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Home: All Things Buddha: Gemstone Buddha
Most Buddhists across the world are familiar with the myth of the miraculous birth of the Buddha: He is said to be the only son of Queen Maya and King Suddodhana of Kapilavatthu. Many modern Buddhists do not believe the myths surrounding the birth, while some fundamentalists take the story literally.
The story goes that Queen Maya delivered her baby while walking in Lumpini Park, which is situated between the Indian cities of Devadhaha and Kapilavatthu. While she was experiencing delivery pains, a branch of the Sala tree bent down to receive her hand. With her right hand holding the proffered tree branch, she gave birth to her baby in a standing position. The baby bodhisattva descended from her womb, handed down by Brahma gods before passing to the hands of Queen Maya’s maids.
Then this miracle occurred: The baby strolled seven steps on the ground and, at each step, a lotus flower bloomed up to receive his feet. Finally, on the seventh lotus (in some versions), the baby was seen as a youth and said: “I am the best in the world. This will be my last birth.”
The miraculous birth of the Buddha has puzzled Buddhists for many hundreds of years. While some Buddhists are content to believe the myth and have no desire to look for a further interpretation, others feel that the account needs further interpretation.
Home: All Things Buddha: Gemstone Buddha
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