KAPILVASTU DAY MOVEMENT

GLOBAL COMMITTEE
ADVISORY BOARD:
* Mr. Agni Frank Eickermann (Founder of over 100 Light-Center in 50 countries and all continents;
Author of 11 books, some translated in English, German, Swedish, Chinese, Russian, Dutch, Italian, French
and Spanish)
* Ani Choyuing Dolma (an exceptional singer, admired by fans in Nepal and throughout the world . )
* Dr. Arzu Rana-Deuba (CA member and MP)
* HE Deepak Khadaka (Consulate General, NSW, Australia)
* Ms Domo Geshe Rinpoche (Founder and Spiritual Director, White Conch Dharma Center, USA)
* Prof. Dr. Kavitaram Shrestha (Visiting Professor: International Health Department of Public
Health University of Aberdeen Medical School, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK)
* Mr. Rajendra Shrestha (Former Minister; Politburo Member, NCP, UML ) and
* HE Dr. Rishi Adhikari (Nepali Ambassador to Malaysia)

GLOBAL COMMITTEE:
* Ram Kumar Shrestha Global Coordinator, UK
* Abi Sharma Coordinator, Canada
* Bhanu Poudyal Special Coordinator, Canada
* Dr. Hari Kumar Shrestha Coordinator, Taiwan
* Laxman Devkota Coordinator,, Portugal
* Laxman Puri Coordinator, Nepal
* Mrs Laxmi Simkhada Coordinator, USA
* Nilkantha Tiwari Coordinator, Nepal
* Ramhari Shrestha Coordinator, UK
* Santosh Neupane Coordinator, Belgium
* Miss Sanu Ghimire Coordinator, Australia
* Shambhu Kattel Coordinator, USA
* Sujan Neupane Coordinator, Australia

SECRETARIATE (Responsible to coordinate):

* Ram Kumar Shrestha Global
* Baburaja Maharjan Australia, Newzealand and surrounding countries
* Hari Nepal Middle East
* Binay Shah & Om Gurung Japan, Hongkong, China and surrounding countries
* Shailesh Shrestha USA and South America
* Chandra Rai Canada
* Dr. Madhu K. Shrestha Europe
* Raj Shrestha SAARC
 CONTENTS
1. Nepal‘s Lumbini: Where the Buddha was born B. K. Rana
2. Google Corrected its Mistake Breaking News
3. Kapilvastu Day as Part of the World Peace Movement Ram Kumar Shrestha
4. Kapilvastu Day Poster Poster
5. Lumbini its challenges now and then Rupesh Shrestha
6. Why Kapilvastu Day – as Global Day? Damodar Prasad Acharya
7. Kapilvastu Day Poster Poster
8. Buddhism: Fundamental to World Peace Ram Kumar Shrestha
9. NEFIN Poster Poster
10. Letter Submission to the Prime Minister News (With photos)
11. Book Published by the Movement
12. Buddha Photos
 NEPAL’ S LUMBINI: WHERE THE BUDDHA WAS BORN
―…. Hida Bhagavm Jateti Lumini Game―( The Lord Buddha was born here in
Lumbini Village). The full text of the inscription in English reads: ―Twenty years after the
coronation, Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi (Ashok) visited this place and
worshiped because here, Lord Buddha, sage of Sakyamuni was born‖.[1]

By B. K. Rana

General Background:

Lumbini, the present southwestern Nepalese Tarai, is one of the holiest Buddhist
pilgrimages on the earth. Lumbini presents herself as a land of eternal peace and
serenity. In fact it is a fountain of love, compassion, nonviolence and world peace also.
The importance of this holiest pilgrimage is profound because Buddha was born here
some 2600 years ago.

The young pregnant princess Maya Devi was on her way from Kapilvastu to
Devadaha[1], her father‘s home, as the time had come to deliver[2] baby Siddhartha
Gautama – the future Buddha. The ‗Pradimoksha Van‘ – Lumbini Garden – as so
enchanting it was, she virtually could not resist ! She thought to stroll around the garden
and take a bath also in ‗Pushkarini‘ pond down there since the destination was not that
far away. After the bath, she felt some pain in her stomach. Lo, she went into labour
before reaching Devadaha! And a baby boy was born to become – the Enlightened One
– the Buddha, the prince of peace, love and compassion. It was on the full moon day,
Friday, Vaisakha of 623 B.C[3] .

As soon as the baby boy had entered the world, ‗he walked seven steps northwards on
lotus petals; raised right hand forefinger and spoke, ―Aggohamamsi Lokassa‖[4] . At
least two celestial figures began pouring water in his worship. In joy lotuses were thrown
down from the heaven also‘. This is what the Buddhist texts read and the Buddhists also
believe in.

Emperor Ashok, having caused a huge bloodshed and loss of lives in the 12 year
Kalinga War[5], eventually embraced Buddhism to spread Buddha‘s message of
nonviolence, compassion and love towards all living beings on the land. Hoping to find
peace in mind, he paid a visit to this holiest site in the 20th year of his coronation in 249
B. C. He offered worship to the holy land and ordered exemption of 1/8th on produce
tax from the people of Lumbini Village. Such portion used to be a considerable relief to
the people of the land at that time.

To commemorate his visit, the emperor erected a stone column engraving a short edict
which even today reads: Hida Budhe Jateti Luminigamme – ‗Budddha was born here in
Lumbini Village‘ so it will be – Ubalike Kate Athabhagiya cha – waived 1/8th of tax on
produce henceforward. The Ashokan visit to Lumbini revived waning Buddhism
prompting more construction works of monasteries and the likes around the birth place
from the 3rd century B.C. to 6th century A. D. – recent Lumbini excavations reveal.

Although, not trained on archaeology or epigraphy but having deep interest in the
subject and visited Lumbini scores of times and seen through eyes the inscription on the
Ashokan Pillar beside the present Maya Devi Temple and other archaeological sites
such as Devadaha, Niglihawa and Gotihawa etc. here in this sort write-up, I intend to
discuss the profound importance of the Lumbini Ashokan Inscription in determining
where the Buddha – the Light of Asia – was born.

Discovery of Ashokan Inscriptions[6] :

Dr. Anton A. Fuhrer discovered Lumbini Ashokan Pillar on December 1, 1896. He saw
the pillar ‗standing nine feet above the ground‘. And which he later excavated and found
the Ashokan inscription ‗10 feet below the surface and 6 feet above the base‘[7]. The
inscription definitively reads Buddha being born in Lumbini of present Nepal. However,
there are some researchers out there who doubt it and opine Lumbini ‗a Fuhrer-forged
name‘ of the village. Whatever be the case, the Ashokan inscription on the pillar
standing in the Lumbini Garden can not be debated for its originality.

A similar type of Ashokan inscription was discovered in Kapileswara, Orrisa in 1928.

Naturally, this new Ashokan inscription could cause a kind of sensation among
archaeologists around the world. Thus a controversy on Buddha birth place began. The
Kapilesawara inscription gave birth to a new controversy on the Buddha birth place,
which has not yet ceased since a century almost.

Few researchers, particularly from Orrisa, India have been found holding ‗nationalistic
view‘ regarding the Buddha birth place which may seem natural in their part but such
view appears more partisan than of any academic credence. The Kapileswara
inscription is the sole object brought forward in this case; which eminent epigraphists
and anthropologists have not received and shared seriously rather termed it – ‗not
genuine‘ or ‗spurious copy of the record‘.

The Orrisan scholars argue that Buddha was born in Kapileswara village near the
present Bhuvaneshawra in Orissa; not in Lumbini of Nepal. Those who hold this view
basically have the following while making their points:

a) Kapileswara Ashokan Inscription discovered in 1928[8],

b) ‗Lembai Pragana‘ seen in the maps of 1817 and,

c) Kapileswara in Bhubaneswar, Orrisa.

i) Raising a question of authenticity on the present Lumbini Ashokan inscription, Prof.

Nabin K. Sahu, a historian from Orrisa published a book in 1959 and wrote ‗ Buddha
was born in Orrisa‘[9]. Then another book came out to the public eye which reads: ‗the
real birth place of Buddha is Kapileswara; not Lumbini of Nepal‘. This is apparently a
book for fun-reading than any academic excellence[10]. The writer also goes deep into
cultural level and finds Buddha marrying his maternal uncle‘s daughter- Yashodhara. He
says, ‗this culture is living in Orrisa even today[11]‘. Such culture is living even today
also among Nepal‘s Magar people who live thickly near the hills of Lumbini[12]. There
are some other cultural issues he brings forward with which I may prefer not going along
in this short write-up. The Buddha-era culture is living with Magars of Nepal but a
question pops out: Can such a culture last more than 2600 years in some particular
community of people ?

ii) The ‗Lembai Pragana‘ seen in a Orrisan maps of 1817 has been brought forward in
support of Orrisa Buddha birth place claim. The Orrisan scholars seem to have found
Nepal‘s Ashokan ‗Lumbini‘ as the corrupt form of ‗Lembai‘ of Orissan Kapilesawara or
vice versa. These two toponyms look similar but phonetically they are not. They do not
have same philological value also.[ please see - Lumbini Lexical Analysis - below]

iii) The Orissa scholars do not accept present Nepal‘s Kapilvastu as the place where
Buddha grew up and where from King Shuddodhan ruled. Their belief strengthens even
more when western scholars, like Alexander Cunnigham [1814 – 1893], believe such
historic spot near Bhulia in Basti district in North West Indian province. They brush
aside Max Muller who disagrees with Cunnigham terming the latter‘s view ‗clearly
wrong‘[13]. Max Muller holds the view that present Nepal‘s Kapilvastu is the kingdom
that Buddha renounced.

Some scholars have misquoted Cunningham as saying the Lumbini inscription ―not at
all related to the name Kapilavastu nor the word Kapil also‖[14]. It is a perplexing
remark made against the English scholar because he was already dead in 1893 before
the discovery of Lumbini inscription was made in 1896. Of course there can be an
agreement that Sir Cunnigham does not seem to have a clear view on whether the
Buddha was born in present Nepal‘s Kapilvastu or Lumbini as he writes the Buddha was
born in Kapila (Kapilvastu); proceeds forward in another page and again writes the lord
was born in Lumbini. But his description offers a clear picture of present Kapilvastu
where the Buddha spent his childhood and youth age as well.

