Theravāda Trip for Mahābhaddasāla Worship
At Vatta Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokakha, Yasodharā Province, Thailand
On March 12, 2564 B.E. (2564 years after Buddhamahāparinibbāna) (2021)
On March 12, 2564 B.E. (2564 years after Buddhamahāparinibbāna) (2021)
We traveled to Vatta (temple) Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha at Yasodharā province with friends, which one of them was from India (Mr. Vipin), to do homage to Mahāsāla tree. Dhammacariyadhammapālatheravādabalabodhi Suchart Nak-On had brought Mahāsāla tree from Buddha’s land to Thailand for more than 20 years, but only six trees can survive.
Of the six Mahāsāla trees, one was given to Wang Takian temple. The second tree was given to Mae Bongkot’s auspicious island. The other two were planted near Vinaya gate at the Buddhacatuparisā Udayāna, Buddhamaṇḍala 5 Road, Nakhon Pathom Province. We brought the last tree to Vatta Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha, Yasodharā Province. Here, we respectfully invited the tree into the ground on the 15th lunar month of Visakhamas, on Visākhapūjā Day (May 24, 2556 B.E.), eight years ago after the ordination of 109 sāmaṇerī in celebration of 2600 Buddhajayantī.
On February 15, 2564 B.E., Mahāsāla tree was blooming, known by the Theravāda Catuparisā Buddhist group. Most members of the group traveled from Bangkok and other provinces, heading to Yasodharā Province.
Of the six Mahāsāla trees, one was given to Wang Takian temple. The second tree was given to Mae Bongkot’s auspicious island. The other two were planted near Vinaya gate at the Buddhacatuparisā Udayāna, Buddhamaṇḍala 5 Road, Nakhon Pathom Province. We brought the last tree to Vatta Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha, Yasodharā Province. Here, we respectfully invited the tree into the ground on the 15th lunar month of Visakhamas, on Visākhapūjā Day (May 24, 2556 B.E.), eight years ago after the ordination of 109 sāmaṇerī in celebration of 2600 Buddhajayantī.
On February 15, 2564 B.E., Mahāsāla tree was blooming, known by the Theravāda Catuparisā Buddhist group. Most members of the group traveled from Bangkok and other provinces, heading to Yasodharā Province.
It was the first time that Mahāsāla tree had bloomed since being planted. The blooming Mahāsāla tree was on the left side of the Dhammavinaya gate. We also brought the other Mahāsāla tree located on the right side from Lumbinī, Nepal. According to the Buddha’s history, Mahāmāyādevī gave birth to Siddhattha Bodhisatta at Lumbinī.
Mahāsāla tree on the left side is now in flowers. We invited this tree from Sālavanodayāna, a royal garden of King Malla of Kusinārā. It was the place where Buddha finalized the saccadhamma of 84,000 dhammakhandha that all Buddha’s teachings are “Buddha or Buddho”. Thus, Buddha is not the physical body.
After taking off shoes, we entered Vatta from the Dhammavinaya gate.
1. At the gate, we looked up before entering. Above, there are carvings with three sections.
Mahāsāla tree on the left side is now in flowers. We invited this tree from Sālavanodayāna, a royal garden of King Malla of Kusinārā. It was the place where Buddha finalized the saccadhamma of 84,000 dhammakhandha that all Buddha’s teachings are “Buddha or Buddho”. Thus, Buddha is not the physical body.
After taking off shoes, we entered Vatta from the Dhammavinaya gate.
1. At the gate, we looked up before entering. Above, there are carvings with three sections.
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On the left side, Sirimahāmāyā, Bodhisatta’s mātā (mother), was bending a Mahāsāla tree branch to give birth to Mahābodhisatta (Prince Siddhattha) in a standing position. The carving also showed the sahajāti (persons who were born at the same time as Mahābodhisatta).
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The middle section illustrates upāsaka and upāsikā, who were deva and brahma. They came to protect Paramatthadhammatheravāda.
