Vesak dawns on May 27:

See Buddha through His Dhamma

By Samangie WETTAMUNY

Man is supreme, according to Buddhism. He is his own master. “One is one’s own refuge. Otherwise who else could be the refuge?” asked the Buddha. He was neither a god nor an incarnation of God. More than 2550 years ago he showed the world that a human being has within himself the potential of becoming a Buddha if he genuinely works for it.

Every year Buddhists around the world await the arrival of Vesak Full Moon day to celebrate the Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana of this extraordinary Human Being. It is a day of great sanctity devoted to religious observances and charity and its main intention is to focus on the importance of bestowing kindness on all living beings.

Buddha’s message was meant to promote happiness and well-being of mankind. Since Buddhism is based on great compassion (Maha Karuna) and great wisdom (Maha Pragna ), people who practise his teachings properly, can make their present and next lives happy. Buddha was the embodiment of all the virtues that he preached. No contradiction was exhibited between what He said and what he did.

He always advised people not to become followers of his doctrine without verifying or testing it in the light of reason. Never moved by anything, He was well-disciplined and had self-confidence and extreme compassion (Maithree) which made it possible for him to control hardcore criminals such as Angulimala and beasts like Nalagiri.

Birth

The Buddhist literature elaborately describes the birth of Prince Siddartha which took place in Lumbini Sal grove about 2610 years ago on a Vesak Full Moon day. Amidst the thunderous ovation of millions of people and gods, the new born prince walked seven steps to the North and uttered thus; “Aggo Hamasmi Lokassa, Jetto Hamasmi Lokassa, Setto Hamasmi Lokassa, Ayamanthi Majathi Naththi Dhani Punabbavo” (I am the greatest of all, I am the most senior of all, This is my last birth.) On the same Vesak day the ascetic Asitha, an advisor to King Suddhodana who was well known for his supernormal vision, came to see the prince.

The king who held Asitha in high esteem carried the baby up to him in order to make the baby pay him the due respect. But to the utter amazement of everyone present, the baby’s legs turned and rested on the matted hair of the ascetic.

The ascetic who foresaw that the prince would definitely attain Buddhahood, soon got up and worshipped him. Amazed and thrilled at the sight, the King Suddhodana too followed his advisor thus marking his first worship on a Vesak Full Moon day.

The prince was named as “Siddartha” as the hermits knew for sure that this birth would bring immense relief to the entire mankind (In Sanskrit books the name is given as ‘Sarvasidda’.)

Early life

The prince spent an extremely luxurious life surrounded by his peers like Prince Nanda and Kaludai and aides to look into his needs. As he reached the proper age, Sarvamiththa was invited to the palace to give him the education.

The king took every possible measure to stop the young prince coming across any incident that would disrupt his mental stability. Three palaces were constructed for three seasons - summer, winter and rainy season.

At the age of 16 he entered into matrimony with Princess Yasodara (also known as Badra Kanchana), the daughter of King Suppabuddha. But no one could prevent him from seeing the stark realities of life.

During his journeys outside the palace, one day the young prince came across an old man later a sick man, a dead body and an ascetic on four different days. The prince was deeply moved by the first three sights, but the sight of the ascetic gave him immense relief. Determined to find the way out of suffering, the young prince decided to leave the palace at the age of twenty nine. Once his favourite charioteer Channa saddled on the horse Kanthaka, the prince renounced the palace life bidding a silent farewell to his sleeping wife, and his son who was born on the same day. He crossed the River Anoma and became an ascetic commencing his extremely difficult mission- the quest for truth.

Having followed the teaching patterns of many teachers of the day such as Alara Kalama and Uddaka Rama Putta, and also the methods practised by the ascetics like Kondangna, Vappa, Baddiya, Assaji and Mahanama Siddartha Gauthama understood that he had been groping in the dark. He finally realised that practising extreme austerity or engaging in extreme comforts would not let him find out what the truth is. So he switched over to the Middle path. He too would have certainly died, had he not realized the futility of self mortification.

Enlightenment

As He was meditating under the banyan tree the following morning (Vesak Full Moon Poya day), a rich land lady called Sujatha offered him a bowl of milk rice. Having had a bath on the bank of the river Neranjana, the Bodisatta consumed the milk rice after making 49 pellets. As He finished his meal He let the golden bowl float on the river making a solemn wish.

