Is the Birth Story of the Buddha Fact or Symbol?

Hello. This is the 9th day of the India pilgrimage. Today, we paid respects at the Buddha’s relics stupa (진신사리탑) built by the Koliya clan, crossed the Rohini River where a water dispute was peacefully resolved, and made a pilgrimage to the Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini, where the Buddha was born.

Days heading to Nepal always begin with an early morning departure. This is because crossing the border alone takes several hours. At 1:30 AM, the buses waiting in front of the accommodation started their engines all at once. After the pilgrims organized their sleeping areas and loaded their luggage, they departed from Kushinagar at 2:20 AM, heading toward the Nepal border.

Despite the very early hour, police were running in front of the car carrying Sunim to escort the pilgrimage group. Soon the lights inside the buses were turned off, and most of the pilgrims fell back asleep. The buses raced through the darkness toward the border.

At 5 AM, the lights were turned on inside the vehicles and everyone offered morning prayers together. Not long after finishing the prayers, at 6:45 AM, the buses arrived at the India-Nepal border. The Kushinagar police who had been escorting them also gave their final greetings to Sunim.

The 500-member pilgrimage group disembarked in order and lined up while maintaining order. After completing Indian exit procedures, Nepal entry procedures began at 7:35 AM. Today, the Indian border guards conducted much stricter procedures than usual, checking and examining individual luggage loaded on the buses one by one.

When the overall situation was checked at 8:40 AM, 9 out of the 13 buses had crossed the border and arrived in Nepal. The remaining 4 buses were still in India due to network problems at the Indian immigration office. Sunim called the Dharma Teachers and spoke to them.

“Since we don’t know when the network will be normalized, the vehicles that have already crossed the border will depart for Ramgram. the 4 buses still in India can follow once the situation is resolved.”

Sunim led the vehicles that could depart first and moved to Ramgram. During the journey, Sunim shared through the radio that the pilgrimage group was moving after crossing the India-Nepal border, and also conveyed information about Nepal’s current chaotic domestic situation.

At 10:20 AM, they arrived at Ramgram. Thick fog and cold, damp air surrounded the pilgrimage group. The pilgrims spread out mats and sat in an open area on one side of the stupa.

“Are you hungry? (laughter) We’ll eat our packed lunches now. Since we have to wait for the vehicles coming behind us anyway. After eating lunch, we’ll begin our pilgrimage schedule.”

The pilgrimage group had their morning meal with the packed lunches they had prepared at the Kushinagar accommodation the night before.

After eating lunch, they put on their kasayas and arranged their seating. Sunim began explaining about the sacred site.

“This place where we’ve arrived is the Ramgram relics stupa, one of the eight original relics stupas. Korean pilgrims rarely visit here. Some monks have visited individually, but it’s very rare for group pilgrims to come all the way to this relics stupa.

The Stupa That Even King Ashoka Could Not Demolish

King Ashoka demolished seven of the eight original relics stupas and took out some of the relics from inside, then built stupas at each place where the Buddha had left his footprints and enshrined the relics there. However, this Ramgram relics stupa was an exception. According to the scriptures, the dragon king who guarded this stupa said this to King Ashoka: ‘Can you enshrine the relics better than I can? I am taking good care of these relics, so don’t touch them.’ Upon hearing this, even King Ashoka, who had unified all of India, could not touch this relics stupa. It is presumed that there was strong resistance from the Koliya clan. The topography of this area also seems to have played a role in protecting the stupa. The terrain formed when a river meanders and changes direction is called an ‘oxbow lake,’ and this place is also land that remained like an island as the river meandered. Although it’s not actually an island, it became isolated as the water flow went around it. There are also stories that there were many snakes here, and due to these various conditions, the stupa could not be easily demolished.

Stories continued to spread about people who tried to rob this stupa and either fell ill or were struck by lightning and died, solidifying the belief that ‘this stupa must not be touched.’ As a result, unlike other stupas containing Buddha’s relics, this one remained unexcavated. Due to the belief that it ‘must not be touched,’ this site was never excavated, and over time the stupa gradually crumbled. Grass has grown over the earth, making it look almost like a grave mound today. Paradoxically, however, thanks to this belief, the Ramagrama stupa remains in the most original form among all the stupas containing Buddha’s relics. While the relics from other stupas have already been moved, the relics here remain enshrined in their original place. In that sense, from a religious perspective, this can be said to be one of the most sacred and precious places in the world today.”

