Navam Poya - Features

Initial stages of Buddhist monastic order

Sachitra Mahendra

On a Navam Poya the Buddha preached a discourse now known as Ovada Patimokkha, which established the tradition of the Sangha coming together before the rules of Vinaya. This discourse which is referred to as the basis and the foundation of the Buddha's teachings was delivered on the first Navam full moon day after the enlightenment.

It is said to have created a very disciplined and orderly Sangha Samaja to preserve the doctrine. Ovada Patimokkha was the guiding principle in Sangha life covering the entire sphere of conduct and moral progress of them. Ovada Patimokkha means to give advice.

Bhikkhu Nanamoli recounts Sutta Vibhanga to illustrate this episode in ‘The Life of the Buddha’.

“…Lord, what was the reason why the holy life did not last long in the time of the Blessed Ones Vipassi, Sikhi and Vessabhu?”

“Those Blessed Ones were not forward in teaching the Dhamma to their disciples in detail, and they pronounced few Threads of Argument (Suttas), Songs, Expositions, Stanzas, Exclamations, Sayings, Birth Stories, Marvels, and Questions. No disciples’ training rule was made known. The Patimokkha, the Monastic Code, was not lad down. Just as, when various flowers are put on a table without being held together by threads, they easily get scattered, blown away and lost-why is that? Because they are not held together with threads – so too, when those Buddhas, those Blessed Ones, and the disciples enlightened by them personally, disappeared, then the disciples mot recently gone forth, various named, of various races and various clans, soon let the holy life lapse. Those Blessed Ones habitually read their disciples’ minds and advised them accordingly. Once in a certain awe-inspiring jungle thicket the Blessed One Vessabhu, accomplished and fully enlightened, read the minds of the Sangha of Bhikkhus a thousand strong, and this was how he advised and instructed them: ‘Think thus; do no think thus. Give attention thus; do not give attention thus. Abandon this; enter upon and abide in this.’ Then by following his instructions their hearts were freed from taints through not clinging. And that jungle thicket was one so awe inspiring that normally it would make a man’s hair stand on end if he were not free from lust. That was the reason why those Blessed Ones’ holy life did not last long.”

Then the venerable Sariputta rose from his seat, and arranging his robe on one shoulder, he raised his hands palms together towards the Blessed One and said: “This is the time, Blessed One, this is the time, Sublime One, for the Blessed One to make known the training rule, to lay down the Patimokkha, so that the holy life may last long.”

“Wait, Sariputta, wait! The Perfect One will know the time for that. The Master does not make known the disciples’ training rule or lay down the Patimokkha till certain taint-producing things manifest themselves here in the Sangha. But as soon As they do, then the Teacher will see to both of these, doing so for the purpose of warding off those taint-producing things. Some taint-producing things do not manifest themselves until the Sangha has become great by long establishment and grown large: it is then that they manifest themselves and then that the Teacher makes known the disciples’ training rule and lays down the Patimokkha for the purpose of warding off those taint-producing things. Some taint-producing things do not manifest themselves till the Sangha has become great by completeness … become great by excessive gain … become great b y learning … But as yet the Sangha is free from infection, free from dangers, it is stainless, pure and consists of heartwood. For of these five hundred Bhikkhus the most backward is a stream-enterer no more subject to perdition, certain of rightness, and destined to enlightenment.”

The occasion was this. The Blessed One was living at Savatthi in the palace of Migara’s Mother, the Eastern Park.

It was then the Uposatha day, and the Blessed One was sitting surrounded by the Sangha of Bhikkhus.

Well on into the night when the first watch was ended, the venerable Ananda rose from his seat, and arranging his robe on one shoulder, he raised his hands palms together towards the Blessed One and said: “Lord, it is now well on into the night and the first watch is ended. The Sangha of Bhikkhus has been sitting long. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to the Bhikkhus.”

When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.

