History of Sambudhattva Jayanthi
S B Karalliyadda
Buddhism influenced ancient arts
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We are at the end of Kali-yuga in this Maha Badra Kalpa. Kaliyuga
consists of four lakhs and thirty two thousand years according to the
historian Bharatakula Pandiyar. In this yuga there were four
Buddhas-Kakusanda, Konagama, Kasyapa and Gautama the last. On this Vesak
poya day the Buddhists commemorate the two thousand six hundredth year
of the enlightenment of Gautama Buddha. In other words it was the day on
which the Buddha found the noble eight fold path that leads to the
cessation of all sufferings and attain Nirvana or Supreme bliss.
This day marks two thousand five hundred and fifty fifth Buddhist
eras according to the almanac of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. Buddhist eras
commence from the date Lord Buddha attained the supreme enlightenment.
Earlier in the year 1956 we celebrated the two thousand five
hundredth year as a state festival called Buddha Jayanthi. Prince
Siddhartha was born as son of King Suddhodana and Mahamaya in the
Lumbini Sal grove in Kapilawastu in the present Nepal on a Vesak Full
Moon day as today.
The Maha Sammatha Vansa to which he was born had 3345911 kings
enthroned up to Suddhodana. Hence Prince Siddhartha was heir apparent to
the kingdom. The astrologers predicted that he will be Chakaravarthi
king should be succeed to his fathers throne. King Suddhodana had made
every effort to make the prince's life happy and comfortable with all
worldly pleasures and comforts.
Three places were built to spend the spring, winter and hot seasons.
The ruins of these palaces could be seen even today by the pilgrims who
visit the area.
Buduguna Alankaraya mentions thus;
Hima gim wasath kal
Visumata sudusu suvisal
Thun pas sath mahal
A tun paha Kusehi weda manakal
The prince who had all the worldly pleasures had a harum of forty
thousand women according to this poem.
Sesu kulaganan hera
Raja kula upan mana hara
Surangana yuru pawara
Liyan hathalis dahas piriwara
Yasodara was the chief queen or Agra Mahesika among them.
Pili ruva men kasun
Gamanin hasun mathsun
Viyowagata sudasun
Yasodara nam kathak mehesun
Vidagama Maha Thera queries how can Siddhartha escape from these
women.
Surangana piri sirin
Babalana movun sirurin
Bendunavu pem basin
Kese galavee yadda sasarin
It is amidst these pleasures and comforts that Rahula was born. After
the last look at Rahula, Prince Siddhartha with his chauffer Channa got
onto Kanthaka the horse, cut his hair and crossed river Neranjana and
set his journey to find a way to end the sufferings of this mundane
world.
This journey ends with the findings of a path to end all sufferings
and attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana. This journey from the lay life
and renunciation is known by the Buddhists as Maha Abhiniskramana.
Siddhartha led a life of six years following various paths.
He learnt under other religious leaders, philosophers, thinkers and
rishis to achieve his ambitions. At this time there were various
religions, beliefs, observances, rituals of worships and vedas, etc. in
Maha Bharatha. Puranakasuba, Kakuda Kachayana, Ajitha Kesakambala,
Nigantanata-putra, Sanjayabellatti puthra, Makkali Gosala, Mahaweera and
Rishi Vyasa were some of them. The people were bent on sun god worship,
tree worship, performing various rites and rituals, torturing the body,
giving all sensual pleasures to the body, meditation, recital of veda
mantras, etc.
Even today we can see in Buddha gaya some of these followers stark
naked without even a thread in their body. Philosophers, thinkers,
scientists such as Galileo, Aristotle, Socratese preached or researched
to find ways and means to appease the mundane life. Prince Siddhartha in
six years of arduous struggle and hard life with his own vision and
realization found the way to end all worldly sufferings in the noble
eight fold path to attain Nirvana - the summum bonum of Buddhism.
This happened on a Vesak day like today and the Buddhists call it the
Supreme Enlightenment. Only a Buddha could find a way to end re-birth
and sufferings of all living beings. Siddhartha made this realization
and attained Buddhahood as Gautama in his thirty fifth year. Our
Buddhist era commerce from this day. Lord Buddha preached the Dhamma -
the four noble truths and the eight noble path to reach the state of
Nirvana and end of all cravings and desires.
