In Kapilavatthu, not
very far
From the Himalayas,
Queen Māyā
Dreamed something that she found bizarre:
Clothed in flowers,
she was paid
A visit by an
elephant—lily white—
Bearing in its trunk
a pure white lotus
That softly glowed
in the moonlit night.
After circling her
three times,
The elephant, such
as she'd never seen,
Tapped her thrice on
her right side
And then vanished
inside the queen.
She shared her dream
with King Śuddhodana,
Who summoned the
Brahmins immediately
To hear the details
of the queen's strange dream
And explain to him
what the meaning might be.
"The queen will
have a son," they said,
"And he will become one of two things:
A conqueror or a
holy man.
We shall see what the
future brings."
When the time of
birth drew near,
The queen longed to
visit the place
Where she'd grown
up. Her caring midwife
Accompanied her just in case.
As they approached Lumbini
Grove,
Her entourage smelled
the scent
Of gardens of spices
and blossoming trees
That formed a
protective, natural tent.
The queen entered
the grove and there
Between the
blossoming sala trees
Gave birth to her
son, Prince Siddhārtha,
While blossoms
rained down in the gentle breeze.
According to some
accounts, on that day
The ground shook and
the trees swayed.
Joyous sounds filled
the air
As soothing
celestial music played.
As sweet tea fell
from the clouds above,
The infant took
seven steps and proclaimed:
"I alone am the
World-Honored One"--
A title that he was
later named.
Back to Kapilavatthu
they traveled.
A few days later,
Queen Māyā died.
Her sister,
Pajāpatī, became
The prince's mother
and the king's new bride.
Thus goes a wondrous version
Of a narrative that finds great worth
By beautifully
combining legends
And written accounts
of the Buddha's birth.
Fact and myth are
interwoven
In many great
figures from our past.
But true meaning
transcends the records
And points to deeper
truths that last.
-by Bob B (4-5-18)
*On April 8, many Buddhists around the world
celebrate the birth
of the historic Buddha. This
was written to honor
the occasion.
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