The fulfilment of the 2600th year of the dispensation of
the Thathagatha falls on the full moon day of Vesak in
2012 A.D. (588+2012 = 2600). This is not only a historic
occasion for celebration all over the Buddhist world. It
also marks the beginning of a great renaissance, or a
spiritual revival.
The birth of the Bodhisatva, the true Victor’s
enlightenment, and the attainment of Supreme Bliss of
the Thathagatha, are the three great events in the
history of the Buddhist world. It is difficult to
comprehend with our finite knowledge, the true nature of
the great spiritual illumination, that took place on the
full-moon-day of Vesak 2598 years ago, when the
wandering prince became freed from the shackles of birth
and death, and attained the realm of absolute wisdom,
under the sacred ‘Esathu Bo’ tree. During the lifetime
of the Thathagatha, the followers reckoned the Buddhist
Era, from the attainment of Bodhi, with due preference
to the year of inception of the dispensation from
Migadhaya, in its true splendour. Subsequently, sometime
after the attainment of the Supreme Bliss by the Master,
the followers reckoned the Buddhist era from the year of
Parinibbana of the Master.
Those who follow the Sanskrit tradition of the Northern
sector-Nepal, Tibet, China and Japan etc. believe that
the Master attained Supreme Bliss in 386 B.C., while the
followers of the Pali tradition of the Southern sector -
Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand etc. believe it to be in 544
B.C., in keeping with the data given in ‘Deepavamsa’ and
‘Mahavamsa’ the two great chronicles of Sri Lanka.
Scholars like Max Muller, William Geiger, V.A. Smith and
many others who computed according to sources from many
lands determine that, the year in question should be
somewhere in 477,483 and 486 B.C. respectively.
Anagarika Dharmapala, one of the most erudite and
authoritative personalities of his day on the sublime
teaching of the Thathagatha, and history of the Buddhist
civilization, commemorated the 2500th year of the
dispensation of the Master, on the full-moon day of
Vesak in 1912 AD (588 + 1912 = 2500), by placing of a
memorial pillar at Saranath; translation of Pali
Tripitaka into ‘Nagari’ language, for easy propagation
of the Sublime teaching in its land of birth; and making
formal steps for the formation of a Buddhist temple in
London, to spread the sublime teaching of the Master in
the West.
Traditions
The followers of the Northern and Southern traditions
joined hands together, and ‘The World Fellowship of
Buddhists, at its third world conference of 1954 held in
Rangoon, agreed to accept the year 1956 AD as the 2500th
year (544+1956) of the Parinibbana of the Thathagatha,
irrespective of the differences in their chronicles.
This great event of the Buddhist Era was celebrated on
the Full-moon-day of Vesak, and throughout the whole
year, all over the Buddhist world.
This great occasion was commemorated in Burma with the
inauguration of a New International Buddhist University,
and the fourth Buddhist Council too was conducted with
the participation of other Buddhist countries. On
successful completion of it, the new Pali canon was
printed by them in several international languages. A
Higher Educational Institution was established in Laos
for the monks to learn the sublime teaching, and the
Pali language. Cambodia too, set up a university for the
monks. Thailand planted 2500 Esathu Bo trees, wherein a
‘National Centre for the Buddhists’ was erected. Sri
Lanka translated the Pali canon into Sinhala language
for easy reference of the practitioners. Korea, China
and Japan also celebrated the occasion in a grand manner
with others.
In the ‘Devatha Samyuktha’ of the ‘Samyuktha Nikaya’,
the two ‘Suththas’ namely ‘Chando’ and ‘Suriyo describe
two eclipses of the moon and the sun, occurred while the
Thathagatha dwelt at Jethavanaramaya in Saranath; a
monumental astronomical guide published in Vienna by
Oppelzer in 1887, ‘Cander Finis Fernisse’ guide the
astronomer to identify and trace these past heavenly
phenomena todate, most accurately. A lunar eclipse
occurred on 29/12/560 B.C., and a solar eclipse occurred
on 14/01/559 B.C. Both were partially visible over ‘Savaththi’.