For a further period of forty five years he preached the doctrine
roaming all over Maha Bharath and attained Nirvana in his eightieth
year. Buddhists describe this state as Mahaparinirvana. This incident
too occurred on a Vesak Full Moon day. Singapore commemorate this day as
the flower festival day. Butan commemorate this day as Sagadawa in their
language and Vaishak in Sanskrit. In Nepal it is celebrated as Lumbini
day while Bangladesh name the day as Buddha Poornima.
These three incidents in His life which occurred on the Vesak poya
day - Birth, Enlightenment and Demise is known as "Waishaka Poornima' in
the Buddha's land - India. Buddhism which spread in South Asian
countries later spread to the South East Asia, East Asia and finally to
countries all over the globe. Today Buddhism is a religion followed by
over one hundred and fifty millions all over the world. At the 54th
sessions of the United Nations organization consequent to a move by the
late Hon.
Lakshman Kadirgamar our Foreign Minister, Mr. De Seram of Sri Lanka
moved a resolution at the UN Session to declare Vesak Poya a global
holiday in all the UN offices located throughout the world and th
headquarters in New York which was accepted by the UNO.
The countries that supported the resolution are as follows.
Bangladesh, Butan, Cambodia, India, Chilie, Syprus, Grenada, Iceland,
Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Miyanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Pakistan,
Philippines, Portugal, Korea, Russia, Seychells, Slovakia, Spain,
Surinam, Ukraine. The delegations from Greece, Mauritius, Norway,
Lesotho, United States and Turkey too supported the resolution later. It
is now the duty and obligation of all leaders lay ad clergy to work
towards the dissemination of the message of Lord Buddha throughout the
globe to create a peaceful environment for human survival.
Birth of Buddha
It was a rarest occasion in the world and many miracles occurred on
this day as described below.
Sura asura bambu hema
Thutukota naran noherama
Dakva lova mahima
Ehima sanda thama upan dinayema
Mihipita sita thosin
Digatha naramba siyesin
Sakvithi raja vesin
Gosin sath piyawarak vesesin
Even on the day of Enlightenment such miracles have occurred
according to Buddhist history/literature.
Uragun setapu mugatin arane
Mediyan nidi genvooun derane
Sivalun kelimin siti ruk sevane
Savun pem keli kelavu ekane
Goluvan kee murasa gee lesata
Bihiran dena ath thala thalamata
Deya dun asadun, rasadun lesata
Pilunan dana rangakaravoo ruvata
Buduguna Alankaraya in the following melodies describe the rare
qualities of the Buddha.
Rahasath pav nokota
Kelasarayanuth duru kota
Nisi vooyen pudata
Araha yeyi nama kiyathi muniduta
Thun kalhima pevathi
Padaruth siyal lo ethi
Athambula se denagathi
Eiyin samma sam budunevethi
Vidda nena atada
Pasalos sarana gunayada
Athiyen emuni sanda
Pirunu vijja sarana nam lada
Yahapath kota ethei
Sundara thenata sepathai
Sonduru bas kiyathai
Kiyatha e muni sanduta sugathai
Thun lova thathu lesata
Dena guna nodath melovata
Desuyen niyama kota
Lokavidu yayi kiyatha muniduta
Sama gunayen nada
Sama vadi satheku hamada
Diyathehi neti sanda
Anuththara yayi kiyathi munida
Bamba sura yakun thada
Damanaya kara thaman lada
Seth dee munidu sanda
Purisa dam saarathi nam lada
Bava katarin etera
Lanuyen sathan hema vara
Thiloguru munivara
Veeya sattha namin puvathara
Beduyen daham kanda
Bajanaya kalen guna kanda
Baga dahamin sasanda
Bevin bagavath weeya munisanda
Buddhas body has thirty two unique features known as "Dethis Maha
Purisa lakshana".
Neka neka piyakaruwa
Thirasara gunen viduruwa
Lesin maha bambaruwa
Muduva iruduva sitee buduruva
De ath pita paa pita
de vurehi kandehi naharata
nopenena lesa usata
pirunu mas aththeya niriduta
Katiyehi patan kota
Kandata dakva sama kota
Ran palasak lesata
Pihiti mas eththeya muniduta
Pihiti dath denikata
Dethisak veya dana hata
Us miti nova ruvata
Pihiti dath sathaliseki muniduta
Nonethiva upan jana
Karavana mano ranjana
Muniduge niranjana
Asooveki angehi anu venjana
The Buddha who preached the impermanency of all living things breath
his last at the age of eighty on a Vesak full moon day as today. The
Buddhist call it the Maha Parinibbana.
His last advice was 'Vaya Dhamma Sankara - Appamadena sampadetha.'
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