A second time, well on into the night when the second watch was ended, the venerable Ananda rose from his seat, and arranging his robe on one shoulder, he raised his hands palms together towards the Blessed One and said: “Lord, it is now well on into the night and the second watch is ended. The Sangha of Bhikkhus has been sitting long. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to the Bhikkhus.”

A second time the Blessed One remained silent.

A third time, well on into the night when the third watch was ended with the red dawn coming up and joy on the face of the night, the venerable Ananda rose from his seat, and arranging his robe on one shoulder, he raised his hands palms together towards the Blessed One and said: “Lord, it is now well on into the night and the third watch is ended with the dawn coming up and joy on the face of the night. The Sangha of Bhikkhus has been sitting long. Let the Blessed one recite the Patimokkha to the bhikkhus.’

“The assembly is not pure, Ananda.”

Then the venerable Maha-Moggallana thought: “Who is the person referred to by the Blessed One in saying that?” He read with his mind the minds of the whole Sangha of Bhikkhus. He saw that person, unvirtuous, wicked, unclean, of suspect habits, secretive of his acts, no monk but claiming to be one, not leading the holy life but claiming to do so, rotten within, libidinous and full of corruption, sitting in the midst of the Sangha. He went up to him and said: “Get up, friend, you are seen by the Blessed One. For you there is no living in communion with the Sangha of Bhikkhus.”

When this was said, that person remained silent. When it was said to him a second and a third time, he remained silent. Then the Venerable Maha-Moggallana took him by the arm and put him outside the door, which he bolted. He went to the Blessed One and said: “Lord, I have ejected that person. The assembly is now pure. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to the Sangha of Bhikkhus.”

“It is wonderful, Moggallana, it is marvelous how that misguided man waited till he was taken by the arm.” Then the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, from now on I shall not participate in the Uposatha. I shall not recite the Patimokkha. From now on you yourselves will participate in the Uposatha and recite the Patimokkha.

It is impossible, it cannot happen, that a Perfect One should participate in the Uposatha and recite the Patimokkha in an unpurified assembly.

“Bhikkhus, there are eight wonderful and marvelous qualities of the great ocean that the asura demons delight in whenever they see them. So too there are eight wonderful and marvelous qualities of this Dhamma and Discipline that Bhikkhus delight in whenever they see them. What are the eight?”

Just as the great ocean gradually slopes and inclines and shelves without any sudden drop, so too in this Dhamma and Discipline there is gradual training and work and practice without any sudden penetration of final knowledge. Again, just as the great ocean is stable and keeps within the limits of its ebb and flow without exceeding them, so too my disciples transgress no training rules made known by me. Again , just as the great ocean will not tolerate a dead body, but, when there is a dead body in it, soon casts it ashore, throws it upon dry land, so too the Sangha does not tolerate a person who is unvirtuous, wicked, of suspect habits, secretive of his acts, no monk but claiming to be one, not leading the holy life but claiming to do so, rotten within, libidinous and full of corruption, but when it has met together it soon throws him out; and even though he may be sitting in the midst of the Sangha, he is yet far from the Sangha and the Sangha is far from him.

“Again, just as all the great rivers, the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhu and the Mahi, give up their former names and identities when they reach the great ocean, and they come to be reckoned one with the great ocean itself, so too there are these four castes – the warrior-noble khattiyas, the brahmin priests, the burgess vessas and plebeian suddas-and when they have gone forth from the house life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline declared by the Perfect One, they give up their former name and clan and come to be reckoned one with the Bhikkhus who are sons of the Sakyans.

Again, just as the great rivers in the world flow into the great ocean, and the rains from the sky fall into it, yet for all that the great ocean is never described as not full or full, so too, though many Bhikkhus attain final Nibbana by the Nibbana element without result of past clinging left, yet for all that the Nibbana element is never described as not full or full.

Again, just as the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, so too, this Dhamma and Discipline has one taste, the taste of liberation.

