The Importance of Il November Poya
Day:
By Premasara Epasinghe, The Daily News, Sri Lanka, November
12 2008:
The Il Poya falls on November fullmoon. It is the last Poya of the "vassa" Rainy
Season retreat
and a number of important incidents occurred on this day.
Therefore, it is a
significant day in the Buddhist calendar:
First of all it celebrates the Future Buddha:
Metteyya
Bodhisatta
but also other events:
1:
The announcement of the future Buddhahood of
Metteyya
Bodhisatta,
2: The first
Buddhist Missionary activity by sending out the Sixty Arahats,
3: The
Jatila Brothers entering the
Buddhist Sangha,
4: Festival of "Devaharohana" or Ascend to heaven by
Gotama
Buddha,
5: Acceptance of a Robe from the future Buddha
Metteyya, who was a disciple of the
Buddha.
6:
Passing away of the Chief Disciple
Sariputta of
Gotama
Buddha.
7: The relic Dakunu
Aku Datuwa right canine tooth, put in the first Dagoba
Thuparama Chaitya.
Further, Buddhist in Sri Lanka Commemorate Il Poya as the "Cheevara Masaya." The
offering of "Katina Cheevaraya" is considered as a highly meritorious act, which
take
place in most of the Temples during the month of Il. The Katina Cheevara is
brought to
their respective temples in processions and offered to the resident Upasampada
monks, who observed Vas. (Rainy Retreat) for nearly three months.
1: The Future
Buddha Metteyya:
Metteyya
Bodhisatta was born to a high caste family in the City of
Sankassa,
during the
time of Gautama Buddha. His father's name was Siriwaddha.
Metteyya had a
complete
Education under the Great Teacher Disapamok. After entering the Order, and at
the
end of the Rainy Season,
Metteyya Thera, received a very valuable pair of robes.
He
donated one of the robes to
Gotama
Buddha.
After receiving the robe the Blessed One uttered thus:-
"Dear Monks, this Bhikkhu will be the future Buddha. He will be born in a kingdom
known
as Ketumati. The Emperor of this Kingdom will bear the name Sankha. His father's
name
will be Brahma and he will be the Chief Consultant to the king. His mother's
name will be
Brahmavati. He will attain Buddhahood under a Naga tree.
2: Sakyamuni Buddha addressed the first sixty Arahats thus:
Oh! Bhikkhus for the Welfare of the many, for the Happiness of the many, through
Compassion to the World, Go Ye Forth, and spread the Doctrine of Buddha Dhamma
for
the benefit of Devas and Human Beings) In this manner, the first Buddhist
Missionaries
commenced their journey on Il Poya day to various directions.
3: The
Jatila Brothers
The three
Jatila Brothers
Uruwela,
Nadi,
Gaya, lived in Hermitages close to the
River
Neranjana. They had thousand disciples. The Blessed One, proceeded to the
hermitage
of
Jatila Uruvela and performed "Pelahara"
spiritual powers or super natural magic and
later converted all three brothers and their followers to Buddhism.
6: Passing Away of
Sariputta Thera
The passing away of
Sariputta, Senior Chief Disciple, occurred on Il Poya day. A
week
before he passed away, he visited his beloved mother
Rupasari, who did not
believe in
the Triple Gem. She was residing in a village named
Nalaka, in the Magadha
Province.
Sariputta Thera's main ambition was to make his mother a follower of Buddhism.
After
listening to her son
Sariputta's sermon, she attained Sotapanna or the first
stage out
of four stages towards the realization of liberation.
Video on Uposatha
Observance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUIDQd19OmY
Audio on Uposatha Observance
Praxis ..
https://soundcloud.com/bhikkhu-samahita/observance-praxis-uposatha
The Buddhist Poya Uposatha Observance Day Calendar is here:
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/various/Poya.Uposatha.Observance_days.htm