A clarion call to ANUBUDHU MIHINDU . . .
Ammbasthale on Missaka Pawwa, is anxious: it is impatiently looking forward to receive Arahant Thera on this Poson Day; as his Dharmadveepa is transforming itself back to Thambapanni era. It is passing a decisive moment in its Sasana’s history.
TDevanampiyatissa andArahant Mihinda Thera took place. The meeting at Missaka Pawwa premises, was the crucial instant in our ancient history. Due to the presence of several dagobas that adorned the rock, it was also called Chetiyagiri. There are ruins of an old hospital complex too, and the evenly built 1840 rocky steps leading to the zenith. Among the other ruins are, Sinha pokuna, the Dana Salawa, Nagapokuna , Sannipatasalawa (assembly hall), Kaludiya-pokuna and quite a few of other archaeologically important ruins. Arhanth Mahinda, lived at Mihintale until his Parinibbana, preaching on the word of the Buddha to the King and the people. He was deeply involved in converting and cautiously watching the advancement of a nation towards a ‘Dhammadveepa’.
In his “Early history of Buddhism in Ceylon”, Dr E. W. Adikaram refers to Samantha-pasadika version ofArahant Mahinda’s arrival, agreeing with the Mahavamsa account which states, after the third council, Mahinda Therawas asked for by the maha Sangha to visit Ceylon and inaugurate the order in the island. Arhat Mahinda deferred his visit, as the then king Mutaseeva 367-307 BC, who preceded Devanampiya Tissa, was old and in poor health to comprehend the Dhamma.The monarch and the people of the country slowly but steadily became followers of the Buddha Dhamma. A cultural revolution was the result, influenced by the wisdom of the great teacher, Lord Buddha, the Sri lankan culture turn out to be a Buddhist culture; which remained intact for over 18 centuries. The rulers of the island nation as a practice got involved in religious affairs, and their actions were based on Buddhist ethics and morals.
SIGNIFICANCE OF POSONFULLMOON
century, t h e Portuguese, the Dutch and the British invasions caused foreign cultures to have some influence in the locals, however, the cultural and religious identity of the island remained unscratched to a great extent. Foreign incursions and invasions over the centuries have, to a certain extent transformed the cultural uniqueness of the local people, especially in costal belt where, they introduced alcohol, tobacco and animal slaughter including cattle for food: the invaders were successful in changing the lifestyles of sections of inhabitants.
Sri Lankans believe that the Buddha chose this island as the place that would preserve the Dhamma. The nation was resurrected on that noble Poson full moon day. The practice of true Dhamma would lead to a profound and thoughtful consideration of the people all communities to live in peace and harmony.
MIHINTALE NEGLECTED FROMMEATINDUSTRY TO AGRICULTURE
Poson Poya is important for Sri Lankan Buddhists. The emergence of Arahant Mahinda Thera, son of great Emperor Asoka in Lanka from Jambuddvipa was successful in determining the destiny of the people and the land, and was incomparable in human history. Prior to that there was no organised religion, as such, people were occupied in devotional and ritual actions which they believed would delight the deities in whom they believed in; the reverence of Yakkas was a popular practice, among other habits included the veneration of non-living things like trees, rocks, and celestial objects. Substantiating the Buddhist tradition,Arahant Mahinda made a step by step progress altering the life style of people. This resulted in breathing new life into the socio-religious standing of the island. His mission was not to set up a religion, but to clean-up the Dhamma which has by now been explained and to recognized the national order of Bikkhu Sasana in the Island.
‘Buddhism’ was not in existence in this Island or in any part of the world other than in India prior to this date.
The Poson Poya Day is important to all Sri Lankans as the day on which EmperorAsoka’s son, theArahant Mahinda, launched Buddha Dhamma to the island 2323 years ago in the 3rd century B.C. Devotees flock to Mihintale, as a mark of respect for Mahinda thera and to commemorate the event. The thera enlightened the then, King Devanampiyatissa, his father’s friend, to the Dhamma.
H C PBell, former Director ofArcheology, during colonial Ceylon says, “the perfect sanctuary for the sons of Buddha that they could find throughout the length & breadth of Ceylon”—
Arahant Mahinda tested the IQ of the King Devanampiyatissa with a series of enquiries which is believed and welcomed as the first I.Q. Test documented in kind. Happy with the king’s intelligence, he preached a discourse on the ‘Chullahasti-padopama Sutta’, MajjimaNikāya. This sutra explains how a devotee identifies the Samma Sambuddhahood of the lord Buddha by travelling the path; the Buddha had revealed to them, in a comparable way that a person who knows well of elephants how he would differentiate a female elephant from a male.
The hilly forest abode of hoofed animals, such as deer, sambre and elk, Mihintale, offered the ideal hunting ground for king Devanampiyatissa in his favorite pasttime, deer hunting. It was exactly where the Ambatthala cetiya now stands that the summit of King he rocky terrain of deer forest was slowly and resourcefully awakening to a morning breeze that flew past the woods making the flowers and leaves dance to a rhythm. As the sun rose over the Royal Game Park in Missaka pawwa, Mihintale, the tranquility was disturbed abruptly with the excited birds chirped all their heart out. The monarch was chasing an innocent deer from thickly grown meadow to an open land. He aimed at the animal with his bow and shot an arrow, but missed his target when he was shaken by a profound voice calling him by name. “Tissa, Tissa !” A beam of light glowed from the zenith of the rock, in the foot of which an astonished king, Devanampiyatissa stood.
…Samana mayam maharajaDhammarajassa Savaka, - Thaveva anukampaya -Dambudipa idhagata.”--Mahavamsa 14:8.
O Great King; we are recluses, advocates of the Buddha Dhamma. With concern towards you and your people— we have come from India. The meeting with King Devanampiyatissa at the mango grove of Ambasthala in Mihintale is one of the momentous events in the history of Sri Lanka. This year, Buddhists commemorate 2323 Poson
Festival A king whose leisure was to kill animal became a vegetarian followed by large section of the population. Agricultural economy outdid the traditional meat industry.
Arahant Mahinda’s visit was followed by his own sister, Sanghamitta therini, who arrived with the purpose of setting up a Bhikkhuni Sasana in the island. She brought with her, a branch of the Siri Maha Bodhi, the Bo sapling which was planted in the Sacred soil of the Mahamevuna Uyana, Anuradhapura, which continues to bless the nation and also receives veneration by hundreds of thousands of devotees who flock on Poson poya day.
Since the 16th
Mihintale was neglected with the shifting of the capital city to Polonnaruwa in the eleventh century [1058]; since then the commitment and royal patronage that the consecrated place received commenced to disappear.
Offering hundreds of thousands of jasmines, numerous types of pujas, one million Araliya flowers, processions with hundreds of elephants and Vesak Pandals and illumination are not true Buddhism. Today we are badly in need of learned as well as disciplined Theros to preach pure Dhamma discourses, the same way Arahant Mihinda Thera did 2000 year ago. Let us all Sri Lankans resolve on this significant occasion, to create a new nation which could re-establish the inter-religious and ethnic harmony that we have been contemplating to achieve for over the decades. Let’s recommence with more vigor and vitality agitations for temperance and an anti-tobacco nation and be free of flesh eating. Let’s build our nation through the proper practice of basic Dhamma principles.
May all beings be happy
Sri Lankans believe that the Buddha chose this island as the place that would preserve the Dhamma. The nation was resurrected on that noble Poson full moon day