Again, just as the great ocean holds many and various treasures-there are such treasures in it as pearls, crystals, beryls, shells, marbles, corals, silver, gold, rubies, opals-so too this Dhamma and Disicpline holds many and various treasures–there are such treasures in it as the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right endeavours, the four bases for success, the five spiritual faculties, the five powers, the seven enlightenment factors, and the Noble Eightfold Path.

Metta means goodwill

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Ajaan Fuang, my teacher, once discovered that a snake had moved into his room. Every time he entered the room, he saw it slip into a narrow space behind a storage cabinet. And even though he tried leaving the door to the room open during the daytime, the snake wasn't willing to leave. So for three days they lived together.

He was very careful not to startle the snake or make it feel threatened by his presence. But finally on the evening of the third day, as he was sitting in meditation, he addressed the snake quietly in his mind. He said, "Look, it's not that I don't like you. I don't have any bad feelings for you. But our minds work in different ways. It'd be very easy for there to be a misunderstanding between us. Now, there are lots of places out in the woods where you can live without the uneasiness of living with me." And as he sat there spreading thoughts of metta to the snake, the snake left.

When Ajaan Fuang first told me this story, it made me stop and reconsider my understanding of what metta is. Metta is a wish for happiness — true happiness — and the Buddha says to develop this wish for ourselves and everyone else: "With metta for the entire cosmos, cultivate a limitless heart." (Snp 1.8) But what's the emotional quality that goes along with that wish? Many people define it as "lovingkindness," implying a desire to be there for other people: to cherish them, to provide them with intimacy, nurture, and protection.

The idea of feeling love for everyone sounds very noble and emotionally satisfying. But when you really stop to think about all the beings in the cosmos, there are a lot of them who — like the snake — would react to your lovingkindness with suspicion and fear. Rather than wanting your love, they would rather be left alone. Others might try to take unfair advantage of your lovingkindness, reading it as a sign either of your weakness or of your endorsement of whatever they want to do.

In none of these cases would your lovingkindness lead to anyone's true happiness. You're left to wonder if the Buddha's instructions on universal metta are really realistic or wise.

But as I learned from Ajaan Fuang's encounter with the snake, metta is not necessarily an attitude of lovingkindness. It's more an attitude of goodwill — wishing the other person well, but realizing that true happiness is something that each of us ultimately will have to find for him or herself, and sometimes most easily when we go our separate ways.

This understanding of metta is borne out in the Pali Canon, first of all in the word itself. The Pali language has another word for love — pema — whereas metta is related to the word mitta, or friend. Universal metta is friendliness for all. The fact that this friendliness equates with goodwill is shown in the four passages in the Canon where the Buddha recommends phrases to hold in mind when developing thoughts of metta.

These phrases provide his clearest guide not only to the emotional quality that underlies metta, but also to the understanding of happiness that explains why it's wise and realistic to develop metta for all.

The first set of phrases comes in a passage where the Buddha recommends thoughts to counter ill will. These phrases are chanted daily in Theravada communities the world over:

May these beings — free from animosity, free from oppression, and free from trouble — look after themselves with ease.

— AN 10.176

To be continued

Happy wayfarer

Ven Professor Dhammavihari thera

The word wayfarer or magganuga is used in Buddhist texts to denote the disciple who is intent on treading the path to release from suffering as announced and indicated by the Master.

As the venerable Ananda puts it to the Brahmin Gopaka-Moggallana, in reply to a question about the relationship between the Master and his disciples, the Buddha is the propounder of the hitherto unknown way [ anakkhatassa maggassa akkhata ], the knower of the way [ magganna maggavida ] and the one who is skilled in the way [ maggakovido ]. The disciples thereafter [ paccha-samannagata ] tread the way [ magganuga ca pana etarahi savaka viharanti paccha samannagata ti. M.111.8 ].