After the explanation, the pilgrimage group circumambulated the stupa and offered prayers toward the stupa containing Buddha’s relics.

During the circumambulation, buses 1, 2, and 3 fortunately arrived at Ramagrama.

After completing the worship ceremony, Sunim spoke to those who had arrived later.

“Fortunately, you arrived early. I thought we wouldn’t be able to meet at Ramagrama. (laughter) You must have had a hard time crossing the border. Let’s enjoy our lunch boxes here and meet again in Lumbini.”

After completing the pilgrimage, the group folded their kasayas and prepared to move to the Rohini River.

Village children were sitting in a line in front of the Ramagrama stupa. Sunim gave each child a handful of candy.

After driving for about 30 minutes, a wide sandy beach appeared. It was the Rohini River. The pilgrimage group got off the buses and walked toward the riverbank.

Across the river, some villagers had gathered and were watching the pilgrimage group. As described in the scriptures, it was striking to realize that two countries existed at a distance where they could see each other across the river.

Sunim found a spot near the river and told the story related to the Rohini River.

“On one side of the Rohini River was the land of the Sakya clan, and on the other side was the land of the Koliya clan. One year, during a severe drought, the river water greatly diminished. Both the Sakya and Koliya clans depended on the Rohini River water for farming, but as the water decreased, there wasn’t enough for both sides to farm. The Koliya clan thought: ‘If we use this river water only for our fields, we can harvest without major problems. But if we share it with the Sakya clan, both of us will fail in our farming.’ So they said to the Sakya clan: ‘If we share the water, both of us will fail in farming. Rather, if we use this water, at least we can harvest properly. Let’s divert all the river water to our side.’ The Sakya clan countered: ‘Well said. It would be better for us to use all that water!’ What started as a discussion gradually escalated as voices grew louder, eventually turning into a quarrel. ‘Does that make sense? Are you even human!’ they shouted, grabbing each other by the collar and exchanging punches. As villagers joined in, what began as a fight between individuals quickly grew into a dispute involving entire villages. Soon, people from both sides gathered, picking up stones and throwing them at each other. As they attacked each other with stones, armies were eventually mobilized from both sides, and the situation escalated to the brink of military conflict.

Which Is More Precious: Blood or Water?

Upon hearing this news, the Buddha thought, ‘If I leave these foolish people as they are, they will surely end up in war.’ At that time, both sides were in a volatile situation where war could break out at any moment. The scriptures say that the Buddha was floating in the air above the river at that time. This symbolically expresses that the Buddha was not taking either side but observing the situation from a neutral position. At this sight, the attention of both sides was drawn to the Buddha. The Buddha called the generals from both sides and asked them: ‘Everyone, which is more precious: blood or flowing water?’ The generals answered: ‘Buddha, how can you compare blood to water? Water is trivial, while blood is precious.’ Then the Buddha said: ‘Then why are you trying to spill that precious blood like that trivial water?’

These words finally brought the two commanders, who had been swept up in emotion, back to their senses. Eventually, through the Buddha’s mediation, both sides stopped the war and reconciled. They joined forces to manage the river water and were able to safely overcome that year’s drought. This story is known as the ‘Rohini River Water Dispute.’ It remains to this day as the most representative example of the Buddha mediating for peace. The current situation between South and North Korea is not much different from this story. They remain in a crisis where the same tragedy could repeat itself at any moment. This is not just a problem between South and North Korea, but rather human foolishness that repeats itself anywhere in the world. There are many other examples of the Buddha working for peace. At Vulture Peak in Rajagriha (왕사성 영축산), he taught the ‘Seven Conditions for a Nation’s Prosperity,’ peacefully resolving the conflict between Magadha and Vaishali. However, there were also tragedies he could not prevent. When Kosala attacked Kapilavastu, the Buddha personally intervened three times to stop it. The king of Kosala seemed to pause momentarily after hearing the Buddha’s teachings, but ultimately could not overcome his anger and resentment and raised his army again. As a result, the tragedy of the Sakya clan’s complete annihilation occurred.”

After the explanation ended, the pilgrimage group chanted sutras.

