India says Buddha was born in Lumbini in Nepal

NEW DELHI, Aug 10, 2020, WION. Highlighting the “shared Buddhist Heritage”, India on Sunday said, Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism was born in Lumbini in Nepal, WION reported.

The comments came in response to Nepal’s reaction to external affairs ministry’s remarks yesterday at the CII event regarding Buddhist heritage.

”There is no doubt that Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini, which is in Nepal”, S Jaishankar said.

“Who are the 2 greatest Indians ever that you can remember. I can say one is Gautam Buddha and the other is Mahatma Gandhi. Not just greatest Indians as you and I remember, but greatest Indian that the world remembers, ” he said.

The Nepal foreign ministry had sharply reacted to the development saying, ” “It is a well-established and undeniable fact proven by historical and archaeological evidence that Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal. Lumbini, the Birthplace of Buddha and the fountain of Buddhism, is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites.”

Adding, “It is true that Buddhism spread from Nepal to other parts of the world in the subsequent period. The matter remains beyond doubt and controversy and thus cannot be a subject of debate. The entire international community is aware of this.”

Buddha, born in Lumbini, attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, gave his first sermon at Sarnath and died in Kushinagar. Buddha was the son of Suddhodana who was the leader of Shakya in Magadha situated in present-day Nepal and India.

The development comes even as Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli has again reiterated that Lord Ram was a Nepali.

Oli spoke to a delegation of Madi municipality in Chitwan district in Nepal and told them he believes Lord Ram was born in that area. He called for developing the region and building a Ram Temple. Nepal PM also suggested the name of the municipality be changed to Ayodhyapuri.

Last week Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a Ram Temple in Ayodhya, UP.