Hand-drawn Buddha symbol and buddha chronicle wordmark
Based on the sutras, the Vinaya and later commentaries
About the Sources

Born in Lumbinī Park

Attested across multiple schools

When her time comes, goes to and gives birth to the Bodhisatta standing. As soon as he is born the Bodhisatta stands on the ground, takes seven steps, and declares himself the most honoured being in the world. The birth at Lumbinī is recorded in the texts of every major school; the seven steps are found in the Pali canon of the Southern tradition and in the Chinese Madhyama Āgama, Saṃyukta Āgama and elsewhere.

Different Accounts

Date: the Chinese Shi'er you jing, Fo bannihuan jing and Bannihuan jing and the Buddha biography Taizi ruiying benqi jing and others give the eighth day of the fourth month; the Xiuxing benqi jing gives the seventh day of the fourth month; the Guoqu xianzai yinguo jing and Fo benxing ji jing give the eighth day of the second month. The hour also differs: as the morning star appeared at dawn, at midnight, or at sunrise.

More differences between accounts (3)

The manner of birth: Majjhima Nikāya 123 of the Southern tradition says the mother gave birth standing; the Buddha biography Xiuxing benqi jing and others say the Bodhisatta was born from his mother's right side. The tree the mother held is given as an asoka tree, a liumin tree or a sāla tree.

The words spoken after the seven steps: the Buddha biography Xiuxing benqi jing has “In the heavens above and on earth below, I alone am honoured; the three realms are all suffering, and I shall bring them peace” (in heaven and on earth I am the most honoured; all in the world is suffering, and I will bring beings to peace); the in Saṃyukta Āgama 604 has “This is my last birth; I shall attain the unsurpassed path” (this is the last time I am born, and I will attain the highest awakening); Majjhima Nikāya 123 of the Southern tradition has “I am the foremost in the world”.

The bathing and those born at the same time: Majjhima Nikāya 123 of the Southern tradition and the Chinese Madhyama Āgama say two streams of water, one cool and one warm, poured down from the sky to bathe him, while the Buddha biography Puyao jing (the Chinese Lalitavistara) has nine nāgas spouting water; the Chinese Shi'er you jing says , Nanda (the Buddha's younger brother) and were born on the day before the Buddha's birth and in the days after it, while the later commentaries of the Southern tradition say seven people and animals were born at the same moment as he was, including the prince's future wife, Ānanda, Channa (the servant who drove the prince's chariot) and the prince's horse.

Dating

The day of the Buddha's birth, the starting point for his age. That it came ten full months after the entry into the womb is stated in the canonical texts; the month and day differ between sources (the eighth day of the fourth month, the seventh day of the fourth month, the eighth day of the second month); it can be fixed to a day, but there is no settled answer.

Related Entries

Year
Birth
Places
Lumbinī ParkKapilavatthuDevadaha
People
Queen Māyā
Discourses
Not recorded
Research Notes: Reliability, Dating and Sources
How Reliability Is Assessed

The episode of “the birth at Lumbinī” is recorded by three schools: the Pali canon of the Southern tradition, the Chinese Dharmaguptaka Vinaya (Sifen lü) and the Chinese Madhyama Āgama. Attested across multiple schools. Within it, “the seven steps at birth” is recorded by two schools, the Pali canon of the Southern tradition and the Chinese Madhyama Āgama.

Dating Evidence and Precision

Stated in the canonical text (the text itself gives the time). Time precision: fixed to the day.

Sources

Back to Birth

Source text

日期怎麼讀

成道第幾年
從佛陀成道開始，每經過一次雨季安居算一年，每一年算到安居結束為止；所有年歲一律依二十九歲出家、三十五歲成道推算。
年份依據
區分經文自己明記、後世註解書記載、先後順序推定及年歲換算。
時間精確度
分別說明確定到日、月、年，或只能放入某幾年之間。
可信度
多派共傳、兩派記載、單派記載與後世補述，表達記載的共傳範圍；與時間及位置是否確定分開閱讀。