After leaving the Rohini River and traveling for about an hour, they arrived at Lumbini at 1:45 PM. It was the sacred site where the Buddha was born. Sunim first organized the area with the staff who had arrived earlier and checked the circumambulation route. The pilgrimage groups arriving in sequence settled in front of the Maya Devi Temple.

At 2 PM, Sunim’s explanation of the sacred site began.

“We have now arrived at Lumbini Garden, where the Buddha was born. Because of the song lyrics ‘beautiful Lumbini Garden where flowers bloom and birds sing,’ we often think of a hill or small mountain when we hear the word ‘garden’ (dongsan in Korean). However, this is a misunderstanding that arose during the translation process in China. In our terms, Lumbini is not a hill but closer to a garden or forest. In China, where the culture of creating small mountains and cultivating gardens was developed, both gardens and forests were translated as ‘dongsan’ (hill). That’s why we naturally associate ‘dongsan’ with a hill. From now on, when you see the expression ‘dongsan’ in the sutras, please understand it as a garden or forest.

Why Was the Buddha Born on the Road Rather Than in a Palace?

During the Buddha’s time, there was a custom of giving birth at one’s parents’ home. So Queen Maya received permission from the king and left through the eastern gate of Kapilavastu in a palanquin, heading east toward her parents’ home. It is said that she arrived here at Lumbini around noon. The distance from Kapilavastu to here is about 28km, and if they traveled about 4km per hour, it would have been about 7 hours after departure. We can assume they left around 5-6 AM, arrived around noon, and planned to return by evening. When they arrived at this forest around noon, the Ashoka trees were in full bloom. It was a good place to rest and the flowers were beautiful, so they stopped the palanquin to stay for a while. The moment Queen Maya reached for a flower branch with her right hand, she felt labor pains, and they set up a tent where she gave birth to the child. The sutra’s more beautiful description of this scene goes as follows:

‘The baby was born from Queen Maya’s right side. Mahabrahma (대범천

)

came with a golden net to receive the baby, and Indra, Brahma, and the Four Heavenly Kings (사천왕

)

came with their retinues to protect the baby. Sakra Devanam Indra (석제 환인

)

held a jeweled parasol to shade the baby, and Mahabrahma stood on both sides with a white fly whisk. In the sky, the dragon king brothers Nanda and Upananda spouted clear warm water from the left and cool pure water from the right to bathe the baby. The baby walked seven steps in each of the four directions, and lotus flowers bloomed with each footprint. Then, pointing to the sky with his right hand and to the earth with his left hand, he declared like a lion: In heaven above and on earth below, I alone am the World-Honored One. All beings in the three realms are suffering; I shall bring them peace.’ Here, ‘heaven above (천상

)

‘ refers to the world of gods, and ‘earth below (천하

)

‘ means the human world. This means the Buddha is a teacher who leads both gods and humans. The ‘three realms (삼계

)’

refers to the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm (욕계·색계·무색계

),

—the entire universe. The latter sentence is particularly important. When interpreted, it means: ‘Among all in heaven above and earth below, the awakened one is most noble. All beings throughout the universe are in suffering; I shall rescue them, eliminate their suffering, and bring them peace.’ These stories were symbolically described by later writers who compiled the Buddha’s life hundreds of years after his passing into nirvana. They can be seen as expressions praising the moment of birth based on the character and life the Buddha demonstrated throughout his lifetime. The fact that he attained enlightenment and became a Buddha is expressed as ‘In heaven above and on earth below, I alone am the World-Honored One,’ and his 45 years of teaching to alleviate the suffering of beings is expressed as ‘All beings in the three realms are suffering; I shall bring them peace (삼계개고 아당안지

)

.’

Interpreting the Symbolic Meaning of Birth Descriptions in Buddhist Scriptures

Some people take the expression of being born from the right side literally. This is because they think, ‘How could such a great sage be born through a woman’s private parts?’ However, this is merely a religious interpretation. Historically, it is more appropriate to understand this as a symbolic expression representing royal birth. According to traditional Indian mythology, when the creator god Brahman created humans, the Brahmin class emerged from his mouth, the Kshatriya (warrior class) from his side, the Vaishya from his belly, and the Shudra from his feet. This is a mythological narrative designed to justify the caste system. In this context, the expression that the Buddha was born from the side can be seen as a symbolic representation of his royal lineage. Historically, the key fact is that his mother gave birth here while on her way to her parents’ home. In other words, the Buddha was born on the road from the very beginning. Because she gave birth on the road, there was no need to continue to her parents’ home, so the palanquin was turned around and they returned to Kapilavastu. This is the very place where the great Buddha was born. However, the Buddha was only born here; he actually grew up in Kapilavastu for 29 years. His character and the foundation of his life were all formed in Kapilavastu. This place is merely a symbolic location of his birth.