While discussing the territory of Sravasti, Cunnigham discusses some of the western
regions of present Nepal also. He quotes Hwen Tsang‘s travelogue that Sravasti was in
between Karnali river in the west and the mountain Dhaulagiri and Faizabad in the east.
The Karnali river, one of the major rivers in western Nepal, flows south till today towards
the Ganges in Utter Pradesh, India. The Mt. Dhaulagiri is one of the eight-thousanders
in western Nepal. From Sravasti both Fa-Hian and Hwen Tsang proceeded towards
Kapilvastu in the south east direction [both measure 13 yojanas or 91 miles and 500 li
or 83 miles respectively][15]. Although the description is hazier, it can point the right
location of present Kapilvastu.

Moving back to the Kapileswara inscription in discussion, Prof. Dines Chandra Sircar, a
distinguished epigraphist of India, degrades it as ‗a recent forgery‘ and ‗spurious nature
of record‘. He has discussed it at length in his book and even ridiculed Prof. Vincent A.
Smith [1843 – 1920] for publishing a ‗retouched facsimile of the record‘ in his history
books prescribed for school and university level students of India.

Prof. Sircar adds further up, ―The same facsimile became widely known in Eastern India
with its reproduction in Hari Parsad Sastri‘s ‗History of India‘ (in Bengali) meant for
school children and later in some text books of the kind. There can hardly be any doubt
that the people responsible for the Kapilesawra inscription copied it from the same
facsimile not much earlier than 1928‖[16]

On the Kapileswara Ashokan inscription, U. C. Mohanty has quoted Prof. Nirmal Kumar
Bose, a renowned anthropologist of India as saying, ―In order to clarify this issue I asked
Maharana to explain this deviation at the end. Maharana narrated that while he was
carving the inscription, at the last line there was some shortage of space. When
Maharana pointed this difficulty to Biren Babu he suggested to him to cover the empty
space with some chisel marks so that the line could not be completed.‖

Mohanty further quotes Prof. Bose as saying ‖ when this discovery was announced
Government made some local enquiries through the Collector of Puri. But Biren Roy
was shrewed enough to bribe a Brahmin of Kapileswar with a ten rupee note and this
Brahmin deposed before the Revenue Officer that the inscription had been discovered
from a broken wall of his house while it was being reconstructed[17].‖

Lumbini Lexical Analysis:

The Lumbini Ashokan Pillar standing by the ‗Maya Devi Temple‘ in Lumbini Garden
speaks the fact for ever. The writing on the pillar,- ‗hida bhagabvam jateti Lummnigame’
– exclusively provides a proof that the Buddha was born in present Nepal‘s Lumbini
some 2600 years ago. It is therefore worthwhile discussing the lexical importance of –
‗Lummini+game‘ i.e. ‗Lumbini‘ also.

Fa-Hian transcribes ‗Lumbini‘ as ‗Lun-min or Lun-ming‘ with two distinctive nasal

variations whereas Hwen Tsang ‗sinotizes‘ it as ‗La-fa-ni‘. These two Fa-Hian and Hwen
Tsang variations are due to their reception of a different family lexis. Such difference
normally occurs among the speakers of different language families. Here the Indo-
European ‗Lumbini‘ has either become ‗Lun-min or Lun-ming‘ or ‗La-fa-ni‘ in Sino-
Tibetan, which is very understandable. This is natural and there should be no specific
meanings attached to them. But some scholars find Hwen Tsang‘s ‗La-fa-ni‘
corresponding with ‗La-va-ni‘ of Sanskrit, which means ‗a beautiful woman‘.
Phonetically, ‗La-fa-ni‘ and ‗La-va-ni‘ bear same voiced and voiceless i.e pharyngeal
fricative features. ‗La-fa-ni‘ more in a sense is a ‗folk-etymological toponymy‘ of
‗Lumbini‘ which could have been something like ‗Lam-ba-ni‘ referring to later Chinese
Buddhist lexicography[18]. This lexicography looks somewhat funnier. The lexes ‗Lafani‘
and ‗Lavani‘ here seem to be referring to Buddha‘s grand mother who might have been
a beautiful woman.
Some scholars believe ‗Anjan, the king of Devadaha[19] made a beautiful garden and
named it ‗Lumbini‘ after his Queen Lumbini. The queen was Buddha‘s grandmother
from his mother‘s side‘. Not much information is available on the Queen Mother Lavani,
however, she could give a famous name for the garden where the Buddha was
born[20]. Etymologically, ‗Lumbini‘ or Lumbinidevi, Rummindehi, Rupandevi and
Rupandehi bear the same distinctive feature.

What is also claimed is that Lumbini is other form of ‗Lhum + beni‘[21] with an aspirated
‗l‘ of which ‗Lhum‘ means ‗a vast land‘ and ‗beni‘ means ‗confluence of two rivers‘.
Lumbini is on a vast land or ‗Tarai‘ of western Nepal. And also, there seem to have
been some sizable waters around Lumbini in those days. Such as some springs at
Lumbini and the Telar river[22] flowing south east of it. They should have made a
confluence near Lumbini.

Lumbini, Anton Fuhrer and Controversy:

In some cases, Lumbini and Anton Fuhrer stand complementary to each other. Fuhrer
discovered the Ashokan pillar and read the engraved letter ‘hid bhagavam jateti
Luminigame’. And knew the place was and is Lumbini. He discovered the right spot
where Buddha was born. But some scholars both inside and outside Orrisa cast doubt
over the landmark Fuhrer discovery. Some have named it ‗Fuhrer archaeological
scandal‘ also. The present site is not what Fa-Hian or When Tsang have described or
found or written in other Buddhist scriptures – they add. Further more, they even say
that Fuhrer confessed his forgery in written.

The controversy over present Nepalese Lumbini has not ceased since a century almost.
Scholars, writers, journalists from around the world are writing mainly from two different
angles: Whether Buddha was born in Lumbini of Nepal or somewhere in India. Some
people also argue Buddha was born neither in Nepal‘s Lumbini nor in any part of India.
A bunch of western scholars hold this view point. What is even startling is that few other
scholars have started writing Buddha was born in Iran![23] The Lumbini Ashokan Pillar
Inscription has not received a universal recognition yet.

And, not a single research paper or book has come out without any partisan line in this
subject. Some scholars are found solely sticking to ‗manufactured myths‘ while
discussing Buddha birth place. Myths are manufactured in leisure and mostly are
unreliable. From the part of Nepalese scholars, they have even now begun discussing‘
a ‘marker stone‘ that they hope ‗would determine the exact location !‘

How could such a stone be a definitive evidence that the Buddha was born exact in that
chamber there ? What on earth would researchers and scholars from around the world
simply accept such a publicity in media and ‗put the debate to rest‘ as the prime minister
had hoped for?[24] This view contradicts with that in scriptures or travelogues of
different famous travelers that Buddha was born under a tree either Ashok or Sal – we
don‘t know for sure. But of-course, we believe Buddha was born in present day Nepal‘s
Lumbini.
Nepal, not in India:

The Buddha was born in present Nepal, not in India – clear and simple. Some Indian
writers in the past willfully or otherwise supplied wrong information in history books
about Buddha birth place and put them into school, college syllabuses. Then each
generation students began receiving wrong information. Inculcated with wrong
information, the new generation students later grew up and began disseminating ‗false
information‘ without going deep into the facts. What they were taught they wrote it. The
facts on the ground did not match – controversy began.

In short, the Orissan claim that the Ashokan Inscription was copied and duplicate pillar
was erected in Lumbini of Nepal bears no substance at all. The simple question to this
claim is, who would have copied the old Asokan inscription hundreds of years later and
hid in Nepal‘s Tarai to protect from those violent Sankarachayras hundreds of miles
away ? Why not they dug a hole and hid under ground somewhere in Orissa as in
Kathmandu‘s Budhanilkantha[25] ?

Besides Hwen Tsang and Fa-hian‘s travelogues, the internal evidence of the Pali canon
is clear enough: Buddha was born in Lumbini, near Kapilavastu, which used to be one
of the Bihar-area tribal Gana polities like their neighbors; the Malla, where he died, or
the powerful Vrijji etc. All of them were in present Bihar or Nepalese Tarai, not in Orissa.

Majjhima Desha, Jambu Dwipa:

There can be hardly any different opinions that the importance of media in the Google
age is extraordinarily great and challenging. Therefore, media people are always
expected to publish or transmit correct information to the public. But as of the Buddha
birth place conspiracy theory, some of those media persons have been found
misquoting scholars of international name and standing. Such a misquoted scholar has
become Prof. Hermann Kulke, a renowned indologist now awarded with ‗Padma
Shri‘ for his outstanding contribution towards Indian History and Culture. The award is
the fourth highest of civilian awards given by the Government of India generally to
recognize someone‘s distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including
Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Medicine, Social Service and
public life.

Prof. Kulke needed to issue a public statement following a leading daily newspaper from
New Delhi, India and some other news outlets[26] misquoted him ‗backing the Orrisan
claim‘. Refuting what it had appeared in the media, Prof. Kulke posted a statement on
December 21, 2004[27].

Another less heard but an interesting claim so far made by another Orrisan scholar is
that Buddha himself had said he was born in the ―Majjhima Desha of Jambu Dwipa‘. He
argues the ‗Majjhima Desh‘ of Jambu Dwip can not be Nepal. Here the writer himself
appears to be forgetting that Orrisa too, doesn‘t happen to be in central India or
‗Majjhima Desh of Jambu Dwip‘. Orrisa is at the east edge by the Bay of Bengal in the
Indian subcontinent. It is not at the center of India. The writer quotes, ―Edward J.
Thomas[28] had clearly said that the Jatakas and Lalita Vistara described the words of
Buddha himself in this connection‖ of his birth in the Middle Province of India.[29]

On the growing list, the Orrisan scholars have also dragged down a noted Oxford
historian Prof. Vincent A. Smith to the Lumbini – Fuhrer controversy. They claim Prof.
Smith did not accept Dr. Fuhrer‘s naming of ‗Lumbini‘ to the spot where the Ashokan
pillar was standing. This is also a wrong interpretation of what the historian has written.
Posting the top part broken, half-excavated photo of the pillar in his book Prof. Smith
writes, ―The Rummindei ruins lie 4 miles inside the Nepalese border, and a little to the
west of the Tilar, river‖[30]. I am at a loss to understand why the Orrisan scholars have
required dragging this scholar to this controversy?