This confirms the description given in the ‘Samyuktha
Nihaya’. The results obtained from the astronomical
guide confirm that, the two eclipses in question, had
taken place 15 years prior to the widely accepted year
of Parinibbana i.e. 543 B.C., when the Master was 66. If
we take one of the dates given by the scholars i.e. 483
B.C. as the year of Parinibbana, with the astrological
guide, these eclipses had taken place 76 years prior to
that year. Prince Siddhartha was 9 years old at the time
of the manifestation of the eclipses over ‘Savaththi’.
This testifies that the year 543 B.C. was the accurate
year of the Parinibbana of the Thathagatha. Dr. Abaya
Ariyasinghe enlightened the public over the media about
this finding few decades ago.
Buddhist traditions
The late Ven. Ananda Maithreeya Maha Thera well versed
in both Northern and Southern Buddhist traditions,
enlightened the public on this aspect through the media
few decades ago. According to the Maha Thera the birth
of prince Siddhartha falls on a full moon day i.e.
Sunday of Vesak, in 623 B.C. (the 2478th year of
Kaliyuga, kataka Lagna, Sinha Navamsaka, Veesa Nekatha
at 11.04 a.m. in Kapilavasthupura, with the formation of
planets Jupiter -1, Rahu -3, Moon -4, Mars -7, Saturn
-8, Venus and Kethu -9, Mercury -10, Sun -11, with
Nawamsaka - Jupiter -1, Kethu and Mercury -2, Saturn -3,
Venus -6, Sun -7, Rahu -8, Mars -9 and Moon -10)
According to the Maha Thera he confirmed these data, on
consultation with eminent persons well versed in the
subject, in India. These are in accord with the
‘Ka-Kayur’ and ‘Kumara Nadi’ consulted by him,
thereafter Dr. Saddamangala Karunarathne, after
inspecting the inscription of King Upathissa the first,
confirmed that the said inscription carried the most
ancient record of the Buddhist Era, and it attested that
the Parinibbana of the Thathagatha occurred in 543 B.C.
Dr. Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater, both eminent
occultists as well as psychics of repute, confirmed that
prince Siddhartha was born in 623 B.C. attained
spiritual illumination in 588 B.C; at the age of 36; and
attained Supreme Bliss in 543 B.C. at the age of 81, on
fulfilment of 45 years of strenuous service to all
beings, who were ready for the sublime truth revealed.
While searching through “Akasic’ records by psychic
means, many previous existences of some of their
colleagues, who were associates of the Thathagatha,
during the period, they found these data.
Historic occasion
The fulfilment of the 2600th year of the dispensation of
the Thathagatha falls on the full moon day of Vesak in
2012 A.D. (588+2012 = 2600). This is not only a historic
occasion for celebration all over the Buddhist world. It
also marks the beginning of a great renaissance, or a
spiritual revival. The teaching of the Thathagatha is
not the privilege of a limited sector of followers. The
intrinsic message of the Master, belongs to all beings
in the entire cosmos. It is the one and only way for the
cessation of all suffering. It transcends Northern,
Southern and all other traditions formed later. The true
spirit of the sublime teaching of the Master, and its
contribution since then, to the civilizations of past
and present, can be ascertained, by a proper study of
its growth from all points of view. The profound
teaching of the Master, has been obscured and distorted
by the later formations of over-zealous followers.
Although, the principles differ in various schools, the
dominating splendour of the personal example of the
Thathagatha, stands above them all.
This is indeed a rare opportunity and privilege,
bestowed upon those leading personalities to participate
in the celebration of the 2600th anniversary of the
dispensation of this great teacher of the first order,
who shed enlightenment on the three realms of being. The
Thathagatha left for us a universally esteemed teaching,
which has so well contributed to the establishment of
world peace, for the advancement of humanity.
පුර අටවක
පසෙලාස්වක
අව
අටවක
අමාවක