Esala Poya

  

Esala Full Moon Poya is very important in the Buddhist calendar. It was on the Esala Full Moon Poya Day the Buddha arrived at the deer park of Isipathana to preach Dhamma to Ven. Kondangna, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama and Assaji, the five ascetics. The Buddha delivered His first discourse Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta to them. At the end, the eldest Kondangna Thera attained the first stage of sainthood. According to Buddhist history, many significant events had taken place on the Esala Full Moon Poya Day. Among them, the conception of Prince Siddartha in Queen Mahamaya’s womb occurred on the Esala Full Moon Poya Day. Buddhist literature reveals that a thousand years ago Queen Mahamaya, in one of her previous lives had the same unusual dream on an Esala Full Moon Poya Day.

It was on this day that King Suddhodana, Prince Siddartha’s father was conveyed the happy news by Queen Mahamaya, the mother of Prince Siddartha. The Queen had woken up early in the morning and informed the King about this. The King had a deep thought of the dream and knew that a great person was conceived in Queen Mahamaya’s womb. According to the dream, four guardian deities of the world carried the Queen in a beautiful couch to the snow clad foothills of the Himalayan Mountain Range, where a white baby elephant that had a white lotus flower in its trunk walked thrice round the couch of the sleeping Queen Mahamaya. Thereafter, the baby elephant entered into her womb from the right side of the abdomen. The dream came to an end and the Queen was suddenly awakened. The next morning Queen Mahamaya revealed everything about the previous night’s dream to King Suddhodana. The King realised that the dream indicated a good news, the conception of a very great person to the world. It was the Esala Full Moon Poya Day, Queen Mahamaya was conceived Bodisattva. The King and the Queen did not have a child for 20 years. Therefore, the happy news was a joyful event not only for the King and the Queen, but the maids and other workers employed in the King’s palace. The Prince was born on the Vesak Full Moon Poya Day.

History reveals that the month of Vesak was introduced to the Buddhist calendar during the Vishaka Era. Prince Siddartha was also born in a month belonged to the Vishaka Era. It was the fifth month according to the Roman calendar. The three significant incidents in the life of the Buddha, the Birth, enlightenment and the passing away took place on the same Full Moon Poya Day during the Vishaka era. Therefore, Buddhists call it as the Vesak Full Moon Poya Day. Prince Siddartha’s mother, Queen Mahamaya pass