The other point brought in this conspiracy theory is that ‗no Buddhism was adopted in
Nepal until the 6th Century A. D. So the Lumbini Ashokan inscription bears no truth.‘
This is also another bewildering remark the Orrisan scholars have made so far in this
connection – I would write.

What can be said here is that King Ashok had visited Nepal (Kathmandu valley)
sometime after his pilgrimage to Lumbini and constructed four stupas in four different
corners of the valley. He gave his daughter Charumati to Devpal – prince of Nepal.
Charumati lived in Chabahil near Pashupati Temple. After the death of her husband
Devapal, Charumati built a town and named it – ‗Devpatan‘ – in memory of the dead
husband. Later she became a nun herself and spread Buddhism in the valley.

Conclusion:

So, where was Buddha born? The straight answer to this question is absolutely ‗yes, in
present Nepal‘s Lumbini‘. The Lumbini Ashokan inscription is the evidence. Alongside
the Lumbini garden, are Bodha Gaya in Bihar, Kushinagar, [Kshauvati in Jatak Katha,
the Capital City of Malla] in Utter Pradesh and Sarnath, also in Utter Pradesh. These
are the other Buddhist holiest places in the Indian Subcontinent closely related to the
Buddha‘s life. Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar are near Nepal border whereas Saranath
[also called Isipatana in Pali Canon, is near Vanaras] in Utter Pradesh. Being in the
proximity of Lumbini, these holiest sites also offer themselves as another proof that
Buddha was born here in Nepal‘s Lumbini. If the Buddha were born in Orrisa or
somewhere else, these kinds of holy sites would have also certainly been near Orrisa or
somewhere else by some different names.

The Buddha came to this world, obtained enlightenment, preached his ‗dharma‘ and
died in those four different holy places. Except for those four different places, he does
not seem to have visited some other places in his life. So there should be no question
whether Buddha was born in Orrisa or had ever visited it. It is therefore relevant to put
here the widely acclaimed native Orrisa historian Prof. Karuna Sagar Behera‘s view in
this connection.
Prof. Behera said, ―The Buddha was neither born in Orissa nor visited the place during
his lifetime.‖ [31], But he added that Orrisa has contributed immensely to the growth and
development of Buddhism in the Indian sub-continent. Keeping in view, the paramount
historical and religious importance, of these four holiest Buddhist pilgrimages,
concerned governments should always endeavour to preserve them and develop for
tourism and education also. These governments should also keep close eyes on school
curricula exclusively on matters relating to the birth place of the Buddha so that coming
generations would receive correct information and no chances would be left wide open
for any kind of antagonism between the peoples of these two neighbouring countries.

Additionally at the end, there were no boundaries that we have today in between Nepal
and India when Buddha was born. We do not know for sure whether these two country
names ever existed then. Here is a quote from George Curzon, former Viceroy of India
but earlier a geographer who trekked through the Pamirs and wrote a book about it:
―The idea of a demarcated frontier is itself an essentially modern conception which finds
little or no place in the ancient world.‖[32]

And, Prof. Michael Witzel at Harvard University says, ―Between 1816 and 1864, the
Buddha was born, at Lumbini (Rummindei),in British India. Before and after that date: in
Nepal‖.

References:

Buhler, G.- [1897] The Discovery of Buddha’s Birthplace- The Journal of the Royal
Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Cunnigham, Alexander – [1871] – The Ancient Geography of India – Trubner and Co. 60
Paternoster Row, London

Deeg, Max – [2003] – The Places Where Siddhartha Trod: Lumbini and Kapilvastu – Lumbini
International Research Institute, Lumbini, Nepal.

Huntington, John C. – [1986] – Orientations – September, 1986 – Showing the Seeds of the
Lotus: A Journey to the Great Pilgrimage Site of Buddhism Part V.

Mohanty, U. C – [1976]- EXTRACT FROM ‗TWO ANECDOTES NARRATED BY TWO

ARCHAEOLOGISTS‘, (Orissa Historical Research Journal, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 16-20, 1976) –
Courtesy Terrnece Phelps.

Muller, F. Max – [1898] – Blackwoods Edinburgh Magazine, Vol – CLXIV – July- December
1898,

Sahu, Nabin Kumar – [1959]- Buddhism in Orrisa – 1959,

Sircar, Dinesh Chandra [1965] – Indian Epigraphy – Reprint 1996, Motilal Banarasi Das New
Delhi, India.
Smith, Vincent Arther -[1914] - The Early History of India, From 600 B. C. to Muhammadan
Conquest – Oxford at the Clarendon Press.

Thomas, Edward J. – [ 1993] – The life of Buddha: As Legend and History, First Indian edition,
New Delhi.

[1] Also called Ramagrama, 26 kilometers east of present Lumbini Garden.

[2] Used to be custom to deliver baby in one‘s father‘s house.

[3] This is Shri Lankan dating of Buddha birth. There are some variations.

[4] Jatak Attha Katha – ―I am the foremost of all the creatures of the world to cross the riddle of
the ocean of existence. I have come to the world to show the path of Emancipation. This is my
last birth and hereafter I will not be born again‖

[5] [5]At least 150,000 were made POW [prisoners of war] and 100,000 were killed and that
many times that number perished from famine, pestilence and other calamities afterwards
[Smith, 1914, pp. 138 ]

[6] ‗The Real Birth Place Of Buddha Yesterday‘s Kapilavastu, Today‘s Kapileswar‘, Orrisa
Historical Research Journal – 2004 http://tinyurl.com/ya7ejdh

[7] The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland http://tinyurl.com/ylren2d

[8] On August 24, 1928 a news broke out from a local newspaper the ‗Daily Asha‘ that an
Ashokan inscription was discovered in Kapileswara of Orrisa. Scholars began discussing its
originality. Some supported the view that the new find was the real whereas a bunch of others
stood against. It was reported by a local journalist in Oriya Language. And then another article
appeared in ‗Prabashi‘ in support of the inscription in July 1928. Casting doubt over the new
find, another article came out in the same magazine in October 1928. In 1929 the view was
discredited again and it is going on and on.

[9] ―It is quite amazing to note that an inscription has been discovered from Kapileswar which
contains the same subject matter as found in the Tarai Pillar inscription. The scripts of it belong
to the time of Ashok and a script writer named ―Chundraya‖ had written them. He had signed his
name in Kharostri script. From his inscription it is found that Buddha Dev was born in Orrisa‘
[Buddhism in Orrisa - 1959, pp 1-2].

[10] ―The Shakyas and Kolios were much interested in producing scented rice to eat.
Suddhodan was the father of Goutam Buddha. Literally one who likes pure rice is known as
Suddhodana. Sinhayuna was the grand father of Goutam Buddha, who had five sons. The
names of his sons were given in a manner that every name is related to rice only.
i)Suddhodana,ii)Amitodana iii)Dhautodana,iv) Suklodan, v) Sukhodana‖. All five have the same
last name ending at ‗dhan‘ – meaning – rice [‗dhan’- in Nepali also]‘ because ‗they loved
growing different types of flavoured rice‖.- Chakradhar Mahapatra – The Real Birth Place of
Buddha – 1977.
[11] John C. Huntington offers a side-note to the book ―The Real Birth Place of Buddha – 1977‖
as ―of little scholarly value, if the writer has a fairly thorough knowledge of the archaeology of
the pilgrimage route, it is fun to read‖ [Showing the Seeds of the Lotus: A Journey to the Great
Pilgrimage Site of Buddhism Part V‘ – Orientations - September, 1986] http://tinyurl.com/yloex8d

[12] This culture is living in Nepal‘s Magar and Gurung Society also.

[13] Blackwoods Edinburgh Magazine, Vol – CLXIV – July- December 1898, pp 787

[14] PRESENT KAPILESWARA OF ODISHA IS THE THEN KAPILA VASTU OF KALINGA

http://tinyurl.com/yk5a5sw

[15] Hwen Tsang assigns kingdom of Sravasti a circuit of 4000 li, or 667 miles which is about
double the actual size of territory lying between the Ghagra river and the foot of the mountains;
but as he assigns the same dimensions to the territory of Nepal, it is probable that in his time
the two western districts of Malbhum and Khachhi , in the hills to the north, may at that time
belonged to Sravasti. The territory of Sravasti would thus have comprised all the country lying
between Himalaya mountains and the Ghagra river , from Karnali river in the west to the
mountain of Dhaolagiri and Faizabad in the east. [Cunnigham, 1871 - pp. 413/414]

[16] Dines C. Sircar – Indian Epigraphy – 1965 reprint 1996 – pp

437/438 http://tinyurl.com/kvv4rs

[17] EXTRACT FROM ‗TWO ANECDOTES NARRATED BY TWO ARCHAEOLOGISTS‘,

(Orissa Historical Research Journal, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 16-20, 1976) – Courtesy: Terrence
Phelps http://tinyurl.com/yj37xpe

[18] Fayun‘s Fanyi-mingyi-ji [Collection of the Meaning of Translated Names] – ‗Linweini,or

Luimini or, Lanpini mean ‗ place of redemption‘ or ‗ circle of light of happiness‘- [Max Deeg,
2003]

[19] Which is also called Ramgram in Nawalparasi district some 26 kilometers east of Lumbini.

[20] Some writer have treated Lumbini garden as Maya Devi Garden which is not true. The
garden existed before Buddha was born.

[21] This nomenclature in Magar language, a Tibeto-Burman language, spoken around the
present Lumbini, may offer partisan meaning but it is not less reasonable than the Chinese
Buddhist lexicography discussed in this article.

