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History of Sambudhattva Jayanthi



Buddhism influenced ancient arts

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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