Birth of the Buddha - 623 BCE (Buddhist Era) - Kingdom in North India called Kapavastu - King Shudhodana from the Sakya clan and Queen Mahamaya - Queen dreamt of the sky filled with white light and a bunch of rays became a white elephant with six tusks entered her womb. It made her felt happy and heart filled with joy - It is a custom to go to the maiden parents house to give birth, therefore Queen Mahamaya and her attendants began the journey home of her childhood. They stopped by a beautiful place where the queen felt the baby was ready to come into the world. - She reached for the branch of a tree which bent itself down to meet her hand and she began to give birth while standing, holding onto the branch. - Queen Mahamaya gave birth to the noble prince, destined to be the greatest spiritual teacher of the world in the Lumbini Park on the full moon day of May - Siddhartha immediately took seven steps. at each step, a lotus grew out of the ground to receive the future Buddha. - The infant rose, pointing one finger to the heavens and one to the earth, declaring in the heavens and on the earth, I am the most venerable teacher of gods and men. This is my last birth on this earth. - Mahamaya returned with her son to Kapilavastu - A grand reception was arranged. They named the prince Siddharth, meaning “wish fulfill”. - A great sage Asita who had given up the worldly pleasure heard abt the birth of Siddharth, and visited the prince. - Asita instead of blessing the child, saluted Mehr sehen