[22] The Telar river [Oil River]

[23] Now comes the earth-moving discovery by the Indian researcher. He claims that Buddhism
arose, not in North India, but in what is now Iran, that part of Iran which was formerly a part of
India (so called India within Iran). See ―Zoroaster and Gotama in a Non-Jonesean Framework‖
http://tinyurl.com/y9ub4aw

[24] An international team of archeologists has reported discovering the chamber where Buddha
was born more than 2,500 years ago, 16 feet beneath an ancient temple in southwestern Nepal.
The archeologists said they had found relics under the Mayadevi temple in Lumbini, 200 miles
southwest of the Himalayan kingdom‘s capital Kathmandu. Nepalese Prime Minister Sher
Bahadur Deuba said the discovery put to rest an international debate on whether Buddha,
whose followers now number nearly 350 million worldwide, was born in Nepal or India.
http://tinyurl.com/yky7ne3

[25] Kathmandu‘s Budhanilakantha is said to have been hid under ground to protect it from
Muslim invader Samsuddin Elias in 13th century

[26]German researcher claims Buddha born in Orissa?

http://tinyurl.com/ydq3equ

[27] KULKE REJECTS ORRISA BUDDHA BIRTHPLACE CLAIM [AND POSTS A

STATEMENT BELOW TO HIS COLLEAGUES THROUGH AN EMAIL MESSAGE.]
http://tinyurl.com/ydhsm7d

[28] Edward J. Thomas – The life of Buddha: As Legend and History, First Indian edition – 1993
– http://tinyurl.com/ye2mrfk

[29] PRESENT KAPILESWARA OF ODISHA IS THE THEN KAPILAVASTU OF KALINGA –

http://utkal-history.blogspot.com/

[30] ‖in approximately E.Long. 85.11 N. lat. 25.58. Padaria is a neighbouring village. The Nigliva
pillar, which apparently has been moved from its original position now stands about 13 miles to
the north-west from Rummindei. For facsimile of Rummindei inscription see Asoka, the
Buddhist Emperor of India, plate ii‖ [Smith – 1914 - pp 169]

[31] New debate on birthplace of Buddha

by Rabindra Nath Choudhury, The Asian Age India, Sept 14, 2005

Bhubaneswar, India — There seems to be no end to the controversy over the birthplace of Lord
Buddha. The latest claim that the apostle of peace was born in Orissa has been challenged by
historian Karuna Sagar Behera. He said, ―The Buddha was neither born in Orissa nor visited the
place during his lifetime.‖ Mr Behera said the claims made in this regard could go against the
interests of the state. http://tinyurl.com/yl3jlyv

[32] Frits Staal, Chiangmai,Thai Land

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more
deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not
to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe
deserve your love and affection.

Buddha
Google Corrected its Mistake (Breaking News)
Posted by worldamity on March 22, 2010

It is our Great pleasure to inform you all that the news Buddha’s Birthplace error in Google
Maps is already history. It is just couple of hours I received message from friends of mine: ―It
seems to me your blog is very closely watched by Google people.‖ I rechecked the Google Map
and found there that Buddha‘s Birthplace now not in India, but in Nepal. This is due to our voice,
this is due to our effort. Lots of groups created in Facebook ( Hey Google! Buddha was born
in Nepal not in India!!!, Google Fix the Buddha’s Birthplace error in Google Map, google
maps I Hate U: birthplace of Buddha is, “Lumbini, NEPAL”, not UP, India ) as well to raise
voice against Google‘s wrong information.

Could you check Quotations by Authors and the map in this article. These links are also with
some blonder mistakes. We need to raise our voice there too. Even after flood of criticisms,
Newsweek Editor Fareed Zakaria is pretending that nothing happening against his
misinformation. A wise man always accepts his mistakes. Let‘s wait and see.

38 Responses to “Google Corrected its Mistake (Breaking News)”

 Kapilavastu Day as Part of the World Peace Movement

By Ram Kumar Shrestha,

Global Coordinator, Kapilvastu Day Movement

―We shall find peace. We shall hear the angels; we shall see the sky sparkling with
diamonds.‖ (Anton Chekhov) Undoubtedly a peaceful world is everybody‘s yearning
and dream and many philosophers and humanitarian activists are optimistic that we will
get there, however; every day results make it seem that we are not making much
progress. The world peace mission has been complicated because of the divergence of
people involved and their ways of thinking. This suggests to us that we need to work in
different ways to coordinate and cooperate with each other to achieve this goal.
Although this mission is very difficult, it is not impossible if we are serious about bringing
change. As part of the World Peace Movement, Nepali intellectuals living in different
countries decided to commemorate Kapilavastu, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, Day
as a global holiday in order to spread the peace message all over the world. Gautam
Buddha, has been revered as a Peace Ambassador who is more and more able to
persuade his followers to work more seriously in the World Peace Movement.

Kapilavastu, located close to Lumbini, is considered a holy pilgrimage place for

Buddhists since it is known to be the birthplace of the Lord Buddha. The result of years
of excavation and research by numerous international teams has concluded that
Kapilavastu is in Nepal. UNESCO affirms the findings and has named Kapilavastu, and
Lumbini as World Heritage sites.

Originally, on December 1, 1896, Dr Anton Führer, a German archaeologist, had

claimed to have discovered the Buddha‘s birthplace when he found the Asoka Pillar at
Lumbini. Even though this site was originally discovered by Khadga Shamsher before
Führer, Führer was credited with the find as he brought it to light and made it known to
the international community. The Asoka Pillar is the most important evidence that
proves that Buddha was born in Lumbini. Therefore, we decided to celebrate
December 1st as Kapilavastu Day.
Buddha taught that the world must be thought of in procedural terms and not in terms of
things or substances. The Buddha advised viewing reality as comprised of dependently
originated phenomena and Buddhists deem this approach to experience as avoiding the
two extremes of Reification and Nihilism. This is the understanding that any
phenomenon exists only because of the existence of other phenomena in an incredibly
complex web of cause and effect covering past, present and future. Stated in another
way, everything depends on everything else and this seems to be the basic of Newton‘s
law of Motion, ”To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction”. A
human being‘s existence in any given moment is dependent on the condition of
everything else in the world at that moment, and in an equally significant way, the
condition of everything in the world in that moment depends conversely on the character
and condition of that human being. Everything in the universe is interconnected through
the web of cause and effect; such that the whole and the parts are mutually
interdependent. The character and condition of entities at any given time are intimately
connected with the character and condition of all other entities that superficially may
appear to be unconnected or unrelated. All things, therefore, are conditioned and
transient; they have no real independent identity and thus do not truly exist, although to
ordinary minds this appears to be the case. All phenomena are therefore fundamentally
flimsy and empty. People with a broad mind are those who ―see things as they are‖,
renouncing attachment and clinging, transforming energy of desire into awareness and
understanding, and eventually transcending the conditioned realm of form becoming
Buddhas.

Buddha Dhamma (Sanskrit: Dharma) is not a religion, it does not give credence to a
god or philosophy, but is the Law of Nature about how we should handle spirit, soul and
body to bring them together in harmony and to begin to annul the ego and to stop any
sorrow or affliction in our life! This way we can learn to cultivate true happiness and not
create a dependent happiness that is just for a fleeting moment eventually taking us
back to the root of our problems. It takes a lot of insight and deep reflection about us to
see this reality.

Buddha counselled, ―Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no
matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common
sense.‖ The main problem for many is that even when one agrees with the reason, in
practise we disagree with the way to be followed. Because of this we complicate the
problem, making it worse every day thus making ourselves and others unhappy.
Problems do not arise from those who do not know, but from those who know but
pretend not to know. Due to this attitude, the world is devastated a lot. Until we purge
ourselves of this habit nothing will happen on the journey to create a wonderful and safe
world for future generations.

As Malcom X exclaimed, ―You can‘t separate peace from freedom because no one can
be at peace unless he has his freedom. And, as Albert Einstein said, ―Laws alone
cannot secure freedom of expression; for every man to present his views without
penalty there must be a spirit of tolerance in the entire population.‖ Most people think
seriously about their responsibilities and rights but not about their duty to others. So
many use their freedom to rape others and deny them of their freedom. This attitude
could be the result of not having this broad thinking spoken of earlier and not respecting
others. Ultimately this results in missing our goal of attaining world peace.

―The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its
unity is firmly established,‖ said Bahá’u'lláh. Arms could not be the source for a secure
feeling. This always creates knowing or unknowing pressure both to the owner and the
other party. The United Nations Security Council Summit‘s resolution calling for the
elimination of all nuclear weapons was its first resolution dedicated to nuclear
proliferation and disarmament and the first chaired by a U.S. President. In addressing
the Security Council‘s members, President Obama declared: ―The historic resolution we
just adopted enshrines our shared commitment to the goal of a world without nuclear
weapons.‖ Building on the extraordinary leadership of Presidents Obama and
Medvedev, (who in April committed to working together to eliminate all nuclear
weapons), this resolution is a significant step toward an international consensus on this
goal and a stirring moment for so many who have worked on this issue for so long.
World leaders are recognizing that whatever stability nuclear arsenals may have
provided during the Cold War is now outweighed by the growing risks of proliferation
and nuclear terrorism; and the only way to eliminate the nuclear threat is to eliminate all
nuclear weapons. They have resolved to work together in the common interest of
security to achieve this goal. The US has spent more than 5.5 trillion dollars in
developing their nuclear arsenal and France has spent about 1.5 trillion dollars; these
figures do not include the costs of testing, fissile material production, storage and
disposal. As these figures are larger than many developing countries‘ annual budget,
we can imagine how much the situation of the world would improve if these funds were
used for the benefit of the people worldwide who are currently struggling to have
education, minimum health care, food and housing. Eliminating all nuclear weapons will
require people from around the world to get involved. Let‘s join our hands with the
citizens from every country around the world who are already part of this movement and
join ―Global Zero‖ at www.globalzero.org.

A peace movement could be defined as a collection of activities aimed at ending, or at

least minimizing, violence and wars in a variety of different situations through an
assortment of methods. Due to the complex nature of this goal, it is deemed necessary
to properly coordinate cooperation among different peace movement forerunners and
organisations for peace to become a worldwide reality. Even though the path to world
peace has been rough and the goal, as of yet, unattained, this has not deterred those
who are committed to achieving peace in their lifetime.

Even though people claim to love their children dearly, many are irresponsible when it
comes to making the world a better place for them. Instead of taking action, they blame
others and defend or hide their irresponsible behaviour due to egoism. This is very
interesting and sad. As human beings are responsible for the deteriorating situation,
they are also responsible for improving the situation and saving their own children. So
which way will we go? Will we be blamed as slaughterers or kind and wise by our own
children and grandchildren? This decision is in our hands. Currently, it is not too late,
however, tomorrow it could be.

KAPILVASTU DAY POSTER

To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring

peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a
man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and
all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.