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At the right section, there were carving of Buddha’s parinibabāna between double Mahāsāla trees that intertwined like a crown. This figure showed the place where Buddha parinibabāna.
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The actual place is in udayāna (garden) which belonged to King Malla of Kusinārā. The location of parinibabāna was in the royal garden of King Malla of Kusinārā, called "Uvattanasālavanaṃ", located near the Hiraññavatī river.
Mahāsāla carvings include the double Mahāsāla trees at the parinibbhana time and Mahāsāla tree at Buddha’s birth time. For 45 years after enlightenment, Buddha gave teachings of 84,000 dhammakantha.
At the last time, Buddha laid down on the rocky throne and put the head to the north under the double Mahāsāla trees. Buddha laid on the right side with the left foot over the right foot. Buddha turned face to the west.
Before passing the Dhammavinaya gate, we noticed that there were carved images on the half-moon stone on the ground. These images represented people’s minds trying to escape from akusala to kusala by listening to Buddha’s teachings. They wanted to follow Buddha’s path of enlightenment.
2. After passing the Dhammavinaya gate, we looked up to see the carving of Buddha’s enlightenment. Before the enlightenment, Mahābodhisatta stayed in Mahāsāla forest until the day of enlightenment. On that day, Mahābodhisatta went to sat under the Assattha tree (Bodhi tree). Mahābodhisatta sat on the jeweled throne and turned his face to the east. There was a statement in the middle of carving, “The Buddha's teachings consisting of 84,000 dhammakhada is Buddha”, meaning that Buddha is not a human body but teachings. The human body of Mahābodhisatta had met the fourth Buddha of this bhaddakappa, or the body of Mahābodhisatta had met the Buddha’s teachings.
Mahāsāla carvings include the double Mahāsāla trees at the parinibbhana time and Mahāsāla tree at Buddha’s birth time. For 45 years after enlightenment, Buddha gave teachings of 84,000 dhammakantha.
At the last time, Buddha laid down on the rocky throne and put the head to the north under the double Mahāsāla trees. Buddha laid on the right side with the left foot over the right foot. Buddha turned face to the west.
Before passing the Dhammavinaya gate, we noticed that there were carved images on the half-moon stone on the ground. These images represented people’s minds trying to escape from akusala to kusala by listening to Buddha’s teachings. They wanted to follow Buddha’s path of enlightenment.
2. After passing the Dhammavinaya gate, we looked up to see the carving of Buddha’s enlightenment. Before the enlightenment, Mahābodhisatta stayed in Mahāsāla forest until the day of enlightenment. On that day, Mahābodhisatta went to sat under the Assattha tree (Bodhi tree). Mahābodhisatta sat on the jeweled throne and turned his face to the east. There was a statement in the middle of carving, “The Buddha's teachings consisting of 84,000 dhammakhada is Buddha”, meaning that Buddha is not a human body but teachings. The human body of Mahābodhisatta had met the fourth Buddha of this bhaddakappa, or the body of Mahābodhisatta had met the Buddha’s teachings.
3. On both sides at Dhammavinaya gate, there were golden treasure caskets (representatives of the collection of navuti upanidhibhaṇḍa). Inside the caskets, there are name lists of people who constructed this Vatta.
Ninety navuti upanidhibhaṇḍa are our collections of
4. When we passed the gate and looked upward, we saw the three sections of carving.
The left image represented Buddha’s enlightenment under the Sirimahābodhi tree. The throne ‘Vajarāsana’ represented Buddha. The image also showed many devas (angels) who were in question if Buddha had enlightened.
The craving in the middle showed the maintenance of the dhamma discipline by humans. These people left for heaven after passing away. Maṇḍārab flowers were falling from heaven. These flowers were brought from heaven by deva and brahma to salute dhamma. They know that Buddha is not the human body but Buddha’s teachings.
