by Tathālokā Bhikkhunī
January 4, 2024
Sanghamittā Therī graces the top of the thorana gateway of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple compound in Anuradhapura, commemorating great arahatī Sanghamittā Therī's arrival with the Bodhi sapling. Image from Best of Lanka.
🙏 🙏 🙏
It is the lunar anniversary of the day of arrival of Sanghamittā Therī, Bhikkhunī Sangha, and Sri Maha Bodhi tree to their final destination of the great journey.
#pushya #ashtami #uposatha #jayasrimahabodhi #Sanghamitta #anuladevi #HerStoryOurStory #BuddhistHeritage #Anuradhapura
🌗 Waning Lunar Quarter (Pāli: Pussa-māsaṁ Kaṇha Pakka Aṭṭhamī Uposatha).
247 BCE to 2024 CE ✤ Remembered as the date of establishment of Jayasri Maha Bodhi in the Mahāmeghavāna garden, Anuradhapura
Imminent 🌑 Pussa-māsaṁ Amāvasī New Moon Uposatha ✤ Remembered as the time of the ordination and establishment in arahathood of the first thousand Bhikkhunīs of Tamrapanni.
How unimaginably blissful to welcome Bhikkhu and Bhikkhunī arahantas. How unimaginably blissful to see large numbers of one's kith and kin awakening and transforming in the Dhamma and noble Path.
How heart-opening and gladdening to think of leadership that is sensitive, attuned, ready, willing and energetic.
How blissful are radiant beams of sunlight and moonlight through the boughs and heart-shaped leaves of the world honored Bodhi tree, rustling flickering light in small breezes, speaking of the noble and ennobling Truths. Svāgat 🙏
Svāgataṁ vata me āsi... It was so welcome for me,
mama bodhassa santike... to be in the presence of Bodhi,*
suvibhattesu dhammesu... and of the well-explained Dhamma,
yaṁ seṭṭhaṁ tadupāgamiṁ... I arrived at the very best.
—*adapted from Vaṅgīsa Thera Gāthā
“Those who journey again and again,
“Jātimaraṇasaṁsāraṁ,
transmigrating through birth and death;
ye vajanti punappunaṁ;
they go from this state to another,
Itthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ,
destined only for ignorance.
avijjāyeva sā gati.
For ignorance is the great delusion
Avijjā hāyaṁ mahāmoho,
because of which we have long wandered on.
Yenidaṁ saṁsitaṁ ciraṁ;
Those beings who have arrived at knowledge
Vijjāgatā ca ye sattā,
do not proceed to a future life.”
Na te gacchanti punabbhavanti.
. . .
Those who understand suffering
Ye ca dukkhaṁ pajānanti,
and suffering’s cause,
atho dukkhassa sambhavaṁ;
and where all suffering
Yattha ca sabbaso dukkhaṁ,
ceases with nothing left over.
asesaṁ uparujjhati;
They understand the path
Tañca maggaṁ pajānanti,
that leads to the stilling of suffering.
dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.
They’re endowed with the heart’s liberation,
Cetovimuttisampannā,
as well as liberation by wisdom.
Atho paññāvimuttiyā.
Able to make an end,
Bhabbā te antakiriyāya,
they no more continue to be born and grow old.”
Na te jātijarūpagāti.
—the Buddha, "Contemplating Pairs"
Dvayatānupassanā Sutta, Sutta Nipāta 3.12
based on this translation
Mural paintings depicting the great story here are by artist Somabandu Vidyapathi from the Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya,
In the left image, is that Anulā in the center there, looking with such a keen gaze?
Dedicated to that great pair of awakened arahanta siblings Mahinda Thero and Saṅghamittā Therī,
and to those most excellent pairs: path & fruits.
Idaṁ me puññaṁ āsavakkhayāvahaṁ hotu.
Idaṁ me sīlaṁ magga-phala ñāṇassa paccayo hotu.
Idaṁ no puññaṁ nibbāna paccayo hotu.
Sādhu sādhu sādhu
🙏 🙏 🙏
. . .
The Thorana entry gateway to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya court in Anuradhapura commemorates great arahatī Sanghamittā Therī's arrival with the Bodhi sapling.
Mural by Somabanda Vidyapathi. "King Devānampiyatissa planting the southern branch sapling of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree in the Mahāmeghavāna park in Anuradhapura"
. . .
written at Dhammadharini's Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage on the waning lunar quarter following the "Sanghamitta Day" Cold Moon of December 2024 CE, in Pāli the Pussa-māsaṁ Kaṇha Pakka Aṭṭhamī Uposatha 2567 BE, lunar anniversary of the establishment of Jayasri Maha Bodhi in the Mahāmeghavāna, Anuradhapura
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