I took my parents and older sister to the Nagara Dhamma Temple Inc.in San Francisco, USA, in the morning and then left for work in the afternoon. This Tuesday, February 3, 2015, is Magha Puja Day (បុណ្យមាឃបូជា), which is to commemorate two events on Full Moon Day of Magha (Third Lunar Month) in Buddha’s life. The first event is called the Fourfold Assembly, which happened in Veluvana Bamboo Grove monastery in Rajagaha, capital of Magadha, in the year when the Buddha obtained enlightenment. The Fourfold Assembly only happened once during the Buddha’s life and is because of the followings: (1) The Assembly happened on a Full Moon of the Magha Month (Third Lunar month) (2) 1250 monk disciples assembled to see the Buddha without any appointment (3) All the 1,250 monks were arahants who had completed the path to enlightenment and entered Nirvana and had attained the sixfold superknowledge: (1) Supernatural powers, (2) divine hearing, (3) ability to read other people’s thoughts/feelings, (4) ability to recall prior lives, (5) divine eyes and (6) knowledge on how to eliminate the four biases (sensuality, lust of life, speculation and ignorance). (4) All 1250 monks were ordained by the Buddha himself called Ehi bhikkhu (come, Bhikkhu) where due to their past merits, their hair was shaved and nails were cut magically and robes magically appeared and wrapped around them w hen the Buddha said, “Ehi bhikkhu”. At the fourfold assembly, the Buddha gave Ovadapatimokkha to the 1250 monks, which was an important discourse that summarized his teaching into three main principles: (1) Do not do any evil, (2) do good and (3) purify the mind. The Buddha also announced his right-hand disciple, Sariputta, who became arahant on this day and had the most wisdom; and Maudgalyāyana, as his left-hand disciple, who had the greatest supernatural powers. The second event is to commemorate when the Buddha accepted the invitation to enter Nirvana from the evil angel who had tried to stop him from becoming the Buddha and had asked the Buddha repeatedly to enter Nirvana after the Buddha had achieved enlightenment. Each time he refused and said that he would not enter Nirvana until his disciples and his followers understood his teachings and were able to teach others. The Buddha knew this was coming and had given his attendant (Anant) riddles 16 times so that Anant would invite him to continue living before the evil angel asking him to enter Nirvana; however, each time, Anant didn’t get his riddles and never invited the Buddha to continue living because the evil angel had blocked his thoughts about the Buddha entering Nirvana. At last at 80 years old and after the 16th riddle and Anant still didn’t get it, the Buddha asked Anant to move out from his area, which allowed an opportunity for the evil angel to go to the Buddha and to ask him to enter Nirvana for the last time. The Buddha told the evil angel that within three months, he would enter Nirvana, which happened in the abandoned jungles of Kushinagar, India, on the Full Moon Day of the month of Magha. At that moment, earth was shaking violently that caused Anant and other people to ask the Buddha for the cause of the earthquake. The Buddha then told Anant and other people that he would enter Nirvana in three months on the Full Moon in Visaka Month. Anant then asked the Buddha to continue living longer, but the Buddha said that it was too late as he had given Anant 16 chances already. Buddhists celebrate Magha Puja Day to express our gratitude toward the Buddha as being a Buddha is extremely difficult to achieve. So all my fellow Buddhists, this Tuesday, February 3rd, is the day to show our gratitude for all his teachings and the path that he took to become Buddhahood. I’ll be taking my parents to the temple in San Francisco in the morning and then will leave for work in the afternoon. May all beings be happy, peaceful and be liberated. Marlai

• published: 04 Feb 2015
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