Let us now talk about the life of the true Buddhist disciple who with a deep conviction accepts the teaching of the Buddha as the only way to release from dukkha or the sufferings of life. We are thus immediately brought face to face with the two concepts of dukkha and nirodha in Buddhism, nirodha being the total cessation or the ceasing to be of the unsatisfactory continuation of the process of living which is called bhava.

It is this cessation and none other that we refer to as nibbana [ bhava-nirodho nibbanan . S. II. 117]. By whatever other name one calls it, the net result in nibbana is this and no other. This is also the final goal of our religious striving, our endeavour to achieve concentration of mind and beyond it perfect development of wisdom.

The message of Buddhism primarily focuses attention on this predicament [or the unpleasant situation] in which man finds himself. At this stage, it is good for us to be immediately reminded of the vocabulary which the Bodhisattva himself uses as he reflects on this problem: Kicchan vata ' yam loko apanno jayati ca jayati ca mayati ca cavati ca uppajjati ca. [ S.I1.104 ]. His observation is that ' the world indeed is plunged in a very distressing situation.'

It is distressing because of the concomitants of life such as the painful changes in the process of growth and maturity called jara which also brings in its wake vyadhi or disease, terminating in death or marana. It is the reality of these which invariably led many among the mortals to speculate on the absence of these failings like decay, disease and death, in their unpleasantly manifest gross form, in the life in the heavenly worlds. [In the heavenly worlds known to the Buddhists, none of those failings of decay, disease and death are grossly manifest.] It is for this same reason that in more recent times, well-motivated men were driven to look for their solution in such remedial measures like organ transplant. It is an adventure as thoroughly visualised as the plan to grow vegetables on the moon to meet world shortages on this planet.

This, we know, was announced in the western world, in a credibly serious mood, in the sixties and seventies of this century. But this is not to see the problem in its totality.

In the Buddhist texts we are reliably informed that this plight of man stretches infinitely through time and space. But we note with regret the hyper-intellectual slant today to view the human problem as presented in Buddhism to be a matter of one life time, contained within a single frame of birth to death.

It is here that our saddha or reliance [ or trusting in, of course, in the Buddha and his teaching ] comes in, for without it we would reject both concepts of dukkha and nirodha which are the basics [ numbers one and three ] of the four noble truths [ i.e. cattari ariya-saccani ] which deliver to the world the message of Buddhism.

To be continued

Appointing two chief disciples

Premasara Epasinghe

It was on a Navam Full Moon Poya Day that the Buddha appointed his two main disciples: Sariputta and Moggallana.

It was on this day, the first congregation of Bhikkhus (Dhamma Sangayanawa) took place at Rajagaha, India, three months after the demise of the Buddha.

The third of the Three Jewels of Buddhism is the Buddha, the Teaching and the community. Sometimes, the community of Bhikkhus of mendicant Bhikkhus, can be considered as the oldest monastic order in the world.

The act of admission in the order is called renouncing the world. The Buddhist monks are the torch-bearers of religion. After the First Buddhist congregation, strict vinaya rules (code of discipline) was laid down to Bhikkhus. The two key appointments in the Buddhist order during the time of Buddha was the appointment of the two chief disciples - Sariputta and Moggallana as “Dharmaseadipathi” and “Dharmapurohita” respectively. The appointments were made on Duruthu Pura Pasalosvaka Poya Day.

During Gautama Buddha's period, these two close friends namely Upatissa (Sariputta) and Kolitha (Moggallana) of Magadha, went to see a grand sports festival known as “Giraggasamjja”.

There were more than hundred thousand to witness this sports festival. After the event, the entire stadium was empty.

These two were in deep thought. They realized, after 100 years, none of the participants of the sports festival officials or the spectators will not be there in the world.

They realized the nature of impermanence and that life is a mirage. They decided to go in search of Deathlessness. Both of them went in search of Emancipation. They became the followers of a reputed ascetic, Sanjaya Bellattiputta. After sometime, they left and became followers of Buddha.

