慈音雜誌電子報

At that time, the Buddha told people in all the Mahasattva devas, and they listen to the Buddha with one mind. The Buddha said: The human body is difficult to gain, so is the inactive way. It is difficult to live at the age when Buddha was on earth. I had been a layperson since innumerable kalpas. I accumulated virtue in many kalpas. I scolded myself every life for passing through five destinies. I was not greedy for money and other valuables. I would not cherish my body but discard it to others. Then all these causes result in my being a prince. When the stars appeared at midnight on the eighth day of April, I was born on the earth. Soon after that, I made seven steps and raised my right hand saying that “Between the heaven and the world, the greatest thing is the inherent Buddha nature.” I should be the peerless teacher of devas and men.
爾時佛告諸天人民。皆一心聽。佛言人身難得。無為道亦然。佛世難值。吾本從阿僧祇劫時。身為白衣。累劫積德。每生自剋。展轉五道。不貪財寶。棄身施與。無所愛惜。自致為王太子。以四月八日夜半（午夜正十二時）明星出時。生墮地行七步。舉右手而言。「天上天下，唯吾為尊。」當為天人作無上師。

The earth quaked greatly when the prince was born. From the four deva-kings of the first desire-heaven to the king of Trayastrimsas of the Brahmadeva, each of them used twelve fragrant water and various great flowers to bathe the prince. When the prince became a Buddha, he preached his sermon to save all the people. The Buddha told all the devas that all the Buddhas of the ten directions were born, leave home to enter the mountains to learn the truths, became Buddhas, and enter Nirvana at midnight on the eighth day of April.
太子生時。地為大動。第一天四天王。乃至梵天忉利天王。其中諸天各持十二種香湯和雜種名花以浴太子。太子得成佛道。開現聖法。濟度群氓。佛告諸天人民。十方諸佛皆用四月八日夜半時生。十方諸佛皆用四月八日夜半時出家。入山學道。十方諸佛皆用四月八日夜半時成佛。十方諸佛皆用四月八日夜半時而般涅槃。

Buddha explained the reason why we used the eighth day of April as Buddhas’ birthdays. Because during the period from spring to summer, there wasn’t any calamities and crimes, all things grow, poisonous air was not circulated, and it was not cool or hot. It thus was suitable season for Buddhas to be born. All the good men and good women should resolve their minds with the infinite power of Buddhas’ merits and virtues. They should bathe the Buddha’s image as the Buddha was alive so that they will obtain boundless felicity.
佛言。所以用四月八日者。以春夏之際殃罪悉畢。萬物普生。毒氣未行。不寒不熱。時氣和適。正是佛生之日。諸善男子善女人。於佛滅後。當至心念佛無量功德之力。浴佛形像如佛在時。得福無量不可稱數。

The first volume of the Middle Agama Sutra elaborates on various auspicious signs when Buddha was born：
《中阿含經》卷八詳載佛出世種種瑞相：
I have heard that when the Buddha realized he was born, the heaven and the earth quaked. The great subtle light illuminate all things in the world, including deep and remote, obscure places and the nether world. I have heard that as soon as the Buddha was born, he walked seven steps and observed everywhere without any fear. I have heard that when the Buddha was born, the cold and warm rain fell from the ether alternately bathing the Buddha. I have heard that when the Buddha was born, all the devas played drum-music and performed by the female musicians, and blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, shining flowers were dropping from the devas, and fine sandal-wood incense-powder was scattered over the Buddha.
我聞世尊知出母胎。是時震動一切天地。以大妙光普照世間。乃至幽隱諸闇冥處無有障蔽。我聞世尊初生之時。即行七步。不恐不怖。亦不畏懼。觀察諸方。我聞世尊初生之時。上虛空中雨水注下。一冷一暖。灌世尊身。我聞世尊初生之時。諸天於上鼓天妓樂。天青蓮華．紅蓮華．赤蓮華．白蓮華．天文陀羅花及細末栴檀香散世尊上。(下期待續)