Buddha
 Lumbini its challenges now and then
By Rupesh Shrestha

Behold ye now this monk austere,

His matted locks, his penance fierce;
From the fair town called Kapila,
His great retirement shall be made.
The mother that shall bring him forth,
Shall Mahamaya be by name;
Suddhodana his father’s name,
His own name shall be Gautama.
[Extracted from Introduction to the Jataka or
book of “Buddha’s Birth stories”]

Introduction:
Lumbini, where Gautama Buddha was born presents mysticism and symbolism due to
the elemental nature of thought present in this sacred place. The name Lumbini is said
to have been derived from that of the queen of Koli (Devadaha), whose daughter was
Mahamaya, the mother of Gautama Buddha. It is also assumed that the name Lumbini
is a colloquial derivation of the word Rummindei (the queen of King Anjana of
Devdaha). Later Rummindei was pronounced as Lummindei, and still later, as Lumbini.
The name Rummin is identical with Lumbini of Lummini, the form written in the
inscription in the Pali Language, in which the middle or initial ―R‖ of Sanskrit is always
replaced by ―L‖. This site is still locally called Rummindei.
The term Buddha means ―Enlightened One‖, and signifi es that the person to whom it is
applied has solved the riddle of existence, and discovered the doctrine for the cessation
of misery. It was by his attainment of this supreme ‗Enlightenment‘ or ‗Wisdom‘ that the
warrior prince, Siddhartha Gautama, became a Buddha. Siddhartha Gautama belonged
to the Sakya clan. The word Sakya means ‗Powerful‘ and the families that bore the
name had a reputation of pride and haughtiness. They were of the warrior caste
(Khattiyajati), but cultivated peaceful arts of agriculture. Lord Buddha propounded
Hinayana, a simple religion in which he followed to a large extent. This was a direct and
simple philosophy that appealed to the masses.

In 1896, Gen. Khadga S. Rana of Nepal (Commanding General of Western Nepal) and
archaeologist, Dr. Alois Fuhrer of Germany (Archaeological Surveyor, north-western
Provinces and Oudh under Archaeological Survey of India), became the first pioneers in
discovering the southwestern plain of Nepal - the Lumbini Garden. It lies in the Terai
about 20 kms west of Siddharthanagar (Bhairahawa) in Rupandehi District of Lumbini
Zone in the Republic of Nepal. Geographically, historically and politically, Nepal
occupies a position in between two great empires of India and China and has drunk
deeply from the two culturally rich springs, drawing inspirations from both its grand
neighbours, as the political current ebbed or flowed - an influence clearly illustrated in
the building styles of Nepal. In addition, there is the religious, cultural and philosophical
effect of that great tide of Buddhism, which swept through the continent of Asia before
and after the beginning of the Christian era, inspiring every people and every activity in
its vicinity.
History and its present development:

The descriptions of famous ancient Chinese pilgrims, Huian Tsang (who travelled
through India between AD 629 & 645) and Fa Hein (who travelled between AD 400 &
AD 414) indicate to this area, saying, ―Lumbini, where the Lord was born, is a piece of
heaven on earth where one could see the snowy mountains amidst a splendid garden
embedded with stupas and monasteries.‖ Buddhist literature describes Lumbini as a
pradimoksha – vana blessed with blooming sal-trees and masses of beautiful flowers,
and a place where bees of five colours hum. The sweet warbling of various birds and
other natural scenery in Lumbini was compared to the Chittalata (mind captivating)
grove of Indra‘s (Hindu rain god) paradise in heaven. From these descriptions, we can
assume that Lumbini presented an undulating landscape of considerable beauty.

The undercurrent of Buddhism which runs throughout the religious system of the
country during the entire history originated at an early date. It is recorded that in the 3rd
cent. BC., the Mauryan emperor of present day India, Ashoka, made a pilgrimage to
Nepal and commemorated this event with the foundation of innumerable stupas and
pillars as a token of his success in bringing the inhabitants into the Buddhist fold.
Lumbini was lost in oblivion until it was discovered by the German Archaeologist, Dr.
Fuhrer, wandering in the foothills of Churia (Siwalik) range, and the Ashokan pillar
presented the first epigraphic evidence relating to the life history of Lord Buddha - the
most visible landmark of the Sacred Garden.

The historic importance of the pillar is evidenced by the inscription engraved in the pillar
(in Brahmi script). Also, the Nativity Sculpture (found above the Marker stone) and
Marker stone itself are important as it fixes the place of the Nativity of Buddha with
deftness and precision and provides answers to the controversies regarding the
birthplace of Lord Buddha. There are multiple facts that leads to a logical conclusion
that Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. From excavations it has been found that
the Ashokan pillar stands on its original base of unburnt brick platform which concludes
that the Pillar is at its original location. Furthermore the inscription in the pillar ―si la vi ga
da bhi cha‖1 (interpretations are varying, but translations is believed to mean ―at the
centre of marking stone slab‖) pointed out there is a marker stone on a brick platform.
Excavations done also have proved that the marker stone is on seven layers of
brickwork which might have represented seven steps taken by Lord Buddha
immediately after his birth2 . On account of geological
nature of the marker stone, it is has been clearly
accepted among the scientific community that the
stone is non-Ashokan3 . Thus concluding that the
marker stone is also at its original location.

The Ashokan pillar, discovered by Gen. Khadga S.

Rana and Dr. Alois Fuhrer in 1896, presented the fi
rst epigraphic evidence relating to the life history
of Lord Buddha. From Dr. Fuhrer’s records, the
Ashokan monolith was 22’-4” high, standing upon
a masonry platform, and bore, about 9’-8” from its base, a well preserved
inscription of the Mauryan period in fi ve lines. The pillar tapered slightly, as its
circumference at the base was 8’-3”; near the inscribed portion 7’-5”; and at the
top 6’-6”. There are stories that the pillar, burnished and polished to a unique
mirror-like lustre, was surmounted with a horse-capital, which was afterwards
sundered from it by the machinations of a wicked dragon . This can be agreed
upon with the fact that an Ashokan pillar always comes with a capital as in case
of Sarnath of India The Master Plan mainly consists of circle, square and lines,
which are laid out in definite order, proportion and relationship to each other. It is
focussed on 7.7 sq. km., centring on the Sacred Garden and the Ashokan Pillar,
with an additional area of 64.5 sq. km. to be developed in its support. The Lumbini
Development Area is 5 by 5 miles, while the central 3 X 1 mile strip is divided into
three 1 X 1 mile areas5.

 Circle – The most predominant and basic form in the Master Plan
representing the six aspects of Buddhism.
 Square – Used along with the circle representing fi ve aspects of Mahayana
of Buddhism.
 Line –The main axis of the Master Plan joining the centre of the Sacred
Garden to the Lumbini Centre, seems to provide a sense of hierarchy to the
Master Plan. The Lumbini Centre, accommodating materialistic aspects
(hotels, schools, hospitals), is envisioned as a sort of impurity and is kept
well away from the Sacred Garden. Similarly, the Cultural Centre is a
transitional space, a form of a buffer zone, and the Monastic zone is for
diversity of the Buddhist understanding of knowledge, accommodating
libraries, research centres and monasteries. The true crux of the Master
Plan, the Sacred Garden representing enlightenment, is then approached,
which is accommodated at the extreme end.

Prof. Dr. Sudarshan Raj Tiwari, a noted architectural historian of Nepal, in his research
article ‘Mayadevi Temple‘, presents mathematical evidences that the ‗multiple layers of
remains extending upto various historical periods‘ attests to the fact that the site has
been of great importance throughout history starting from Lord Buddha‘s birth. Through
analytical geometry, he further elucidates that sequences of construction are found to
be centrally above the pedestal of Nativity Sculpture, which has been a focus of worship
and various stages of construction have been done taking this very centre. Thus he
concludes from his research that the Mayadevi image and the temple are in their rightful
place and the speculations that it came from elsewhere are entirely wrong. Furthermore
his papers discusses on implications on history of building at Lumbini since a
congregational religious structure was already built in 3rd Cent. BC pointing out that
brick building started from Lumbini4. Beyond any dispute, Lumbini
has been ascertained as the authentic birthplace of Lord Buddha.

According to Prof. Kenzo Tange, “The form of a circle

enclosing a square is a mystical universal symbol of purity and
simplicity. Architecturally no built structures are to be added to
the garden except the essential forms like offices, meditation cells, utility blocks
and restoration of Mayadevi Temple.”

In 1967, United Nations Secretary General, U Thant (himself a Burmese Buddhist),

visited Lumbini and made an appeal in front of the international community for
assistance to maintain and improve the pitiable plight of this world famous pilgrimage
site. Suggestions of development of Lumbini as an international pilgrimage and tourist
centre then came into light. And since the implementation of the Master Plan for the
development of Lumbini, prepared by Prof. Kenzo Tange in 1978, Lumbini has been a
marked scene for development, both as an international pilgrimage as well as a tourist
centre. The Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) was consequently formed in 1985 to co-
ordinate the planned development works and activities. LDT can be considered as a
result of amalgamation of two broad concepts: one is the direction of broad universalism
and the other in the direction of contributing to the living standard of the people of the
region - an appreciable approach for project sustainability. Lumbini was then enrolled in
the World Heritage Site (WHS) in 1997 AD following compliance with its cultural criteria
(iii) and (vi).

The Master Plan:

The ultimate objective of the plan is to create an atmosphere of spirituality, peace and
universal brotherhood and non-violence consistent with the time as well as to convey
Buddha‘s message to the world. Here, the Sacred Garden is seen as a crux for Lumbini
as a Buddhist religious centre. The Master Plan, oriented north-south, envisages three
main elements in the future development of Lumbini – the Lumbini village, the Monastic
Enclave, and the Sacred Garden, surrounded by green areas. Each of the three
elements comprises of 1 X 1 square mile totalling to 3 X 1 square mile area.

The Sacred Gardens:

The Sacred Garden area, surrounded by a pond and a circular levee to protect against
inundation, restricts new constructions so that its archaeological value may be
preserved. Besides the Ashokan Pillar, another most famous monument is the
Mayadevi temple. It has a stone relief having the Nativity scene of the Buddha, which is
worshipped from the beginning of the Christian era. This nativity scene of Buddha was
installed by the king Naga Malla of Western Nepal, who ruled over one of the two states
which flourished from about 11th to 15th century in the Karnali zone of Nepal. It is
pointed out by scholars that the temple of Mayadevi was constructed over the
foundation of more than one earlier temple or stupa.

