ESALA POYA DAY

Esala poya falls on the full moon in the eighth lunar month, which is July, commemorating numerous significant events in Buddha sāsana. It signifies the conclusion of the Buddha’s [after the enlightenment] first sermon ‘Dammachacca Sutta’ which is known as ‘Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion’ which was delivered at Isipathana deer park as the paramount incident among others. At the same time the literature records the conception of Prince ‘Siddhārtha’ [Bodhisattva] in Queen ‘Mahamāya’ Devi’s womb. In spite of the fact that the birth of the most important person in his life, prince ‘Siddhārtha’ donned the robes of an ascetic and went in search of Enlightenment or Buddhahood as he had become disillusioned with lay life. This significant incident is nominated as ‘The Great Renunciation’. After the enlightenment with a deep sense of gratitude the Buddha visited ‘Tautisa Divya Loka’ which is said to be believed as an abode of Gods, in order to preach ‘Abhidhamma’ to his late mother, presently born as the ‘Matru Divya Rāja’.

The Buddha performed the ‘Yamaka Mahā Prathihārya’ or the Twin Miracles on an Esala poya day to assure his Buddhahood to the proud, older Sakya clansmen. He rose into the air and walked over and he made flames come out of the upper part of his body and water from the lower part. Then he reversed the process. Then, the Buddha made fire come out of the right side of his body and water from the left side of his body. He also emitted six resplendent rays of light from his body.

Handing over the authority of the Most Reverend Tooth Relic of the Buddha to Sri Lanka by Then king of Kālinga, King ‘Guhasīva’ is a momentousness in the history of Sri Lanka. King Guhasiva being a devout Buddhist, greatly feared that the Hindu kings would try to destroy the Sacred Tooth Relic. Therefore, he instructed his daughter, Princess ‘Hemamālā’ and her husband Prince ‘Danta’ to take the Sacred Tooth Relic to Sri Lanka where it would be safe with the King of Sri Lanka who too was a devout Buddhist. Princess ‘Hemamala’ disguised herself as an ordinary woman hiding

the Sacred Tooth Relic in her hair. They left the port Tamalitti of Kalinga and sailed to Lanka and landed at Lankapattana. From here they walked to Anuradhpura and handed over the Sacred Tooth Relic to King Kithsirimevan (AD 303-331). The King Kirthi Sri Meghavarna was blissful to receive the Sacred Tooth Relic and kept it for a few days in a monastery, called Meghagiri, the present Isurumuni Viharaya. Subsequently, The Sacred Tooth Relic was taken annually to Abhayagiri Viharaya in a grand procession and kept there for three months. It is presumed that this procession could be the origin of today’s annual Esala Dalada Perahera held in Kandy and associated with the Dalada Maligawa. The Perahera is held in August.