Why is Lumbini Significant?

Why is Lumbini Significant?

For 500 million devout Buddhists worldwide, Lumbini is where it all began.

More than 2500 years ago, as Queen Maya Devi journeyed to visit her family, she paused to rest in the delightful flower gardens of Lumbini. Emerging refreshed from her bath in a shimmering pond, she grasped the bough of a fig tree for support. At that instant, by the light of the full moon in May, Queen Maya Devi miraculously gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama—the prince who would become the 4th Buddha among the 1002 Buddhas of our Fortunate Age. 

To this day, Lumbini, birthplace of Buddha Sakyamuni, still radiates the light of His wisdom and powerful blessings.  Moreover, like a magical portal, it is the only place on Earth where a Buddha may enter our world; thus, each of the 1002 Buddhas will take their final birth there.

Situated in modern-day Nepal, where the Terai plains meet the mighty Himalayas, Lumbini is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The United Nations continues to generously support archaeological excavations that have unearthed foundations of numerous stupas, monasteries and the ancient temple of Queen Maya Devi. Even now, we can still behold the Puskarni Pool where the Queen bathed, a shady bodhi tree where the Bodhisattva’s feet first touched the earth, the majestic Ashokan Edict Pillar, and the remnants of Kapliavastu.

Thus, Lumbini is a marvelous treasury of momentous archeological ruins bordered by a spacious Monastic Zone of magnificent monasteries representing the fervent devotion of Buddhists from throughout the world.