At present the Mayadevi temple is the heart of all monuments of the holy site, bearing
the testimony of several phases of construction over the centuries. It was reopened in
2003 on the 2547th auspicious birth anniversary of Lord Buddha and contains ruins of
the earlier temple structure that date back to the 3rd to the 7th century B.C. However,
this new construction and its design have not been spared of world criticism, brought
about by the charge of it having negative impact on the archaeological remains,
affecting the visual experience and understanding(both historic and spiritual) of such an
important archaeological site 6. In this context, Prof. Dr. Jiba Raj Pokharel, the chief
architect of the new Mayadevi temple and former Dean of IOE, Pulchowk Campus, says
that he had tried to maintain the form, texture and colour of the previous structure
constructed by Keshar Shamsher (the then commanding offi cer for Lumbini). Moreover,
Dr. Jiba Raj reiterates that recommendation of UNESCO regarding the need of paying
attention to the non-intrusiveness, reversibility, shelter, visibility, focus, access, worship
and authenticity has been given consideration to the extent possible in his design. Justifi
cations for the construction were made emphasizing the living character of the site and
religious sensitivity and inappropriate conditions back then. He further explains that the
construction process of the new Mayadevi temple incorporates brickwork with lime
surkhi mortar and that steel structures with nut and bolt joints have been used to
support the archaeological ruins to facilitate easy dismantling when required.

Monastic Zone:

While the Mahayana West Monastic Zone consists of 29 plots (21 being reserved for
different countries), the Theravada East Zone consists of 13 plots (9 plots similarly
reserved). Out of these 30 reserved plots, only 10 monasteries have been completed so
far, while 12 plots are undergoing construction. The monasteries built have represented
architectural style of their respective country but the desired population density has not
been achieved as required by the Master Plan. In each of the two monastic zones there
are two plots of land for the construction of meditation centres. In order to unify the
various styles, landscaping is intended to be coordinated according to the Master Plan.
A space known as a Monastic Plaza, made up of circular or semicircular steps, will be
located in the centre of each monastic zone. Each plaza will be serving as a central
gathering point and will have a symbolic sculpture placed at its centre. But the present
development here have been widely criticised for damaging the essence of the Master
plan as will be discussed later in this paper.

New Lumbini Village & Cultural Centre:

Several cultural facilities having a strong international fl avour and landscapes suitable
to the functions are planned in the Cultural Centre. These include facilities for
international conferences and seminars, museum, library, etc., for research on the
Buddhist thought and philosophy. In addition, facilities of accommodation for pilgrims as
lodging houses, hotels and facilities for daily requirements have also been
accommodated in the Master plan.

According to the Master Plan, the new Lumbini Village and the Cultural Centre are
designated as the main entry points of the site. It is located at the extreme north of the
Master Plan and on the intersection of Bhairahawa – Taulihawa Highway. As per the
original Master Plan it is divided according to purpose, viz.: New Lumbini Centre,
Cultural Centre, Pilgrims Accommodation Zone, High School, Roads and Landscaping.
Besides these components, the Peace Stupa, Staff Colony and Crane & Bird Sanctuary
are additions made to the original master plan.

It is necessary for the Lumbini Village to be completed as soon as possible so that all
activities which are detrimental to the sanctity of the Sacred Garden can be shifted here.

Where the problem lies

“Physical barriers and locks provide the most obvious controls on the use of
spaces, but an individual behaviour is also constrained by what he thinks is
appropriate, admissible or possible.” – Bourdieu, P. 1977
According to the priorities as mentioned in the Master Plan, it was scheduled that all the
major construction works would be completed by the year 1985. The total cost estimate
then was US $ 55 million. But different circumstances led to the delay of the project
execution resulting in a huge cost overrun, which according to a task force formed in
1999, would be 4.2 to 4.5 times higher. The team also presented recommendations for
speedy progress of the Master Plan, which were never implemented.

As CK Lal in his article ‗The Prince of Peace‘ writes in the Nepali Times, ―The
fascination of the Nepali power elite with the Buddha and his birthplace is on display in
the excesses of the Lumbini Development Trust, where a new set of bosses takes over
after every change of government at Singha Durbar ...Besides the usual accusations of
cronyism and nepotism that continue to undermine the effi ciency of the Trust, the rapid
turnover of its key personnel in the last twelve years has also been a factor in its
stagnation.‖

There is a discontent that has arisen due the manipulation of the Master Plan, resulting
in its true essence being subdued by the present development carried out. The Master
Plan was prepared to keep mundane activities outside the Sacred Garden and a sense
of hierarchy to the plan was given for preserving the true essence of the Master Plan. A
certain scale for future buildings to be constructed was also specifi ed so that the works
do not subdue the monumentalism of the Ashoka Pillar and the Sacred Garden.
Contrarily, the Monastic Zone has now started to become a more dominating sector
than the Sacred Garden or the Ashok Pillar. These architectural built forms, colour
schemes and material usage at the monastic zone have failed to accentuate the plan
originally conceived by Prof. Kenzo Tange, as many of the building controls, (like
prohibition of construction within a 20m zone from the axis of the main pedestrian path
of the Monastic Plaza and the entrance courts, and limiting the height of buildings to 3
storeys -not exceeding the average height of the surrounding trees), have not been
followed. The boundary wall is physically an eyesore and philosophically, a barrier to
the fl ow of vibrations as per the original Master Plan. The main entrance leads directly
to the Sacred Garden, which is totally against the sanctity and purity of the site. The
Master Plan also mentions that only a single plot be made available to each party.
Inspite of this, more than one plot has been allocated for some countries and there is no
demarcation between monasteries and their adjacent open spaces. At the same time,
infrastructure development is lagging behind compared to monastery construction due
to ineffective mobilization of funds by LDT for timely completion of site development.

It must also be mentioned here that UNESCO too has published a report stating that
there have been some activities which violate the basic essence of the Master Plan. For
instance, the Peace Stupa in the Lumbini Center is built entirely against the Master Plan
and violates its spiritual and technical aspects7. It is now seen as a counter point of the
Ashok Pillar which in its absurdity has affected the monumentalism and spiritualism
brought about by the Pillar. There has been a realisation of a lack of a comprehensive
conservation and management vision of World Heritage Property. Thus an Integrated
Management Plan is being opted to solve issues and confl icts regarding conservation
and development of Lumbini.

A growing discontent is also festering amongst the locals that development works are
confined within the walls of the Master Plan, and that they have not received a share
from the developments being undertaken, resulting in a lack of emotional
attachment..There is no doubt that long term conservation of Lumbini and its
sustainable development can be achieved only by considering the economic
empowerment of the communities living in its immediate surroundings. Appropriate
models for local development programs should be thought over with an integrated
approach to meet all concerned stakeholders. These programs should address the
existing socio-economic factors and community participation should be given top priority
for the project to be sustainable.

Other issues:

Lumbini has several opportunities for environmental tourism, which until now, has been
under promoted, limiting it simply as a religious destination. Lumbini and its surrounding
areas are endowed with a rich natural setting of fauna and a favourable agricultural
environ. A further development of forests, grasslands, and wetlands would reflect nature
as it is represented in Buddhism and the natural habitats of the Tarai. However, the
problems of encroachment, unplanned urbanization and pollution are alarmingly on the
rise and are taking its toll on tourism. Furthermore, experts are of the opinion that the
proposal to transform the existing domestic airport into an international one would have
an adverse effect in an environmental perspective, and rather recommend Lumbini be
declared a ‗no fly zone‘.
As we advocate international tourism and intra–regional tourism, that there has been a
lesser exchange of tourists among the countries of South-Asia today is not due to the
lack of travel urge but due to economic exigencies. Once the country has achieved a
satisfactory level of development and economic capabilities, religious pilgrimage will
generate a large volume of regional tourists. A pilgrimage route connecting the four
great holy places of Buddhism – Lumbini, Bodh-Gaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar can
further be developed transforming Lumbini into a nexus for regional tourism.

A CERTAIN SCALE FOR FUTURE BUILDINGS TO BE CONSTRUCTED WAS ALSO

SPECIFIED SO THAT THE WORKS DO NOT SUBDUE THE MONUMENTALISM OF
THE ASHOKA PILLAR AND THE SACRED GARDEN. CONTRARILY, THE MONASTIC
ZONE HAS NOW STARTED TO BECOME A MORE DOMINATING SECTOR THAN
THE SACRED GARDEN OR THE ASHOK PILLAR.

Some noteworthy efforts have been made for Lumbini, such as the recent decision by
the Ministry of Industries to limit industrial activities in an area of 15Km from the
Northern, Eastern and Western boundaries of the Master plan, as well as stricter
screening measures for the operation of the existing industries.

Conclusion
The late King Birendra Shah had appropriately defined the importance of Lumbini in one
of his speeches, ―Although Gautama Buddha was born in Nepal, he belonged
essentially to the whole world and to all times. He blazed a trail leading humanity to cast
off parochialism and seek liberation and enlightenment. For us in Nepal, the way of life
which Buddha practised and propagated has remained an inextricable part of our
cultural heritage. Nepalese civilization has brought about a marriage between Hinduism
and Buddhism making them inseparable.‖

In this world of wonders in which all things are inter-linked in a unique manner as a
string of tapestry, it is but natural that we respect and conserve what is feasibly possible
for the co-evolution of today and for the generation to come. Lumbini presents an
enormous potential as a cultural, touristic and religious site, making it worthy of an effort
towards preservation of its Outstanding Universal Value both in terms of its historical
signifi cance and spiritual meaning. The values being inter-related, enhancement made
in one should not compromise the other.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Prof. Dr. Sudarshan Raj Tiwari, Institute of Engineering, Lalitpur
Prof Dr. Jiba Raj Pokharel, Institute of Engineering, Lalitpur
Ar. Kai Weise, PAHAR Nepal, Planners’ Aliance for the Himalayan and Allied Regions
Ar. Punya Sagar Marahatta, Lecturer, Institute of Engineering, Lalitpur

REFERENCES
• Angela, A, Cueppers, C, Ghimire, H, Rai, R, Suwal, R, Bhuju, U, Weise, K, Jenkins, M,
Selter, E, 2006, Lumbini: Present Status and Future Challenges, UNESCO
Publication, Kathmandu.
• Fuhrer, A. 1896, in H.R Joshi & I. Joshi (eds), Antiquities of Buddha Sakyamuni’s
Birth-place in The Nepalese Tarai. The Nepal Studies : Past and Present, 1996
• Tiwari, S.R. 1996. ‘Maya Devi Temple. Recent discoveries and its implications on
history of building at Lumbini’, Tribhuvan University Journal, XIX.
• Pokharel, J. R., Reconstruction of Maya Devi Temple on the Birth Spot of Buddha(
Unpublished). Kathmandu
• UNESCO-ICOMOS 2005, Mission Report Reactive Monitoring Mission to Lumbini, the
Birthplace of the Lord Buddha, Boccardi, G & Gupta, D, Nepal.
• Lumbini Development Trust 2007, ‘International Monastic Zone’, About Lumbini,
viewed 21 June 2010, http://www.lumbinitrust.org/monasticzone.htm#1
• Lal, C.K . 2002 , ‘The Prince of Peace’, The Nepali Times, 24 May, viewed 16 June
2010, http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2002/05/24/
StateOfTheState/6399
• Rakesh, Ram D. 1994, Cultural Heritage of Nepal Terai, Nirala Publications, Jaipur,
India.
• Shakya, Min B. 1986, A Short History of Buddhism in Nepal. Young Buddhist
Publication, Lalitpur.
• Bidari, B. , Greetings from the Birthplace of Lord Buddha Lumbini, Nepal, The World
Heritage Site, Lumbini.

