Home > Society > Religion in India > Birth of Gautama Buddha
Birth of Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha was born as a prince of Sakyas in Kapilavastu and was named as Siddhartha.

Share this Article:

Birth of Gautama BuddhaSiddhartha Gautama, popularly known as Gautama Buddha was born in 560 BC. He was the prince of Lumbini, Nepal at the foot of Mount Palpa in the Himalayan Ranges. He was born to Suddhodhana, King of the Sakyas and Maya Devi. His mother died seven days after his birth. So Siddhartha was raised by his foster mother, Mahapajapati who was Maya"s sister. Mayadevi was a Koliya princess. On the night Siddhartha was conceived, his mother Maya Devi dreamt that a white elephant with six white tasks entered her right side and after ten lunar months Siddhartha was born from her right side. According to the Sakya tradition, when queen Maya became pregnant she went to her father"s kingdom to give birth but after leaving the capital of Kapilavastu, she gave birth to Siddhartha along the way of Lumbini in a garden beneath a Sal tree.

Naming of Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha means "one who has accomplished his aim". Gautama was the clan name or family name of Siddhartha. He was also known as Sakyamuni as he was the Ascetic of Sakya tribe. King Suddhodhana arranged for the naming ceremony on the fifth day of Siddhartha`s birth and invited eight Brahmin Scholars to read the future. Kaundinya, the youngest of the Brahmins also told that the baby boy would become a "Buddha".

Astrologers Prediction of Gautama Buddha"s Life
Upon the birth of Siddhartha, the astrologers predicted that when he would be adult, Siddhartha would either become a "Chakravarti" or a universal monarch and would abandon all earthly comforts to become a monk. He would become a Buddha, a perfectly enlightened soul who would bring enlightenment to the entire mankind. Siddhartha"s father wanted that his son would become the universal monarch and asked the astrologers about the cause that would compel Siddhartha to retire from the material life and enter into spiritual life. The astrologers foretold that Siddhartha would see a feeble old man, a diseased man, a dead person and a monk.

In other stories it is said that the great hermit, Asita came from his mountain abode to see the newborn baby and after examining his birthmarks when the baby placed his feet in Asita"s hair he foretold that the baby would either become a monarch or a great holy man.

King Suddhodhana tried his best to prevent his son from becoming a monk and he raised him in extreme luxury and indulgence and tried to keep him attached to the sensual pleasure away from all earthly pain and sorrow.

Birthday Celebration of Gautama Buddha
Buddha Jayanti is the celebration of Gautam Buddha"s birth and falls on the full moon in the Hindu month of Baisakh. Buddha Jayanti is commemorated on the month of May by followers of Buddhism, and the festival is also recognised as Vesak or Buddha Day.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Religion in India


Religion in Indus Valley Civilization
Religion in Indus Valley Civilisation included Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Details about the religion in Indus Valley Civilization have been gathered from archaeological artefacts.
Shaivism Religion
Shaivism is the second largest “religious community” in modern India with its roots deeply seated in the Hindu Vedic belief.
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is among the more popular denominations of Hinduism, with its own distinctive ideas about spirituality and morality. Vaishnavism concentrates on worshipping god Vishnu and of his incarnations.
Hinduism Religion
Hinduism is more of a philosophy which is a way of living according to the understanding of the principles of Vedas and Upanishads.
Islam
Islam is a religion that beliefs in Allah as the one and only God and creator of the Universe. Islamic law or Sharia is characterised by the five pillars of Islam which comprise the essential duties of every Muslim.
Christianity
Christianity is a religion based on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ and it is the largest religion in the world.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and a philosophy that encompasses a wide variety of beliefs, practices and traditions that are chiefly based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha and its later disciples.
Jainism
Jainism chronologically preceded the religion of Buddhism. It is considered as one of the oldest religions of India. Jainism in India shared with Hinduism and Buddhism. It is an integral part of South Asian religious belief and practice, but it is not a Hindu sect and not a Buddhist heresy, as earlier scholars believed.
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism, closely related to Judaism, Christianity and Islam was founded by Zoroaster.
Sikhism
Sikhism is a religion started by Guru Nanak in land of Punjab in 15th century A.D.
Iyer Brahmin
Iyer Brahmins are originally from Tamil Nadu of South India. The Iyers have always taken an interest in preserving the arts and sciences.
Barai Caste
Barai Caste is the professional cultivator caste of betel leaf. Tamboli and Pansari are the terms used indifferently for Barai Caste. The diversity of names of the sub-divisions of Barai Caste discloses the mixed elements that formed the caste.
Dangi Caste
Dangi Caste is largely distributed in the high land regions, and the word Dangi is said to have originated from the geographical features of their territory. Main occupation of the members of Dangi Caste is cultivation.
Nadar Caste
One of the most renowned castes of Tamil Nadu is the Nadar caste. The Nadar community is a mixture of sub-castes and classes of different origins, which came under one banner of Nadar caste gradually.
Kumbhakar Caste
Kumbhakar is the potter caste who manufactures all kinds of earthen vessels.
Gujjars in Maharashtra
Gujjars in Maharashtra have several sub-castes. Here, in this state the Gurjars are listed as a separate caste. They are included in the Maharashtra OBC list.
Awasthi Brahmin
Awasthi is a surname or a family name of a particular sub-caste of Brahmins in the Indian continent.
Bhoyar Caste
Bhoyar Caste is largely found in the Central Provinces of the country. Traditional occupation of Bhoyars is agriculture. They are good cultivators and mostly grow sugarcane.
Gujjars in Mughal Era
Gujjars in the Mughal era enjoyed great power. Further their power increased with the decline of Aurangzeb, Mughal emperor.
Origin of Vaishnavism
Origin of Vaishnavism shares its attributes to many sources and religious evolution, dating back to pre-Vedic epoch.