Dhamma Talks - Magha Month :: Buddhapadipa Thai Temple

Written by Dhammacaro on 02/18/2008

Magha month is one of the important months in the Buddhist calendar. Since the Buddha became enlightened on the full moon day of the Visakha month or May, he had reflected on the Dhamma which he had understood and thought that it was very hard for human beings to follow or understand. So at first, he had no intention to speak about his realization, which he felt would be too profound and difficult for most people to understand, but then after some time, he compared people with four types of lotus flowers; when the first lotus comes out from the water and gets the sunshine then it blooms easily, this is like people of genius who can easily understand what they learn, the second lotus is in the water, it needs some time to grow out from the water and get the sunshine and then blooms later, this is like the people who can understand what they learn after some explanations. The third lotus is just coming out from the mud, it needs times to grow out from the water and get the sunshine then it blooms later, this is like the people who can understand what they learn after striving again and again. The fourth lotus is in the mud, it does not have the ability to grow out from the water so it is just the food of tortoises and fish, this is like the people who can not understand what they learn even though they try very hard.

Then he decided to share the wisdom which he had gained and he first thought of his two teachers, Udraka and Arada Kalama, but it turned out that they had both already passed away and so he sought the five ascetics who had left him. Then he travelled to the Deer Park in Benares where the five ascetics were staying. When they saw him approaching the Deer Park they decided to ignore him, since he had broken the ascetic vows he had made with them before. ‘I have become enlightened’, said the Buddha, and they found something so radiant about his presence that they rose, prepared a seat, bathed his feet and listened as he turned the wheel of the dhamma, the teachings, for the first time. That was on the full moon of the Asalha month,

The five ascetics who listened to the Buddha's first discourse in the Deer Park had a deep faith in the Buddha and requested ordination as his disciples and thus they became the nucleus of a sangha, a community of men who followed the way the Buddha had described in his Fourth Noble Truths, and Noble Eightfold Path. These bhikkhus, or monks, lived a simple life, owning only an alms-bowl, a robe, a needle and thread, a water strainer, and a razor, since they shaved their heads as a sign of renunciation. They travelled around northeastern India, practising meditation, alone or in small groups, walking for their meals in the morning.

The Buddha's teaching, however, was not only for the monastic community. The Buddha had instructed them to bring it to all: "Go ye, O bhikkhus, for the gain of the many, the welfare of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the gain, for the welfare of gods and men." He and his disciples travelled to many places and taught people who wanted to understand his teachings or the Buddhist way of life. For the next forty-five years the Buddha walked through the villages and towns of India, speaking in the vernacular, using common figures of speech that everyone could understand. He taught a villager to practice mindfulness while drawing water from a well, and when a distraught mother asked him to heal the dead child she carried in her arms, he did not perform a miracle, but instead instructed her to bring him a mustard seed from a house where no one had ever died. She returned from her search without the seed, but with the knowledge that death is universal.

On the full moon of the Magha month or February, nine months after his enlightenment, the Buddha was staying at the bamboo grove temple, known as the Veruvana, in Rajaha city in Magadha. On that day, the full-moon day of the third lunar month, a total of 1,250 fully enlightened disciples of the Buddha, 1000 of whom were in the party of Uruvela Kassapa, Natee Kassapa and Gaya Kassapa, and 250 in the party of Sariputta and Mogallana, spontaneously assembled from various places at the Bamboo Grove Monastery (Veruvana) to pay their respects to their Teacher, the Buddha. The Buddha himself took this special opportunity to proclaim the principal of his teachings and how to propagate his teachings to the world in the same way. The Buddha gave the monks an important discourse, the Ovadapatimokha, which is regarded as the core teaching of Buddhism and the first enunciation of the essence of Buddhism. It summarizes the Buddha’s teachings into three main principles, namely:

(1) not to do any evil; (sabbapapassa akaranam)
(2) to do good; and (kusalassupasampada)
(3) to purify the mind. (sacittapariyodapanam)

These three principles are fundamental to the Buddha-dhamma (Buddhist Doctrine).

This is the detail of the discourse that the Buddha preached on that day which consists of three Gathas as following:

The first Gatha, is composed of the following:

1. The practice of enduring patience is of the greatest importance.

2. Nibbana, as proclaimed by the Buddha, is the realm of true happiness. In Nibbana there is no physical pain, no emotional suffering, no birth, no death, no aging; only pure happiness. Nibbana is the ultimate level of joy. To enter Nibbana one must purify his or her mind through deep and profound meditation. One must eliminate all defilement in his or her mind, for example, one must leave behind all thoughts of greed (avarice), hatred, delusion, arrogance, murder, and lust for the flesh. After all defilements have been eliminated and the mind becomes pure, one can then enter Nibbana, and gain true happiness. The ideal of obtaining Nibbana should be the goal of all Buddhists.

3. A monk must never cause suffering or trouble to others. Another term often used is, Samana, a person whose mind is so peaceful and calm, he never creates problems or causes suffering to others.

The second Gatha, the three fundamental principles of Buddhist doctrine are:

1. Never to do evil.
2. Always to do good.
3. To purify the mind through meditation on a regular basis.

The third Gatha, the method of propagation is composed of the following:

1. Never to insult others.
2. Never to harm anybody or anything.
3. To always observe strict self-discipline in living; such as always eating in moderation, dressing appropriately to protect the physical body from extreme weather.
4. To always be diligent about observing and practicing the monk’s rules.
5. To always have a place of tranquility in your mind to support meditation.
6. To always be diligent in the practice of meditation.

This meeting is considered to be one of the most significant events in Buddhist history. This was a special assembly which took place at the Bamboo Grove monastery (Veruvana) and contained four unique and extraordinary features, namely:

This day is regarded as the first official exposition of Buddhism. It is also regarded that it was the time that the Buddha settled his teachings in the world. When the day comes, Buddhists or non Buddhists gather and commemorate the importance of the day and Dhamma that the Buddha preached on that day. They learn them and apply them in their life.

In Thailand, from the time of King Rama IV of Thailand, up until this day, on the day of Maghapuja, the King has performed the royal ceremony. In the morning, 30 monks are invited to have breakfast in the Royal palace, Wat Phrasrirattanasasataram, in the evening, the king will light the candles and the incense, and the head monk will give the five precepts and perform chanting, Ovadapatimokha and sutta. Once this has been done, the King will then light a total of 1,250 candles, representing the total number of Arahants who had, in history, attended the assembly around the main temple and performed the circumambulation.

It must be noted that Maghapuja day is also known as the Sangha Day because of the big Sangha assembly that took place. Such exposition of Dhamma was done as a way of leading the monks to follow and also pass on such teachings to future monks and lay people alike, for generations to come.

Maghapuja Day is important in yet another respect. It is said that in the last year of the Buddha's life, just three months before his passing away, he had made a prophecy about the day he would pass away, or parinibbana, and had made such an announcement to his disciples. This speech is known as the "Rejection of Life to the Aggregates," and it also took place on the full moon of the third lunar month, or Magha. To Buddhists, the timing of the speech raises the sacredness of Maghapuja day to a much higher level.

In modern day Maghapuja Day worshiping activities consist of faithful Buddhists flocking to the temple in the morning, to observe the five precepts, to listen to a sermon, serve food for the monks, meditate or take part in other forms of meritorious activities. They also perform circumambulation, by walking around the main temple or a Buddha image three times, as a gesture of faith and respect for the Holy Triple Gem.

To sum up, the teaching of the Blessed one on this day is never, do any evil (morality), always do or cultivate good (concentration) and purify the mind (wisdom) through the regular practice of meditation. This is the core teaching of the Buddhas.

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