END NOTES
1 de va na pi ye na pi ya da si na la ji na vi sa ti va sa bhi si te na; a ta na a ga cha ma
hi yi te hi da bu dhe ja te sa kya mu ni ti; si la vi ga da bhi cha ka la pi ta si la tha
bhe cha u sa pa pi te; hi dab ha ga vm ja te ti lu mi ni ga me u ba li ke ka te
2 Excavations were carried out in 1990’s by Japan Buddhist Federation (JBF) and
Lumbini Development Trust (LDT).
3 Pillars for Ashokan stone are derived from hills south of Chunar railway station in
Bihar, India. Whereas marker stone found in Lumbini is made from local stone.
4 See MAYADEVI TEMPLE – Recent discoveries and its Implications on history of
Building at Lumbini by Prof. Dr. S.R. Tiwari.
5,7 See Lumbini: Present Status and Future Challenges by UNESCO, 2006
6 Mission Report, UNESCO – ICOMOS, Joint Mission to Lumbini, World Heritage Site –
Nov. 2005

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or

acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or

acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never
leaves him. Buddha
 Why Kapilvastu Day – as Global Day?

By Damodar Prasad Acharya

This is the proper time to say with pride that Buddha was born in Nepal not in India.
Truth cannot be changed. But, the India is trying to create an illusion that the Lord
Buddha was born in India. Released about a year ago, an Indian movie ―Chandani Chok
to China‖ has focused on the same illusion in that story. The movie was banned in
Nepal with the pressure of some political parties and the outburst of the people. Finally,
as a result of pressure, the Indian film producer has apologized on his wrong doing in
the movie.

After that, few months ago, some news medias have highlighted a news about India is
building a replica of Kapilvastu, Lumbini (birthplace of Buddha) at Piparhawa, state of
Uttar prades of India. It shows the real intention of India, time and again, to make vague
propaganda on the matter of Buddha‘s birth place.

In my opinion, it is interesting and right time to focus the recent news which is regarding
the birthplace of Buddha. On 16 November 2009, Asian Development Bank board of
directors approved total $57.5 millions on grants and loans for three nation to develop
the tourism infrastructure & services for key tourism sites. After the efforts made by
Nepal, India & Bangladesh to take advantage of the tourism potential of their rich
natural and cultural attractions, including many of the eminent Buddhist sites of Asia are
getting financial support from the ADB to promote the tourism and services.

The world renowned site The Financial has published a news article whereby they
stated South Asia as one of the poorer regions of the world but has many renowned
natural and cultural attractions, including the world‘s highest mountain and the Sacred
Garden in Lumbini, Nepal, where Buddha was born, the Rumtek Buddhist Monastery in
India‘s Sikkim state, and ancient monasteries and temples in western Bangladesh.
Countries in the sub-region, including India, Nepal and Bangladesh have formed a
working group for collective action to tap the synergies of their complementary tourism
sites in order to expand tourism.
In this context, we should not forget to raise our voice and focus on the ongoing
invasive activities of India and its direct interference on Nepal. India‘s move is clear that
it wants to annex Nepal as its state. Thus, it is interfering on Nepal‘s political,
geographical, social, cultural & religious sectors.

There are lots of reports of border encroachment of Nepal territory by India. As the
renowned Nepalese border expert Buddhi Narayan Shrestha reported, India has
encroached about 59,970 hectares of Nepali territory at 54 points in 21 districts.

In this painful scenario, after the celebration in 15th June 2009 as global day of action
against border encrochment by India, some patriotic Nepalese around the globe are
joining hands to protect their pride. Since few months, they are raising the cause of
Kapilvastu Day- Global Day on 1st of December 2009. On 1st december 1896 Dr A
Fuhrer had found the Ashok Stambha in Lumbini and proved from the stone sculpture
that Lord Buddha was born in Lumbini, Kapilvastu. To promote the cause worldwide,
many Nepalese are using some social sites like facebook, Twitter and sharing their
views, related photos and the logo of Kapilvastu Day and the concerned activities in
news sites. Also formed is a group in facebook named The Birthplace of Gautam
Buddha is in Nepal, not India ! Untill 29th November 2009 the group has reached
17,380 members worldwide.

As I have recognized some renowned Nepalese Professors, Literators, Journalists,

intellectuals & high skilled experts are attached in this group. We are encouraging the
Nepalese embassies, consulates to join us for solidarity on the causse and also
organising common programs in various parts in the world as Kapilvastu Day- Global
Day on 1st of December 2009. And, we are also calling for solidarity to the international
community as slogan ―follow the peace and save the world‖.

After Indo-Sino conflict of 1962, India has initiated border encroachment of Nepalese
territory. It‘s illegal border encroachment act is steady. Few months ago, while
Nepalese in Indo-Nepal border areas have been frequently complaining of border
encroachment by India, the International Relations and Human Rights Committee
(IRHRC) under Nepal‘s Legislative Parliament has found a serious level of border
encroachment by India in Nepal‘s Bara district.

A field study headed by the Committee‘s Chairman and Constituent Assembly Member
Nabindra Raj Joshi three days ago has revealed that India has encroached Nepal‘s
border by destroying 264 border pillars out of 685. And Chairman Joshi informed that
India has erected buildings in Nepalese territorry too.

After the election of hostorical Constituent Assembly, the CPN Maoist became a largest
party in Nepal‘s politics, New Delhi has been amazed with the result. Because the result
was unexpected to India and also Nepalese parliamentary parties. In the context of
internal conflict and affecting by CPI Maoist in as many as 20 states in 28 states across
the India, It has extreme fear from uprising popularity of UCPN Maoist in Nepal. Thus,
India‘s doctrine of expansionism and imperialism is being threaten.
In the perception of threat upon it‘s doctrine, India begins to interfere directly in Nepal
against UCPN Maoist led government in different topics. When Nepal‘s Maoists tried to
resist direct Indian interference in appointing temple‘s priest and Army Chief, India has
been openly exercising to re-consolidate in its favour the Nepal-based non progressive
political forces servile to it from a long time.

The series of uprising India‘s direct intervention in Nepal, about two months ago, China
has announced that if anyone interfere in Nepal internal affairs then it provides any
kinds of help to the Nepalese people including arms. It comes during the tension
between India and China about resuming territorial border dispute of Arunachal
Pradesh.

After the announcment of China, about a months ago, Indian supersonic fighter plane
was seen first time over the Nepalese territory. Recently, in the last week of November
also many Nepalese news medias have reported that Indian supersonic fighter plane fly
in Nepalese sky second time for three consecutive days over Rolpa & Salyan district.
The people of that areas are frightened as media reported.

Except these illegal acts, there are news highlighted by some Neplaese media that India
has also directed to Nepal that the new constitution should be drafted against the
willingness of UCPN Maoist. It is not a matter and interest of India, but a matter and
interest of Nepal and Nepal only. What kind of constitution is needed for peace,
progress and prosperity of New Nepal, only Nepalese have the right to decide their own
fate, not India. It is really shameful and ironic that India is known as world largest
Democracy who has no respect for other‘s Democracy, Liberty, Fraternity and social
justice.

In conclusion, everyone believes from these acts of India that it threatens transparently
to the Nepal‘s sovereignty and independence. Given the critical circumstances of the
nation, India faithful NCP UML Prime Minister Madhab Kumar Nepal led government, is
tightening his lips on the topic of national sovereignty and invasive acts of India.

Finally, indeed, we believe that if Kapilvastu Day is celebrated as a Global Day

elsewhere then it would be a small lesson for India to make correction for spreading
illusion and wrong doing.

29 November 2009 Leuven, Belgium

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the

victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons,
heaven or hell. Buddha
KAPILVASTU DAY POSTER 2
 Buddhism: Fundamental to World Peace

By Ram Kumar Shrestha,

Global Coordinator, Kapilvastu Day Movement

Even after entering into the 21st century - and a century of miracles of scientific
achievements - still we have a question, ―Are human beings happier than before?‖
Materialism as well as knowledge in the form of science and technology has contributed
greatly to human welfare, however; it is considered to be responsible for deterioration in
World Peace as well. Every single day our world spends more than $4 billion on war.
However everyday, 20,000 children die of hunger, poverty and a lack of treatment and
medicines and millions of people are suffering a lack of their basic needs like food,
clean water, clothes and shelter. Nuclear power was developed in the name of
establishing peace and now this is threatening the whole human race. Current existing
amounts of nuclear power are enough to destroy not a single earth but dozens of
equivalent earths. To dispose of this nuclear waste billions of dollars are needed that
amounts to just 10-15% of the total cost of producing, maintaining and managing the
nuclear industry. If only a certain percentage of these funds were used for the benefit of
the people worldwide, struggling to have an education, minimum health care, food and
housing a lot could be done. What will happen if the nuclear power will get into
terrorists‘ hand? This is today‘s one of the biggest concerns for world leaders. So where
are we now? Irrespective of interest everybody has to read, see, watch and listen to
unwanted news full of violence, crime, rape, hunger, accident, war, epidemic, disaster
etc in everyday life. However, dedicated persons and organizations are still optimistic
for a better and peaceful globe.

