and from Kathmandu.[35]
An increase in international tourism in the 2010s combined with the development ofGautam Buddha International Airport have led to significant investment in the construction of hotels in and around Lumbini,[37] with 80 new hotels being constructed in the region in 2017.[38]
^Buddhist scriptures and travel accounts of Chinese monks, Faxian and Xuanzang, describe relative location of cities Lumbini, Sravasti, Kapilavastu and Rajgir. Based on these data, recent work[11] has used geometrical methods to pin-point the location of Lumbini. The results indicate that Kapilavastu and Lumbini were located to the south of Rajgir. Out of two historical Kosala's,South Koshala was located to the south of Rajgir. The results rejectNorth Kosala as Gautama Buddha's native country.
^Several alternative translations have been published.[18][19]
^""Gautama Buddha (B.C. 623-543)" by T.W. Rhys-Davids, The World's Great Events, B.C. 4004-A.D. 70 (1908) by Esther Singleton, pp. 124–35".{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)
^Schumann, Hans Wolfgang (2003).The Historical Buddha: The Times, Life, and Teachings of the Founder of Buddhism. Motilal Banarsidass Press. pp. 10–13.ISBN8120818172.
^"The Eight Great Sacred Sites",Nekhor: Circling the Sacred, Samye Translations.
^"Ramagrama-Devadaha".lumbini.planetwebnepal.com. Lumbini Development Trust. 2013. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved29 September 2016.
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