Thus came He to be born again for men

Below the highest sphere four Regents sit Who rule our world, and under them are zonesNearer, but high, where saintliest spirits dead

Wait thrice ten thousand years, then Eve again;

And on Lord Buddha, waiting in that sky,

Came for our sakes the five sure signs of birth

So that the Devas knew the signs, and said

"Buddha will go again to help the World."

"Yea!" spake He, "now I go to help the World

This last of many times; for birth and death

End hence for me and those who learn my Law.

I will go down among the Sakyas,

Under the southward snows of Himalay,

Where pious people live and a just King."

That night the wife of King Suddhodana,

Maya the Queen, asleep beside her Lord,

Dreamed a strange dream;

dreamed that a star from heaven -

Splendid, six-rayed, in color rosy-pearl,

Whereof the token was an Elephant

Six-tusked and whiter than Vahuka's milk -

Shot through the void and, shining into her,

Entered her womb upon the right. Awaked,

Bliss beyond mortal mother's filled her breast,

And over half the earth a lovely light

Forewent the morn. The strong hills shook; the waves

Sank lulled; all flowers that blow by day came forth

As 'twere high noon; down to the farthest hells

Passed the Queen's joy, as when warm sunshine thrills

Wood-glooms to gold, and into all the deeps

A tender whisper pierced. "Oh ye," it said,

"The dead that are to live, the live who die,

Uprise, and hear, and hope!

Buddha is come!"

Whereat in Limbos numberless much peace

Spread, and the world's heart throbbed,

and a wind blew With unknown freshness over

lands and seas.

And when the morning dawned, and this was told,

The grey dream-readers said "The dream is good!

The Crab is in conjunction with the Sun

The Queen shall bear a boy, a holy child

Of wondrous wisdom, profiting all flesh,

Who shall deliver men from ignorance,

Or rule the world, if he will deign to rule."

In this wise was the holy Buddha born.

Sir Edwin Arnold 'The Light of Asia'