“If I were to become a Buddha today, let the bowl go upstream.” As he wished it did go upstream a considerable distance! Thus on the Vesak Full Moon day, the Bodisatta spent the day at the Sal grove nearby. In the evening as he headed his way towards the Bo tree in Gaya (which is known as Buddha Gaya today) a grass cutter named Swasthika gave him eight handfuls of grass. After laying the grass under the tree, the Bodisatta had sat down under the tree facing East. He was determined not to leave the place until he discovered the truth. “Never will I get up from the place till I attain the supreme enlightenment.”

The Maras had tried to disturb the Bodisatta’s concentration, conjuring up many fearful apparitions. (It is also believed that Devaputhra Mara symbolises the remaining desires in the mind of the Bodisatta that were struggling to come to the fore despite his attempt to silence them.) As he was deeply engaged in meditation, his mind ‘burst the bubble of the Universe and he could realise the true nature of everything.’

Difficult endeavour

In the early part of the morning he achieved “Pubbe Niwasanussathi Gnana” (The reminiscence of past births.) Next as he could gain “Dibba Chakkurabhi Gnana” (“The perception of the disappearing and reappearing of beings”), he perceived beings disappearing from one state of existence and reappearing in another. Towards the dawn the Bodisattva could achieve “Asawakkaya Gnana”. His effort was a success as he could understand the truth He so fervently sought - the Four Noble Truths.

The Bodisattva could attain the Supreme Enlightenment conquering all the desires and defilements on a Vesak Full Moon day. That is why the Buddha is normally referred to as the greatest of all the conquerors. As the Buddha has said ‘even though a man conquers ten thousand men in battle, he who conquers but himself is the greatest of conquerors.”

After spending seven weeks, paying his gratitude to the Bo tree in Gaya that sheltered him, on the invitation of Sahampathi Brahma the Buddha headed his way towards Isipathana in Benares to preach the Dhamma to the five ascetics.

He preached to them Pattichcha Samuppada - the essentials of his teachings. (Four Noble Truths - Suffering, causes for suffering, the way out of suffering, cessation of suffering).

His sublime mission which thus started continued for 45 years till His demise.

He walked on the dusty paths of India preaching Dhamma to millions of people, so that they could be ennobled from suffering. In fact, his journeys were of two types, namely, Thuritha Charikha and Athuritha charika.

Parinirvana

After rendering a great service and leaving a noble doctrine and a set of disciples, the Buddha’s Parinibbana took place in the Sal grove of Mallas at Kusinara at the age of eighty, about 2552 years ago again on a Vesak Full Moon day. Even a few minutes before His Parinibbana he displayed extreme benevolence and was ready to dispel the doubts of those who sought clarification.

As mentioned in the Maha Parinibbana Sutta, when a hermit called, Subadda, (his last disciple) approached him to criticise other teachers (Shat Sastruwaru), the Buddha explained to him that what is more important is to listen to the Dhamma. The Buddha’s advice benefited him.

Channa, the charioteer who was with Prince Siddartha on the day of his Great Renunciation, could not attain even one stage of the path to Nibbana (Marga Pala).

Though he entered the Order, he tried to stay aloof from the others out of sheer arrogance.The Buddha who knew that his life would be wasted if he did not shed his arrogance, told Ananda thera to impose “Brahma Danda” on Channa after his demise.

As a result Channa could enter the first stage of the path to Nibbana “Handadani Bikkawe amanthayami, Vaya dhamma sankara, appamadena sammadetha.” (I address you, all components are subject to decay, engage in meritorious deeds.)

These are the last words of the Thathagatha. Significant among other incidents that took place on Vesak Poya day are the Buddha preaching Dhamma to King Suddhodana, the Buddha’s third visit to Sri Lanka-to Kelaniya, and the coronation of King Devanampiyatissa. It was also on a Vesak day that King Dutugemunu commenced constructing Ruwanweli Seya. It was in the month of Vesak that Prince Rahula and Prince Nanda had entered the Order.

As Buddhist literature reveals, hermit Sumedha had obtained perfect confirmation about future Buddhahood from Deepankara Buddha on a Vesak Poya day.