A country’s history is changed by a simile of an elephant’s footprint
It was on a Poson Poya that Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera visited Lanka with an entourage of four arahants, Sumana samanera (novice) and Banduka upasaka, (lay devotee). The son of Emperor Ashoka of India decided to come to Lanka as an emissary when Prince Tissa ascended the throne, as he realised King Mutasiva, Tissa’s father was too old to comprehend the Buddha Dhamma.
Arriving in the island, the Maha Thera stood upon the Missaka Rock in Mihintale and seeing King Tissa on a deer hunt called out his name.
The king looked up in surprise, as no one would dare call him by his name. Awed at the sight of the serene yellow robed figure, he dropped his bow and arrow. The Maha Thera said he had been sent by his friend Emperor Ashoka from Jambudvipa (India) and as the Emperor had embraced Buddhism he was keen that King Tissa too should listen to the Buddha Dhamma.
Before the Maha Thera delivered a discourse, he wished to test the king’s intelligence to check whether he would be able to understand the profound Buddha Dhamma. Seeing a mango tree where the king stood, the Arahant Thera posed many questions in the form of a riddle about the mango tree and many other trees. This is believed to be the first IQ test in the world!
The King answered the questions intelligently. Satisfied with the King’s intellect, the Arahant Thera delivered the discourse Culahatthipadopama Sutta – (the shorter Elephant footprint simile), first delivered by the Buddha to a Brahmin.
Buddha was in Jetavanarama in the city of Savatthi. At that time, Brahmin Janussoni and Vathsiyayana Pilotika paribrajaka (wandering mendicant) had a dialogue where Pilotika spoke of the virtues of Gothama Buddha. Janussoni asked Pilotika the reason for praising the Buddha and as he was not satisfied with Pilotika’s explanation, he went to meet the Buddha to ascertain for himself the Buddha’s wisdom. Janussoni informed the Buddha of the dialogue he had with Pilotika. Buddha then explained the two discourses, Culahatthipadopama sutta and Mahahattipadopama sutta to him with an example of an elephant’s footprints and Janussoni the Brahmin became a lay follower of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.
Of these two suttas, Arahant Mahinda Thera chose Culahatthipadopama sutta to explain the Dhamma to King Devanampiyatissa. Following these teachings the king embraced Buddhism and became a very pious king to be known as Devanampiyatissa. His contribution to the Buddha Sãsana changed an entire nation. His countrymen too embraced Buddhism which changed the entire social structure of the island.
Arahant Mahinda Thera’s visit paved the way for his sister Sanghamitta too to come to Lanka with a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi. Thousands of women were ordained by her as bhikkhunis to establish the bhikkhuni sãsana. The Buddha sãsana has a fourfold group-bhikkhu (monks), bhikkhuni (nuns), upasaka (laymen) and upasika (laywomen). But at present, bhikkhunis in Sri Lanka are not given their due place, and are called Mehenin wahansas, which deviates from the fourfold sãsana which the Buddha established.
Upasampada (high ordination) ceremonies usually commence on Vesak Poya in May and end on Poson Poya, the Most Ven. Dimbulkumbure Wimaladhamma, Anunayaka Thera of the Malwatte vihara told the Sunday Times.
“However, this year due to the Adhi Poya (extra Poya), the upasampada of monks at Malwatte and Asgiriya viharas will commence on Poson Poya, June 3 and end with Adhi Esala Poya on July 3. If there are bhikkhus who were unable to complete the upasampada due to ill health or any other reason such as reaching the required age limit, the upasampada will be extended for about two weeks more,” the Anunayaka Thera said.
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