Sariputta was one of the ten major disciples of the Blessed One. He was born in a village, north of Rajagaha in Magadha in India. He was the major disciple, foremost in wisdom among Buddha’s Arahats. The other Aggrasravaka, chief disciple was Moggallana. Arahat Moggallana paid the penalty in this birth itself for a vicious act he performed in one of his previous birth.

Even as an Arahant, Moggallana suffered a hostile death. This gives a very strong message to us. Never take a life of another human.

Everyone in the world should follow the Noble Five precepts – (1) abstain from killing, (2) taking things not given, (3) from sexual misconduct, (4) false speech, (5) abstain from taking anything that causes intoxication or headlessness.

During the time of Buddha, there was a hue and cry relating to these two Sariputta and Moggallana as the chief disciples appointments. Some monks were not satisfied with the appointment of Sariputra and Moggallana as the two Aggrasavakas, were not senior monks.

Through the Buddha’s Divine Eye, he saw this. To clear the doubts of the monks, Gautama Buddha explained to the monks, seniority was not the only criterion or qualification.

That had been taken into consideration, in the appointment of the two chief disciples - Sariputta and Moggallana.

The Buddha related a story woven round Sariputta and Moggallana. During the time of Anomadassi Buddha, Sariputta was born as Saradha and Moggallana as Siriwardane. Both, Sariputta and Moggallana, during Anomadassi Buddha's time, as Saradha and Siriwardene, performed many meritorious deeds.

The Buddha Anomadassi's chief disciples, were Nisaga and Anoma. Saradha and Siriwardane “wished to be the chief disciples - Aggrasavakas for the future Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, like the two disciples of Nisanga an Anoma.

To achieve this ambition, two of them in their Samsaric Journey performed many meritorious deeds.

According to the Buddhist literature, Dharmasenadhipati Sariputta’s mother, Saree, was not a follower or devotee of the blessed one. Son Sariputta convinced his beloved mother, and she became a devotee of Buddha. She achieved the state of Stream Enterer (Srotapanna). After fulfilling the achievement Arahant Sariputta passed away.

Moggallana died before the Buddha. There were two stories woven about his death. One of the stories states that, he was killed by a gang of robbers. The other story was that Moggallana was killed by a hostile Brahmin, while on an alms round in Rajagaha. It proves that even as an Arahant, he had to pay the penalty for a previous grevious act of sin. Therefore, every individual should refrain from taking a life of another.

First Buddhist congregation

After the demise of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, there was dissension among the order of monks. To clean up the Sasanaye, the first Buddhist congregation was held on Navam Purapasalosvaka Poya Day.

This assembly was chaired by Ven Mahakassapa thera, senior most monk and was assisted by Ananda Thera, Buddha’s attendant and “Dharmabandagarika” who attained Arahatship on the verge of the congregation.

Ovada Patimoksha

Buddhism is a Democratic Religion and Philosophy. It is a “Thinking Religion”.

Buddha believed in discipline. He insisted the Bhikkhu and Bhikkuni order to maintain the highest level of discipline and live a Righteous life. The Buddhist literature records that there were incidences of indiscipline among the Buddhist monks even during the time of Buddha.

To arrest this situation Buddha introduced a set of disciplinary codes known as “Ovada Patmoksha”. This took place on a Navam Poya Day.

Announcement of the Buddha’s Passing Away

After the demise of the chief disciples Sariputra and Moggallana, the Buddha left Rajagaha in India and proceeded to a village Chapala.

The blessed one was accompanied by his attendant – Dharmabandagarika Ven Ananda Thera. It was on a Navam Poya Day. Buddha announced that he will pass away in three months time at that he will never be born again.

After the demise of Buddha, there was a dissension in the Buddhist order, when a disgruntled Bhikku initiated a revolt among the monks stating that after the passing away of Buddha they were free. To clean up the Sasana, under the chairmanship of Mahakassapa, the first Buddhist council of Sanghayanawa was held on Navam Poya Day.

