288 



NOTICES ON THE LIFE OF SHAKYA, 



enters by the right side, into the womb or cavity of the body of Maya DevI* 

 (Tib. hhdmo-sgyu-])Iirul-md) the wife of Shudhodana. She never felt 

 such a pleasure as at that moment. Next morning she tells the king the 

 dream she had respecting that elephant. The Brahmans and the interpret- 

 ers of dreams being called by the king, they propound that the queen shall 

 be delivered of a son, who will become either an universal monarch or a 

 Buddha. The king greatly rejoicing upon hearing these predictions, 

 orders alms to be distributed, and offerings or sacrifices to be made to 

 the gods for the safety and happy delivery of Maya Dev!, and for the pros- 

 perity of the child that was to be born : and he himself is very solicitous 

 to do every thing according to her pleasure. The gods render her every 

 service, and all nature is favourably disposed on account of Sodhisakva, 

 or the incarnated saint. 

 III. — He was born. 



Maya DEvif was delivered of Bodhisatwa or the child, on the fifteenth 

 day of the 4th moon of the Wood-Rat year ; when she was in the garden 

 or grove Lumbini whither she had gone with great procession for her 

 recreation. The child (Shakya) came out by her right side, she being 

 in a standing posture, and holding fast the branch of a tree, Indra, and 

 other gods, assisted her. Soon after his birth, Shakya walked seven paces 

 towards each of the four cardinal points, and uttered the name of each of 

 them, telling what he was about to do with respect to them. Several mi- 

 racles happened at his birth: for instance the whole world was illuminated 

 with great light or brightness ; the earth quaked, or trembled several times ; 

 the blind saw, &c. &c. 



There were born at the same time with Shakya,| the sons of four 

 kings in central or Gangetic India. At Rdjagrihain Magadha; at Shra- 

 vasti 'm. Kosala; at Kaushambhi, and at Ujjayani (as Vimbasara or Shrenika, 

 Prasenajit, &c. &c.) 



* See No. 4. 



t See No. 5. 



X See No. 6. 