The right carving illustrated the Isipatane migadāye, a forest in Varanasi. It was the place where Buddha demonstrated the first dhamma, called dhammacakkappavattanasutta, to the five pañcavaggīya, making Mahā Aññākoṇḍaññaa attain sotāpanna and became the first bhikkhu in Buddhism. We could see the image of bhikkhu and four catuvaggīya who had not yet been sotāpanna. The dhammacakka (wheel) was a symbol for Buddha. King Asoka constructed the stupa, named Dhammekja sathūpa, at this place (in Varanasi city, India), where there is the pillar with four lion heads and dhammacakka. The four lions represented four catuvaggīya who had not been Bhikkhu.
From outside of Dhammavinaya gate, we saw Mahāsāla tree on the left. This tree was grown from the seed derived from Sālavanodayāna, the royal garden of King Malla of Kusinārā. We brought the little tree to plant here in Vatta Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha, Yasodharā Province, Thailand. Today, 20 years later, the tree grows bigger and is showing flowers for the first time, which is a symbol to respect Buddha.
The Mahāsāla tree on the right was grown from the seed derived from Lumbīnī, the birthplace of Buddha. We brought the tree here. This tree has not shown the flower.
Here, at Vatta Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha, we have Mahābhaddasāla trees invited to be here by Buddhacatuparisā Society (or the former Sikkha Dhamma Society at the Ministry of Industry). The double Mahāsāla trees at Dhammavinaya gate are from Lumbīnī, the birthplace of Buddha, and Kusinārā, the parinibbāna place, indicating that our group is in the theravāda lineage.
Ninety navuti upanidhibhaṇḍa are our collections of
- Ten puññakiriyavatthu multipled by three cetanā = 30
- Ten kusalakammapatha multipled by three cetanā = 30
- Ten pāramī multipled by hīnapāramī, majjhimapāramī, and paṇītapāramī = 30
4. When we passed the gate and looked upward, we saw the three sections of carving.
The left image represented Buddha’s enlightenment under the Sirimahābodhi tree. The throne ‘Vajarāsana’ represented Buddha. The image also showed many devas (angels) who were in question if Buddha had enlightened.
The craving in the middle showed the maintenance of the dhamma discipline by humans. These people left for heaven after passing away. Maṇḍārab flowers were falling from heaven. These flowers were brought from heaven by deva and brahma to salute dhamma. They know that Buddha is not the human body but Buddha’s teachings.
The right carving illustrated the Isipatane migadāye, a forest in Varanasi. It was the place where Buddha demonstrated the first dhamma, called dhammacakkappavattanasutta, to the five pañcavaggīya, making Mahā Aññākoṇḍaññaa attain sotāpanna and became the first bhikkhu in Buddhism. We could see the image of bhikkhu and four catuvaggīya who had not yet been sotāpanna. The dhammacakka (wheel) was a symbol for Buddha. King Asoka constructed the stupa, named Dhammekja sathūpa, at this place (in Varanasi city, India), where there is the pillar with four lion heads and dhammacakka. The four lions represented four catuvaggīya who had not been Bhikkhu.
From outside of Dhammavinaya gate, we saw Mahāsāla tree on the left. This tree was grown from the seed derived from Sālavanodayāna, the royal garden of King Malla of Kusinārā. We brought the little tree to plant here in Vatta Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha, Yasodharā Province, Thailand. Today, 20 years later, the tree grows bigger and is showing flowers for the first time, which is a symbol to respect Buddha.
The Mahāsāla tree on the right was grown from the seed derived from Lumbīnī, the birthplace of Buddha. We brought the tree here. This tree has not shown the flower.
Here, at Vatta Bhikkhunī Pāṭimokkha, we have Mahābhaddasāla trees invited to be here by Buddhacatuparisā Society (or the former Sikkha Dhamma Society at the Ministry of Industry). The double Mahāsāla trees at Dhammavinaya gate are from Lumbīnī, the birthplace of Buddha, and Kusinārā, the parinibbāna place, indicating that our group is in the theravāda lineage.