Tathālokā Therī
February 8, 2023
Sun Feb 12th 2023 7-9pm PST Special Atthami Half Moon Uposatha “Offering our Practice” – "Paṭipatti pūja" Honoring the Parinibbana of Mahapajapati Gotami & the Courageous Five Hundred
Dear Venerable monastics & Dhamma friends,
“Paṭipatti pūja” is a gesture of respect for our Kalyanamittas, our spiritual benefactors - honoring them with the highest and most beneficial kind of respect: the offering of our Dhamma practice: listening to and contemplating the Dhamma and training our minds through meditation.
Venerable Bhikkhunī Tathālokā Mahātherī and the Dhammadharini Bhikkhuni Sangha warmly invite and welcome all Dhamma relatives and friends to join in together offering this special Paṭipāṭi Pūja in commemoration.
On the recently past Māgha full moon on February 5th, we celebrated Magha Puja Sangha Day.
As this past Magha full moon remembers the announcement of the impending Parinibbana of the Buddha, so too it also commemorates another event: Mahapajapati Gotami, the foster mother of the Buddha as well as the founding mother of the Bhikkhuni Sangha, decided her own Parinibbana (final Nirvana) and commenced seven straight days of offering her final teachings [1,2]. A large number of her awakened bhikkhuni companions who had ordained together with her thirty years before decided they would follow her in going to final nirvana too. Then, on the Atthāmī Uposatha, the lunar eighth day, which is the half moon day following the Magha full moon – the great arahanti Mahā Gotamī Therī and the Courageous Founding 500 Great Arahat Bhikkhunis entered their great final nirvana (their Parinibbāna) together. The texts remember it as a very special day for the Sangha, with the Buddha himself offering Maha Gotami’s eulogy, her cremains held in his alms bowl in his hands, before their enshrinement in a stupa in Vaishali (Vesali).
In Pali, we call this special day:
Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī saddhiṃ Mahārahantī Pañcasatabhikkuṇīparivārehi Parinibbāṇaṃ Aṭṭhamī
In English translation of the Pali:
The Eighth Day Parinibbana Day of Mahapajapati Gotami together with her 500 Bhikkhuni Arahant Companions
This year, the half moon, the eighth day, is Sunday February 12th (or it may be on Feb 13th for those on the other side of the world). Ayya Tathaloka, with her great appreciation for their early bhikkhuni arahati disciples of the Buddha, it being winter retreat time, is welcoming all Venerable Bhikkhunis and Dhamma friends who would like to join her on the half moon Atthami Uposatha in offering paṭipāṭi pūja, the gift of our practice, on the evening of Sunday February 12th. As is said in the Gotami Theri Therigatha and Theri Apadana:
Āraddhavīriye pahitatte,
Niccaṁ daḷhaparakkame;
Samagge sāvake passe,
Esā buddhāna vandanā.
“Energetic from the start and resolute,
Constantly making effort
And unified – see these disciples:
Now that’s homage to the Buddha!”
- Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī Therīgāthā
‘‘‘Āraddhavīriye pahitatte, niccaṃ daḷhaparakkame;
Samagge sāvake passa, etaṃ buddhānavandanaṃ.
“'See the disciples all together, putting forth energy,'
[he replied,] resolute, always with strong effort.
This is homage to the Buddhas.' (75)
- Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī Therī Apadāna,
translated by William Pruitt for the Pāli Text Society
Encouragement to practice from the final words of the great arahatī Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī Therī:
“If you have loving sympathy for me,
And if you have gratitude and appreciation;
Then strong and ardently attentive should you be in your endeavors
To the meaning of the True Dhamma.
“Women received the Going Forth
At my request to the Sambuddha;
As i have found joy and delight [in this Path],
So should you practice!”
- the Gotamī Therī Apadāna
Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!
Namo Buddhāya!