Lumbini Lexical Analysis

By B. K. Rana

This article is the continuation of  NEPAL’S LUMBINI: WHERE THE BUDDHA WAS BORN

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 offers 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 toponym’ of ‘Lumbini’  which could have been something like ‘Lam-ba-ni’ reflecting later Chinese Buddhist lexicography[1]. This lexicography certainly 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.

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] .

हटेका मेरो भ्रमहरु

By चन्द्र घर्ती मगर

छिमेकीहरु,
बैगुणी रैछन्
मिलेर भएन
कुल्चने रैछन्
सहेर पनि भएन
अब त,
मलाई यसरी मिल्नु छैन
थप ज्यादती सहनु पनि छैन ।

कपुत नेताहरु,
असक्षम रैछन्
बुइ चढाएर भएन
पत्थर रैछन्
सत्य बुझाएर पनि भएन
अब त,
फेरि काँधमा बोक्नु छैन
भन्नु पनि केही बाँकी रहेन ।

Basu’s Seriousness for the Sovereignty

Usually people ignore the mistakes encountered in books or media, however; depending upon the situation, importance of the matter and the market of the source,  ignoring them could give unexpected negative results. Due to Indian activities and its strong media impact in the world, huge fraction of the world population are misinformed about the birth place of Gautam Buddha. During Kapilvastu Day programme,  when Raho Joe Bornhost – residing in France and German – was helping the programme requesting his colleagues to participate in and help to this programme, he did mistake. (Click here to see the unknowingly done mistake). For the sovereignty of the country, our intellectuals must be careful in this sort of sensitive issue.

Immediate response to concerned authority by Basu Shrestha, the Editor of Khasskhass, is highly appreciable. This what he did:

Basu Shrestha: Back in 1994, when I was jsut arrived in US, I found a book in a library saying Buddha was born in India. In protest of it, I wrote a letter to them and they replied saying they will correct it. The letter is here. Similarly, if we see like this please write them and ask your freinds and family to write them as well so… that we can raise a voice. Getting just mad or just hating them is not a solutions. (Source: Facebook )