Significance of Il Poya

Commemorates many important events in Buddha's life :

By Ananda KANNANGARA

The Vassana period is over. Bhikkhus who were confined to their temples during the rainy period will begin their usual journey, begging for alms again. This period marks the beginning of the Il Full Moon Poya .

Maithree Bodhisatva

The Il Full Moon Poya is very important in the Buddhist calendar. A number of significant events in connection with the Buddha's life occurred on this Poya day.

It was on Il Full Moon Poya Day that the Sakyamuni Gautama Buddha sat under the Bo tree and delivered His first sermon – the Dhamma Chakka Pawaththana Sutta. Sixty Arahaths, the five Ascetics - Kondangna, Vappa, Baddiya, Assaji and Mahanama- and Yasa and his 54 friends were there to listen to the sermon.

The Dhamma sermon contained the essentials of the Buddha's teachings- the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Buddha addressed the 60 Arahaths thus – Charatha Bhikkawe Charikang. Bahujana Hithaya, Bahujana Sukaya, Lokanukampaya Aththaya, Hithaya Sukhaya Devamanussanang”.

After addressing the Arahaths, the Buddha said, “Go forth, O Bhikkhus, for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, benefit and happiness of gods and men, and preached the doctrine of Dhamma to all for their well-being,”.

The Buddha sent these 60 disciples in different directions and He went towards Senanigama in Uruwela district to meet the Jatila brothers - Uruwel Kassapa, Nadee Kassapa and Gaya Kassapa. The Buddha's intention of visiting these brothers was to make them shed petty prejudices and direct them towards the path of the Dhamma.

According to the history of Buddhism, these three brothers were known as Thun Ba Jatila . They lived in three separate hermitages on the bank of the famous river Neranjana with one thousand disciples. It was on the bank of this Neranjana where Prince Siddhartha arrived on the back of horse Kantaka after leaving wife Yasodara and son Rahula with the intention of attaining Buddhahood.

When the Buddha arrived at the hermitage of Uruwel Kassapa with the intention of spending the night there, he warned the Buddha of a venomous cobra that dwelt in his hermitage. But, the Buddha did not heed his warning. He saw with His divine vision how furious the cobra was to see the Buddha in the room. The following morning Uruwel Kassapa was surprised to see how the Buddha had tamed the cobra.

Uruwel Kassapa highly valued the powers of the Buddha and became His disciple. This was followed by his two brothers and their disciples.

Jatila brothers

It was on Il Full Moon Poya day that all three Jatila brothers had been miraculously won over by the Buddha and also the Yama Maha Pelahara (Dual psychic powers) was performed.

The demise of the Buddha's great disciple Sariputta Thera too took place in the month of Il. The Thera realised that his life-time is limited to one more week and decided to visit his hometown to preach the Dhamma to his mother as he wanted to see his mother as a follower of the Buddha. However, she was reluctant to accept the teachings of the Buddha through her son. In the end, however, the Thera could fulfil his duty as his mother entered the first path of Nibbana after listening to his sermons.

One of the Buddha's chief disciples, Sariputta Thera (on left) passed away on Il poya day

The following day Sariputta Thera passed away with great satisfaction as he was able to perform the greatest duty that a son could ever do to a mother.

It was also on the Il Full Moon Poya day that a team of Bhaddavaggiya princes were going in search of a courtesan who had run away with their valuables. Suddenly, they came upon the Buddha who was resting under a tree on His way to Uruwel to propagate His teachings. The group of princes inquired from the Buddha whether He had seen a woman passing that way. The Buddha in reply pacified them, explained the futility of their search and delivered to them a discourse based on the Four Noble Truths at the end of which He admitted all of them to the Sasana.

It was also during the month of Il that the Buddha visited Sankassapura from Thavathimsa after preaching the Aditta Pariyaya Sutta to Queen Mahamaya (Maithree Bodisatva) who was in Thavuthisa heaven. Maithree Bodisatva was born as the son of a wealthy land owner in Sankassapura and entered the order during the Buddha's visit to Sankassapura.

According to Buddhist History, the Buddha gave Maithree Bodisatva permission to become the next Buddha. It is believed that in Baranasi, there will be a kingdom called Kethumathi and a king called Sanka whose advisor Subrahima and Brahmawathi will be the parents of Maithree Bodhisatva. This Bodisatva will attain Enlightenment under a Banyan tree.