Nevertheless, because this is the symbolic birthplace of the Buddha, people from all over the world come to visit this place. While I value the significance of this site, I also believe it is equally important to visit Kapilavastu to explore the Buddha’s childhood and adolescent years together. Now, let us read together about the circumstances of the Buddha’s birth according to the scriptures.”

After the explanation ended, the members of the Sangha chanted scriptures and meditated briefly.

They then offered prayers while facing the Maya Devi Temple. After completing the prayers, Sunim gave blessings.

Next, they performed the bathing ceremony for the baby Buddha to commemorate the Buddha’s birth. They then slowly walked around Lumbini Garden while chanting Shakyamuni Buddha.

Returning to their seats, everyone sang songs celebrating the Buddha’s birth together.

After the chorus ended, Sunim’s Dharma talk followed.

“Who wrote about the Buddha’s life? Did Venerable Pomnyun write it? Did Indian people write it?”

“Indian people wrote it.”

“Were they modern people or ancient people?”

“Ancient people.”

“The records of the Buddha’s life were written a very long time ago. There was the era when the Buddha appeared, followed by the Maurya Dynasty when King Ashoka unified all of India. After that came the Kushan Dynasty, which then led to the Gupta Dynasty. During the Gupta period, Indian culture developed rapidly. At the same time, this was when feudal society with the most extreme gender and class discrimination became firmly established. Many of the sculptures, stupas, and Buddha statues we see today began during the Maurya Dynasty, continued through the Kushan Dynasty, and most of the forms that remain today were created during the Gupta period. The artistic perfection also reached its peak during the Gupta era. Most of the scriptures we read today were also compiled in written form during this Gupta period. Therefore, we can say that the scriptures reflect much of the social background of the Gupta era and traditional Indian culture.

Are the Buddha’s Stories Fact or Symbol?

The Buddha was born in India and grew up in India. However, his teachings can be said to have been universal rather than Indian. It would be more accurate to say they were ‘global teachings’ rather than ‘non-Indian.’ The Buddha taught universal truths that were not limited to any specific region or culture. However, the Buddhism we encounter today is Buddhism that has been combined with Indian culture again. This is unavoidable. For example, Korean Buddhism inevitably contains Korean elements. Things like the Mountain God Hall (산신각

)

or the Seven Star Hall (칠성각

)

are examples. These are the result of Korean traditional culture being naturally incorporated as Buddhism entered Korean society. The same is true for Chinese Buddhism. In this way, Buddhism creates new forms by combining with the culture of whatever region it settles in. Since Buddhism originated in India, it is natural that Indian culture has permeated into Buddhism.

The problem is that in this process, Buddha’s original teachings became mixed with cultural elements and were transformed. To properly understand these aspects, simply studying religion is not enough. We must also examine the cultural history of humanity. For example, the debate over whether Jesus was actually born to the Virgin Mary is a matter of religion and science. However, cultural history asks this question: ‘Why did they express it as a virgin giving birth to a child?’ The same applies to the story of King Jumong (고주몽) being born from an egg. Such expressions always contain the social and cultural background of their time. So what does the story of Buddha taking seven steps symbolize? In India, the number ‘six’ represents the six realms of rebirth (육도윤회

)

. The six realms refer to six worlds. Hell is a world where beings constantly suffer due to others’ actions; the realm of hungry ghosts is where beings are not killed by others but constantly suffer from hunger; the animal realm is where there are no problems with survival but beings create their own suffering through ignorance; the realm of asuras is where beings have abilities but are filled with anger, repeating battles and destruction; then there is the human realm; and finally, the heavenly realm of gods. Going round and round through these six worlds is the cycle of rebirth in the six realms. No matter how good the heavenly realm may seem, it too is a realm of rebirth and therefore finite.

