On This Day - April 8-Birth of Buddha
6th or 5th century : The Buddha, founder of Buddhism, is believed to have been born in the 6th or 5th century BC in the kingdom of the Shakyas, on the borders of present-day Nepal and India. Also referred to as Gotama (Gautama), the Buddha was born to King Shuddhodana and Queen Maha Maya. His birth, depicted in artworks for centuries in many regions of Asia, is widely celebrated this day.
1973: Pablo Picasso, perhaps the most influential artist of the 20th century, died in Mougins, France.
1950: Jawaharlal Nehru of India concluded the Delhi Pact with Liaqat Ali Khan of Pakistan, providing for the safe passage of refugees displaced after the two countries severed relations in December 1949.
1859: German philosopher Edmund Husserl, founder of phenomenology, was born.
1838: The Great Western, the earliest regular transatlantic steamer, embarked on its maiden voyage from Bristol, England, to New York City. The ship was designed by British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. |
