A History of Agriculture in India v1.c27.s2.3

v1.c27.s2.3

To understand the association of trees with the Buddha, it is necessary to know the facts regarding his life. Gautama belonged to the Sakya Tribe of the Aryans. His father was Suddodhana, the Raja of Kapilavastu, a petty principality on the border of Nepal. Green rice fields surrounded by *sal* forest with the backdrop of the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas provided an inspiring environment to Kapilavastu. Here, Gautama was born in 563 B.C. The birth of the Buddha has been thus described: ‘Queen Mahamaya bearing the Bodhisattva for ten months like oil in a bowl, when her time was come, desired to go to her relatives’ house, and addressed king Suddodhana, “I wish, O king, to go to the Devadaha, the city of my family”. The king approved, and caused the road from Kapilavastu to Devadaha to be made smooth and adorned with vessels filled with plantains, flags, and banners, and seating her in a golden palanquin borne by a thousand couriers sent her with a great retinue. Between the two cities and belonging to the inhabitants of both is a pleasure grove of *sal*-trees named the *Lumbini* grove. At that time from the roots to the tips of the branches it was one mass of flowers, and from within the branches and flowers hosts of bees and flocks of birds sported, singing sweetly.