So what does it mean that he took seven steps? It signifies liberation from the six realms of rebirth. In other words, it symbolically represents the fact that the Buddha achieved enlightenment. Did the writer who recorded the Buddha’s life make a prophecy in advance? Or was this description added later because the Buddha had attained enlightenment?”

“It was described later.”

“That’s right. Because the Buddha achieved enlightenment, the birth scene was symbolically depicted this way based on that fact. Similarly, the expression that he was born from his mother’s right side can be understood as a symbolic representation of his royal status. So what does the phrase ‘I alone am honored in heaven and on earth (천상천하 유아독존

)

‘ mean? Not only in Indian culture but in most cultures around the world, people think that the world of gods is above and the human world is below. That’s why when I have conversations with Christians, we sometimes discuss this topic. ‘Who is the Buddha?’ ‘He is the enlightened one.’ ‘So is the Buddha human or divine?’ ‘He is human.’ ‘So he’s just human after all.’ The phrase ‘just human after all’ carries the fixed notion that humans are inferior to gods. In such cases, we need to reframe the question from a Buddhist perspective. ‘Then is God a deity or a Buddha?’ They would probably answer ‘a deity.’ Then we can say this. ‘So just a sentient being after all.’

This is because in Buddhism, no matter how great a deity may be, if they have not attained liberation, they belong to sentient beings who undergo the cycle of rebirth through the six realms. This is not a matter of truth or falsehood, but a difference in perspective. In Buddhism, only the Buddha is a being who has transcended the cycle of rebirth through the six realms. Therefore, the Buddha is a being who has gone beyond the realm of deities. It’s not ‘above’ but ‘beyond.’ That’s why the Buddha is called the ‘Great Teacher of the Three Realms.’ The three realms encompass both the human and divine worlds. Understanding this cultural background clarifies the meaning of the expression ‘I alone am honored in heaven and on earth.’ The Buddha is neither a deity nor a being above deities. He is a teacher who instructs even the gods. That’s why the Buddha is called ‘Teacher of gods and humans.’ In this respect, Buddhism has a completely different perspective from the Christian worldview.”

After completing the Dharma talk, everyone recited the Four Great Vows together, concluding the pilgrimage to Lumbini. About three hours had passed.

As they were leaving Maya Devi Temple, they met a familiar face. It was Craig, a reporter from a Hong Kong Buddhist newspaper. He said he had come to greet them during his Nepal trip, timing it with the pilgrimage schedule. Sunim invited Craig to have dinner together at Daesung Seokgasa Temple (대성석가사).

Sunim walked toward Daesung Seokgasa Temple while conversing with various Dharma teachers.

They arrived at Daesung Seokgasa Temple close to 6 PM. General Affairs Monk Bohyun (총무 보현스님) welcomed Sunim and the pilgrimage group. Sunim stood facing the main Dharma hall, offered three prostrations, and exchanged greetings with Ven. Bohyun.

“Ven. Bohyun, how have you been? I heard the domestic situation in Nepal has been turbulent lately. Has Daesung Seokgasa Temple been affected?”

“it’s not major, but there has been some impact.”

“It must be difficult managing the temple alone.”

Upon arrival, the pilgrimage group had a warm meal prepared by Daesung Seokgasa Temple. After dinner, evening service was held in the Dharma hall at 7 PM. The Buddha and Master Yongseong (용성조사님)were enshrined in the hall.

After the service, Ven. Bohyun introduced the history of Daesung Seokgasa Temple and the process of its construction to the pilgrimage group.

“The Jungto Society pilgrimage group has been visiting Daesung Seokgasa Temple around this time every year for nearly 25 years. Your visits give us strength. (Laughter) I sincerely thank the Jungto pilgrimage group.”

The assembly gave Ven. Bohyun heartfelt applause.

Sunim then emphasized that this temple is a precious site that realizes the legacy of Master Yongseong Jinjong. He expressed gratitude and respect for the efforts of Abbot Beopsin(주지 법신스님) and Ven. Bohyun, who have quietly continued the temple’s work over many years.

After 8 PM, the assembly concluded. Sunim edited manuscripts in his quarters before retiring for the night.

Tomorrow, they will depart at 2 AM to visit the Tilaurakot region and make a pilgrimage to Kapilavastu, where the Buddha spent his youth.