- Tathālokā Bhikkhunī
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Special offering for Aṭṭhamī Pūjā
Tathālokā Therī
May 19, 2025
"Aṭṭhamī Pūjā 🌗✨" These are called the "twin stupas" in the "northern suburbs" of Tilaurakot in ancient Kapilavastu, and are said to be the stupas of the Buddha's natal parents, King Suddhodana and Queen Mahāmāyā.
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Special offering for Aṭṭhamī Pūjā 🌗✨ May 19th-20th 2025
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The accompanying text in Thai in the original post tells the story of the passing of the Buddha's natal mother seven days after giving birth to the Bodhisatta,* her younger sister's becoming his step mother, and the Buddha's ascending to teach the Abhidhamma to his mother in the Tāvatimsa heaven after his great awakening.
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*That day of Mother Sirī Mahāmāyā's return to the heavenly realms is the very same day as the Buddha's own cremation day 80 years later, known in Thailand by the Pāli name "Aṭṭhamī Pūjā". The Buddha's co-natal and cousin, the Venerable Arahant Ānanda Thero, famed for his audiographic memory of all the Buddha's Sutta Teachings, also entered Parinibbāna years later on this same day.
Every year, that day comes one week after the Vesak Full Moon.
This year, that day is on the waning lunar quarter Kaṇḥa Aṭṭhamī 🌗✨ May 19th-20th.
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There is another pair of stupas in the Buddha's mothers' homeland Devadaha, that are said to be those of both his mothers: Sirī Mahāmāyā and Arahant Therī Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī.
Both King Suddhadana and Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī lived beyond the time of the Buddha's great awakening, and with his teaching, both become arahants before they passed away, Suddhodana rāja as a layman (upāsaka) "under the white umbrella" and Mahāpajāpatī as a long-lived leading arahant Therī (bhikkhunī). Mother Mahāmāyā on the other hand is said (as related in the accompanying text) to have attained Sotapanna (stream-entry) through the Buddha's teachings to her in Tāvatimsa.
If health allows, i'm looking forward to the journey to Tilaurakot, ancient Kapilavastu, this coming December 2025, for the first Inaugural Mahāpajāpatī Great Renunciation Trail Buddha Carika pilgrimage.
Beginning from Tilaurakot and following the trail walked first by the Buddha in his great renunciation, this foot journey was then followed 11 years later by Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī and the 500 Founding Mothers of the Bhikkhuni Sangha all the way to Vaishali (ancient Vesali), where they were ordained by the Buddha and the Venerable Bhikkhu Sangha. The completion of their long journey in Samsāra ends in what is now known as the hallowed earth of their "Parinibbāna Ksetra." Where, per 5th-7th century pilgrim monks' diaries, they all attained their Parinibbāna (ultimate nirvāna), and their Parinibbāna Stupa was established.
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Learn more about the Mahāpajāpatī & Courageous 500's Great Renunciation Trail (Dhammadharini Facebook post)
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This Marathi-language video is about (and filmed at) the Buddha's maternal homeland of Devadaha, in Nepal, at Buddhist heritage places of the Buddha's mothers, queen Mahā Māyā and the venerable Mahā Pajāpatī Gotamī. The popular Indian Bodhi Satva YouTube channel host points out ruins of an old vihāra there, together with two stupa foundations, which are said by locals to be of stupas of Mahāmāyā and Mahāprajāpati.
The second pair of mysterious twin stupas in this same area, which per local lore are stupas of the Buddha's mother Mahāmāyā and father Suddhodana (as in this post).
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✍️ Tathālokā Therī at Dhammadharini
