Māgha Pūjā day is likely familiar to Buddhists as the day when 1,250 Arahants met together without prior arrangement to pay homage to the Buddha. At that time, He was residing at the Bamboo Grove Monastery (Veḷuvana Vihāra) in the city of Rājagaha, which King Bimbisāra had offered. Therefore, this day is considered the only grand assembly of Arahant monks, or the Saṅgha Day and one of the most sacred days in Theravāda Buddhism.
 
On this significant day, the Buddha gave a discourse called the Ovādapātimokkha, or Liberation Exhortation. This discourse presents 13 fundamental principles concisely and briefly, summarizing the entire essence of the doctrine and practice of monastic life for those who have renounced the world.
 
Once every half-month, the monks gather together to recite and listen to this sutta to review and support each other on the path of Dhamma practice and maintain unity in the Sangha.
 
I’d like to take this opportunity to provide an excerpt that the Buddha later repeated when answering Ananda at Jetavana, as recorded in the Dhammapada. The passage can be seen as a guideline for Dhamma practice and also a way-of-life principle everyone should follow.
 
Not to do any evil,
to cultivate good,
to purify one’s mind,
that is the teaching of the Buddhas.
(Dhammapada, Verse 183 translated by Acharya Buddharakkhita)
 
Early in the foggy morning, the Sangha recited the protection suttas and offered blessings for the ongoing construction of Wat Thai Chetavan temple. Following this, we went for alms round at the temple, accepting offerings from lay devotees. As is tradition, on the full moon day, lay devotees come together to make offerings and cultivate their practice. Today was the Uposatha Day, lay devotees from Huyền Không Sơn Thượng Temple and other temples in Vietnam, as well as those from Hương Đạo Temple in Texas and various states in the United States, offered food to the monks.
 
After lunch, the Sangha walked to Jetavana monastery, one of the famous monasteries during the Buddha’s time, mentioned throughout the scriptures. The history of the monastery is associated with a well-known legend about an enthusiastic merchant named Anāthapiṇḍika.
 
The story goes that when the wealthy merchant was looking for land to build a monastery, he came across a garden with flat land and lush trees. Upon inquiring about the owner of this garden, he learned that it belonged to Crown Prince Jeta. However, Prince Jeta did not want to sell the garden. He told the merchant that if he brought enough gold to cover the entire garden, the prince would sell it. Thinking that the challenge would make Anāthapiṇḍika, the merchant, give up his plan, the prince did not expect him to cover the garden with gold at the prince’s request and obtain the garden. That made the prince extremely surprised, and it was also the enthusiasm of the merchant that brought the prince to the Buddha.
 
The monastery now comprises a rather large garden with numerous trees. In addition to the remnants of the old brick floors on the garden grounds, most of the area is planted with carefully trimmed grass. According to archaeological findings, the brick foundation serves as the location of the Buddha’s residence, the meditation hall, and the Sangha’s residence. At the monastery’s entrance, there is a Bodhi tree believed to have been planted by Venerable Ananda. This story of Venerable Ananda planting the Bodhi tree is recorded in the Pujavaliya, an ancient text from Sri Lanka.
 
According to this document, although the Buddha lived in the monastery for an extended period, he only stayed during the three-month rain retreat each year. For the remainder of the year, he traveled to preach in various locations. The Buddha’s disciples in Savatthi wished for Him to stay permanently in the city, but this was impossible. Therefore, they requested that He leave something for them to remember Him by during His absence. In response, the Buddha permitted Venerable Ananda to plant a Bodhi tree, a branch layered from the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya where He attained enlightenment, for the disciples to admire when the Blessed One was away.
 
The foot-traveling Sangha held up a long yellow ribbon and circumambulated the Perfumed Chamber (Gandhakuṭi) of the Buddha’s residence three times, then walked towards the Great Bodhi Tree. After circumambulating the Bodhi Tree three times and placing the ribbon on it, we paid our respects to the Tree. We gathered under another Bodhi tree on the grounds of the monastery to recite the Paṭimokkha, the Disciplinary Rules for monks, on the full moon day (Māgha Pūjā). The ceremony also commemorates the virtue of the Buddha, who left behind a precious and wonderful treasure of Dhamma that we all have inherited today. Therefore, being able to recite the Paṭimokkha on the full moon day of the Māgha month in this sacred place was very meaningful and unique to me!
 
The sound of suttas resounding low at times and high at others under the clear blue sky gave me a feeling of peace. Surrounded by green trees which provided shade to the crowds who clasped their hands to pay respects to the Buddha, some groups chose a suitable place to recite the suttas and make offerings to the Buddha, while others enjoyed the sight of the Perfumed Chamber of Buddha’s residence or simply looked at the Bodhi Tree. Everything was so tranquil and peaceful!
 
 

#chuahuongdao #chuahuongdaotemple #sbsstupas
#buddha #buddhism #Dhutanga #dhammajourney
 
Source: Dhammacetiya