Then, how can peace be realized in a planet such as ours? Problems do not arise from
those who do not know, but from those who know and pretend not to know. Due to this
attitude, the world is in crisis. Until we purge ourselves of these problems nothing will
happen on the journey to create a wonderful and safe world for future generations. Most
people think seriously about their responsibilities and rights but not about their duty to
others. So many use their freedom to violate others and deny them of their freedom.
This attitude could be the result of mediocre thinking, selfishness and not respecting
others.

The basis of World Peace is the individual. We can give others only the values that we
possess. Only the happy person, therefore, can give happiness to others. A stressed
person cannot give happiness. Only happy persons can love others and be able to unite
people. World peace is possible only when everybody loves each other. The present
world situation is the result of our way of thinking. Leaders are using their maximum
effort to divide people and to control others to be so called powerful. If everybody thinks
about each other we would not have problems, but we are habitual in our thinking and
define everything according to ourselves or group or community or country. Religious
persons are also dividing people in the name of religion. The basic of every religion is
the same – love. Religion is religion if it unites people and not if divides people. We
therefore, need conversation from leaders to masters, religious persons to spiritual
persons to achieve a level of World Peace.

Despite philosophers‘ and humanitarian activists‘ optimism, every day results make it
seem that we are not making much progress on World Peace. This mission has been
complicated because of the divergence of people involved and their ways of thinking.
This suggests to us that we need to work in different ways to coordinate and cooperate
with each other to achieve this goal. Although this mission is very difficult, it is not
impossible if we are serious about achieving change.

As part of the World Peace Movement, Nepalese people living in different parts of the
world last year decided to commemorate Lumbini and Kapilavastu, the birthplace of
Gautam Buddha, by observing Kapilvastu Day as a global holiday in order to spread
Buddha‘s peace and nonviolence messages all over the world. The Buddha is revered
as a Messenger of Peace. He is also known as the Light of Asia who is actually the
Light of the World as his message of peace and non-violence has become more
relevant as the world is facing many violence problems today. The world today has
become more violent than ever before. Therefore, we have decided to spread the
messages of the Buddha all over the world by observing Kapilvastu Day every year.
Originally, on December 1st, 1896, Dr Anton Führer, a German archaeologist, had
discovered the Buddha‘s birthplace when he found the Asoka Pillar at Lumbini. The
Asoka Pillar is the most important evidence that Buddha was born in Lumbini.
Therefore, it was appropriate to observe December 1st as Kapilavastu Day.

Buddhists see the problem of war as a karmic one; the solution is seen as the practicing
and teaching of correct ethical behavior. Good deeds lead to good consequences, bad
deeds to bad. If we are encouraging war, how can we get a peaceful world? The most
fundamental moral precept in Buddhist teaching is respect for life and the prohibition
against taking life. The taking of life not only covers human life but all sentient beings. If
we end killing, the world will definitely be at peace. Writing in Physics World, Calvert
calculates that the animals we eat emit 21% of all the carbon dioxide that can be
attributed to human activity. This suggests that if the whole world becomes vegetarian,
the global warming problem will be minimized a lot. Consumption of a vegetarian food
can contribute to more peace minded citizens in the world. Peace or war, therefore, is
our decision.

Buddha taught that the world must be thought of in procedural terms and not in terms of
things or substances. This is the understanding that any phenomenon exists only
because of the existence of other phenomena in an amazingly complex web of cause
and effect covering past, present and future and this seems to be the basic of Newton‘s
law of Motion, ”To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction”. The
Buddha taught that peaceful minds lead to peaceful speech and peaceful actions. If the
minds of living beings are at peace, the world will be at peace. Buddhists believe that
the minds of all living beings are totally interconnected and interrelated, whether they
are consciously aware of it or not. If we concentrate on putting our own minds at peace,
then we can broadcast peace mentally and generate peace through our actions. We
should use a peaceful mind to act for peace in the world.

Buddha Dhamma (Sanskrit: Dharma) is not a religion, it does not give credence to a
god or philosophy, but is the Law of Nature about how we should handle spirit, soul and
body to bring them together in harmony and to begin to annul the ego and to stop any
sorrow or affliction in our life! This way we can learn to cultivate true happiness and not
create a dependent happiness that is just for a fleeting moment eventually taking us
back to the root of our problems. It takes a lot of insight and deep reflection about us to
see this reality. It gives not only the peace message but also teaches techniques and
methods for that.

Such human qualities as morality, compassion, decency, wisdom, and so forth have
been the foundations of all civilizations. These qualities must be cultivated and
sustained through systematic moral education so that a more humane world may
emerge. We need a revolution in our commitment to and practice of universal
humanitarian values. As from both scientific and religious viewpoints it is as of general
rule that every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in the same way we
are sending it out, for World Peace we, therefore, must choose action that brings
happiness and success to others. In general everybody senses a discomfort for making
a conscious wrong decision. Just the thing is that due to the ego and selfishness
everybody wants to put out of sight the reality. One of the main objectives of this attitude
is to seek control over others that is wasting of time and energy resulting in
unhappiness to self and others. Our actions, therefore, must be motivated by real love,
compassion and respect that generate energy causing a Peaceful World. Peaceful life is
everybody‘s right and we can create that if everybody becomes serious about it.

This year Buddha Jayanti, which actually encompasses the birth; enlightenment
(Nirvana); and passing away (Parinirvana) of Gautama Buddha, is going to be
celebrated with very surprising yet wonderful programs all over the world and this could
be the positive symbol of World Peace.

Even though people claim to love their generations, many are irresponsible when it
comes to making the world a better place for them. Instead of taking action, they blame
others and defend or hide their irresponsible behavior due to egoism. This is very
interesting and sad. As human beings we are accountable for this deteriorating
situation, as well as being responsible for improving the situation and saving our own
children. So which way will we go? Will we be blamed as slaughterers, or kind and wise
by our own children and grandchildren? This decision is in our hands. Currently, it is
not too late, however, tomorrow it could be.

NEFIN POSTER
 LETTER SUBMISSIN TO THE PRIME MINISTER
Informing the world about the true birth place of the
327 Signatures
Buddha

Published by Ram Kumar Shrestha on Jul 14, 2010

Category: Patriotism

Region: GLOBAL

Target: The Right Honorable Prime Minister of Nepal

Web site: http://worldamity.wordpress.com/

Background (Preamble):

All sovereign Nepalese: intellectuals, civil society leaders, patriotic, democratic,

progressive, and reasonable and rational minds of all walks of life, our peace and justice
loving international friends and international communities.

Petition:

The Right Honorable Prime Minister of Nepal

Singha Darbar
Kathmandu, Nepal.

Re: Informing the world about the birth place of the Buddha

As part of the World Peace Movement, Nepalese people living in different parts of the
world last year decided to commemorate Lumbini and Kapilavastu, the holy places
where Gautam Buddha was born and grew up, by observing Kapilvastu Day as a global
holiday with the objectives;

 to spread Buddha messages all over the world to enhance world peace,
 to work together with other organizations working for the peace in the world;
  to campaign to clear all sorts of misinformation among world citizens related
with birth place of the Buddha. The Buddha is revered as a Messenger of
Peace. He is also known as the Light of Asia who is actually the Light of the
world also as his message of peace and nonviolence has become more
relevant as the world is facing the problems of violence today. The world
today has become more violent than ever before. Therefore, we have decided
to spread the messages of the Buddha all over the world by observing
Kapilvastu Day every year.

Originally, on December 1, 1896, Dr Anton Führer, a German archaeologist, had

discovered the Buddha‘s birthplace when he found the Asoka Pillar at Lumbini. Even
though this site was first discovered by Khadga Shamsher Rana before Führer had
reached the site but the latter is credited with this discovery as he made it known to the
international community.

Therefore, keeping in view of the discovery day of this holy site, it was decided to
observe December 1 as the Kapilavastu Day. The historic Kapilavastu, located close to
Lumbini, is another holy pilgrimage for the Buddhists. It is the place where the Buddha
grew up and which he later renounced seeking to understand the cause of human
sufferings. The result of years of excavations and researches by national and
international teams have proven that Tilaurakot is the historic Kapilvastu which
UNESCO should certify as another World Heritage, next to Lumbini.

All the misinformation on the birth place of Buddha is due to vigorous intentional
campaign being carried out by some Indian Media, writers and organizations. Now it
has also come to the light, that course books in many countries contain wrong
information about the Buddha due to such misinformation spread on ill intent which was
never expected before this movement.

We Kapilvastu Day Movement Team together with 275,00,000 Nepalese living in Nepal
and abroad, all sovereign Nepalis: intellectuals, civil society leaders, patriotic,
democratic, progressive, and reasonable, rational minds of all walks of life, our peace
and justice loving international friends and international communities and all the
Buddhist followers and scholars, therefore, strongly condemn such unethical activities.
Even the fake Kapilvastu is also reported under speedy construction and which will be
completed in 2012. These sorts of activities could create misunderstanding in existing
good relationship and friendship between two countries since many centuries. Such,
unethical and irresponsible activities may cause distrust in the friendship between two
great neighbors Nepal and India. Nepal and India should be aware of it and do whatever
is required to stop such elements and activities prior to it damaging the historical
friendship between two countries. To boost up the relationship between two countries,
this kind of problem must be sorted out as soon as possible.
After celebrating Kapilvastu Day Globally first time on 1st of December, 2009, we have
organized lots of campaigns to correct misinformation on the birth place of Buddha and
google corrected its mistake. Still there are lots of areas to be corrected and for this
without Nepal government‘s involvement it could take years and years. We, therefore,
would like to request Nepal government to deal with Indian government directly against
fake Kapilvastu issue and on other issues - especially to correct course books - through
diplomatic missions.

Respectfully yours,

Ram Kumar Shrestha

Global Coordinator

Kapilvastu Day Movement

http://worldamity.wordpress.com/
And,
All sovereign Nepalese: intellectuals, civil society leaders, patriotic, democratic,
progressive, and reasonable and rational minds of all walks of life, our peace and justice
loving international friends and international communities.
 Book Published by the Movement
Kapilvastu Day Movement has published a book written by Prof Dr. Kavitaram Shrestha.
This a novel and based on scientific research on Buddha‘s life.

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything
simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply
because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on
the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have
been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you
find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one
and all, then accept it and live up to it. Buddha Kalama Sutta