Binara Poya marks the beginning of Vas season

By Ananda KANNANGARA

Binara Poya marks the beginning of the Vas season in which Bhikkhus retreat to temples and engage themselves in numerous activities including conducting Dhamma sermons, Dhamma discourses and meditation. They also guide devotees to get involved in various other religious activities such as Bodhi poojas and Pahan poojas.

Queen Mahaprajapathi Gothami calls upon Ven. Ananda Thera to get the Buddha’s permission to form the Bhikkhuni Order

Vas is the only season in which devotees regularly visit temples and provide the Bhikkhus with four essentials. They are the Cheevara (robes), Pindapatha (alms), Senasana (shelter) and Gilanupastana (medicine). Devotees also visit their village temples on other poya days, such as Vesak, Poson and Esala which are the three main poya days in the Buddhist calendar.

After Enlightenment under the Bo tree at Buddhagaya, the Buddha proceeded to Saranath and it was there that He preached His first Dhamma sermon, the Dhammachakka Pavattana Sutta - to the five ascetics, Konndanna, Vappa, Baddiya, Mahanama and Assaji in the deer park. The Buddha revealed the Four Noble Truths to them.

The five ascetics became His first disciples. Many others joined later. According to ancient chronicles, as soon as the Buddha uttered the first word, the earth trembled.

The Buddha told His disciples, “Go forth Bhikkhus into the world, taking the message of the Buddha, explain to them what I have preached”. The Buddha himself showed the world how one could be of service by meeting and helping those in distress and suffering in pain. It was out of loving kindness and compassion that He walked on dusty roads in North West India preaching His doctrine.

The Buddha’s system was based on His doctrine and discipline that imply moral excellence and a code of conduct.

The early Bhikkhus depended on the generosity of laymen for their existence. During the rainy season, the Bhikkhus are confined to the temple. The rains cause even floods and the roads go under water. The situation prevents Bhikkhus from going on Pindapatha .

Though the Esala Poya marks the inauguration of the Vas season, it is continued in the month of Binara when Bhikkhus stay in their temples without going out for Pindapatha. According to early chronicles, the first Vas was observed by the Buddha and His five disciples at Isipathana Migadaya.

Bhikkhuni Order

It was on a Binara Full Moon Poya Day that Queen Mahaprajapathi Gothami, the stepmother of Prince Siddhartha, visited the Buddha in Kapilavastu and asked permission to enter the Bhikkhuni Order. The Buddha refused her request. Although she made the same request again, the Blessed One did not give His consent.

Devotees at a temple on a poya day

The Queen then visited Ven. Ananda Thera and requested him to get the Buddha’s permission to form and enter the Bhikkhuni Order. The queen who played a lead role to establish the Bhikkhuni Order met Ven. Ananda Thera with 500 wives of the Sakyan princes with the intention of entering the Bhikkhuni Order. They shaved their heads and dressed themselves in yellow robes. They began to weep outside the gate of the vihara where the Buddha was residing.

Following repeated requests by the queen and the female Sakyans, Ven. Ananda Thera appealed to the Buddha to grant permission for Queen Mahaprajapathi Gothami and her 500 companions to enter the Bhikkhuni Order.

The Buddha considered the request of Mahaprajapathi Gothami and granted permission to womenfolk to enter the Sasana. This took place on a Binara Full Moon Poya Day. The Buddha requested the queen and her 500 companions that they should strictly follow and honour eight important principles (Ashta Garu Dharma) laid down by the Buddha. It was called the Code of Conduct for Bhikkhunis.

Some of the main Garu Dharmas are as follows:

* A Bhikkhuni, although she had attained the Higher Order even a hundred years ago, should worship and honour a Bhikkhu who had attained the Higher Order on that very day (Seniority does not matter).

* No Bhikkhuni should be engaged in retreat in an area where there are no Bhikkhus.
* Bhikkhunis should always take the advice of Bhikkhus.

* A Bhikkhuni should ceremonially end the retreat in the presence of both Bhikkhunis and Bhikkhus.

* A novice Bhikkhuni should gain higher ordination before Bhikkhunis only after one year of study.

* Bhikkhunis should not advise Bhikkhus, although Bhikkhus may advise Bhikkhunis.

Ven. Ananda Thera told Queen Mahaprajapathi Gothami that the Blessed One would grant permission to establish the Bhikkhuni Sasana only if she accepted these conditions.

Conditions accepted

The Queen said that she accepted the conditions laid down by the Blessed One.

Buddhist history reveals that it was the beginning of the Bhikkhuni Order. Later, many other womenfolk entered the Bhikkhuni Order. The Bhikkhuni Order spread fast, not only in many parts of India during the Buddha era, but also in several other Asian countries including Sri Lanka.

The Bhikikhuni Order was established in Sri Lanka after the advent of Buddhism during the period of King Devanampiyatissa. Buddhism was introduced to the country by Ven. Arahat Mahinda Thera during the period of King Devanampiyatissa and it was Theri Sangamitta, the sister of Ven. Mahinda Thera and the daughter of Emperor Asoka of India, who introduced the Bhikkhuni Order to the country.

Theri Sangamitta not only pioneered the Bhikkhuni Order in the country, but also brought the Sacred Jayasiri Maha Bo sapling to Anuradhapura. Even today there are a large number of Bhikkhunis in the country and they play a major role to propagate Buddhism.

The annual Mahiyangana Vihara Maha Perahara is also conducted on the Binara Full Moon Poya Day. According to the Mahavamsa, the Sacred Hair Relics of the Buddha had been enshrined in the Mahiyangana Stupa. When Deva Mahasumana begged the Buddha for something to worship on His first visit to the island, the Buddha had given him a handful of hair from His head.