Duruthu Poya celebrates Gautama Buddha's first momentous visit to Sri Lanka twenty-five centuries ago and marks the country's initiation into the teachings
When the full moon spreads its light over the island of Sri Lanka, commercial activities cease and followers of Buddhist teachings engage in meditation and meritorious deeds. This is the first full moon Poya day of the year, in the month of Duruthu.
Duruthu Poya, the first visit of the Buddha to Sri Lanka
It was nine months after his Enlightenment, and his visit to Mahiyangana in the Uva province of Sri Lanka had a noble purpose. He wanted to restore peace and dispel war and violence. “To free the beautiful country from the evil that is the work of the Yakkhas,” states the Mahavamsa, an ancient chronicle that chronicles the impressive saga of this proud island nation.
The backdrop of this historic visit was that of hostility with the two main tribes the Yakkhas and the Nagas in constant confrontation. Buddhists believe that Sumana Saman supplicated Lord Buddha to end this conflict and restore peace, and for this purpose the Enlightened One arrived at Mahiyangana Mahanaga Grove on a Duruthu Full Moon Poya day.
There legend relates that Lord Buddha stood before the gathering of Yakkhas, emitting a halo of rainbow light from his body. They, however, thought him to be an invader and their soldiers took up arms. It was through his supreme supernatural powers that peace was brought and the Yakkhas were subjugated. Then the Blessed One preached the message of peaceful coexistence to those who flocked to hear his words.
One of them was Sumana Saman who attained Sotapanna (Sovan) (the first of the four paths/stages leading to Nirvana) and he begged Lord Buddha to give him a relic once he left them. Some locks of Lord Buddha's hair (Kesa Dhathu) were placed in a golden casket which Sumana Saman enshrined in a small stupa built on the site where all this happened, now known as Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihara. This monument goes down in the annals of this country's history as the first stupa built in Sri Lanka.
After the Parinirvana of Lord Buddha in 543 BC, the relic of the collarbone (Greeva Dhathu) which was recovered from the funeral pyre was brought to Sri Lanka by Arahant Sarabha Thera. This too was enshrined in the newly expanded Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihar.
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Today in Sri Lanka there is the full moon of Duruthu. On this day, Buddha first came to the island, bringing peace to the island that has endured ever since. #mythology #myth #legend #duruthupoya #buddha #srilanka
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