In Buddhist literature and art Queen Maya is portrayed as a beautiful fecund woman in the prime of life.

Her beauty sparkles like a nugget of pure gold.


She has perfumed curls like the large black bee.


Eyes like lotus petals, teeth like stars in the heavens.

— From the Lalitavistara Sūtra
Although sometimes shown in other scenes from her life, such as having a dream foretelling her pregnancy with Gautama Buddha or with her husband King Śuddhodana seeking prophecies about their son's life, shortly after his birth, she is most often depicted whilst giving birth to Gautama, an event that is generally accepted to have taken place in Lumbini in modern-day Terai.
Maya is usually shown giving birth standing under a tree and reaching overhead to hold on to a branch for support.
Buddhist scholar Miranda Shaw, states that Queen Maya's depiction in the nativity scene follows a pattern established in earlier Buddhist depictions of the tree spirits known as yaksini.
In Buddhist literature and art Queen Maya is portrayed as a beautiful fecund woman in the prime of life.
Her beauty sparkles like a nugget of pure gold. 

She has perfumed curls like the large black bee.

Eyes like lotus petals, teeth like stars in the heavens.
— From the Lalitavistara Sūtra
Although sometimes shown in other scenes from her life, such as having a dream foretelling her pregnancy with Gautama Buddha or with her husband King Śuddhodana seeking prophecies about their son's life, shortly after his birth, she is most often depicted whilst giving birth to Gautama, an event that is generally accepted to have taken place in Lumbini in modern-day Terai. Maya is usually shown giving birth standing under a tree and reaching overhead to hold on to a branch for support. Buddhist scholar Miranda Shaw, states that Queen Maya's depiction in the nativity scene follows a pattern established in earlier Buddhist depictions of the tree spirits known as yaksini.
Maya (mother of the Buddha)