Cultural pageant

One of the most glamorous pageants will be held on Navam Poya Day in Colombo, is the Hunupitiya Gangarama temple, perahera. This historic temple annual hold this magnificent perahera – procession annually on Navam Poya Day.

The dynamic, pious, monk popularly known as “Podi Hamuduruwo” Ven Galaboda Gannissa Nayaka Thera has made all arrangements to this year’s Navam Maha Perahera.

A letter from Mara

Mara folds his arms behind his head and sighs, composing the next letter in his mind. The secretary, sensing a break in the work slides off his lap and goes over to the window, the cordless mouse in her hand.

“Gee Mara, you'd sure think that First Army would be enough.” Flicking the mouse she spies on all the gods and goddesses. She settles for a while on a scene of beautiful beings cavorting in a lotus pool as swans drift about, little barrels of intoxicating divine nectar about their delicate necks. Sometimes when a devata reaches for a draught the birds dart away playfully amid general splashing and hilarity. “You sure know how to throw a party!”

Mara narrows his dark eyes. “Thank you my sweet. But even the mighty First needs some backup.” He watches with a smile as she grows weary of the heavenly skinny dippers and begins flicking through the realms, faster and faster...

And then Mara writes…

To my second army, the host of boredom, I extend greetings and congratulations.

Your role is to act in coordination with my first host; you are, as it were, the artillery softening up the enemy’s defenses for an infantry assault by sensory desire. We must keep beings in a state of dissatisfaction with the present reality.

To be bored is primarily a state of aversion; the current input of the senses is not providing the desired kick of pleasure so the being is irritated with what he calls the dullness of his environment. He becomes” bored” and seeks to remedy the situation with new and exciting stimuli, which my first host is eager to provide. He becomes lost in sensuality and once again we have him where we want him; creating the basis of fresh becoming.

What a scam! We keep them craving always something exciting, something new. As a result they keep running on in the Great Sansara like one of their wretched pet hamsters in an exercise wheel. If they ever catch on and realize how long they’ve been at it and how there really is nothing new or fresh to be experienced...

Of course we cannot let that happen. The trick is to keep them from paying attention to the present moment. Once they are fully present, here-and-now, then they cannot be bored. Lately we've managed to foster a social climate that positively discourages calmness and clarity. Their whole modern culture is fast and frenzied.

Fashions in everything from music to clothing change rapidly and they are all eager to keep up with it. The mass of moderns prefers excitement to subtlety. The last half-century or so has seen many advances in our efforts to fracture the human attention span.

Television was a great help but I think the single greatest advance in the triumph of boredom was the invention of the remote control. There are now many millions whose attention span is so pathetic that they cannot sit through a half-hour long story line; they cannot even be diverted that long by a single train of enticing images. Let alone sit quietly by themselves!

We’ve succeeded so well in this department that being bored is considered one of the great evils of life. This of course never arose when they required all their physical energy just to survive. But now we have a generation of enervated dilettantes who cannot bear their own company (although one can scarcely blame them for that...)

People create virtual hell realms of boredom for themselves. You can see them everywhere in the great modern cities -- riding the subways, waiting in lines, sitting in offices.

The dull lethargic look on their faces, the glassy stare in their eyes betoken a mind that would rather be somewhere, anywhere else. Pathetic creatures! If they only realized that the only place they can ever be is here-and-now!

Boredom is based on what our Great Adversary called vibhava tanha, the craving for non-being in the vernacular. They find their current state of existence unbearable, chiefly because of their own mental state, and they wish to blot it out. In the purest form this leads to suicide and a consequent lower rebirth. In a milder form it leads to the petty annihilations of drink, drugs, sleep or mindless entertainment.

As long as we keep them trapped into these two strategies of sensuality and lethargy they will remain in our power. Should they stray close to the true escape, which of course lies in the Middle, then we must redouble our efforts. Whisper in their ears. Don’t let them be still. Tell them again and again the good old lies; “ This is really boring. Get out and enjoy life!”

Arrow River