THADINGYUT is the 7th month of Myanmar twelve-month Luna calendar, corresponding to October.
Like other months, this month has the following characteristics: Its astrological name is Tula with the symbol of a man holding a balance.
The flower designated traditionally of this month is lotus (“Kya”). In almost all the aquatic bodies in the country, five different kinds of lotus bloom profusely.
They are (1) white lotus (2) red lotus (3) dark blue lotus (4) Padonma kya (5) Kya Ponnayeik Kya Moke seik. Of them, Padonma Kya is regarded as very sacred. Though they grow in muddy water, they are as clean and pure as they are fragrant and beautiful.
Four Padonma
Kya Four Padonma Kya with one budding Padonma kya bud in the middle symbolize the four Buddhas already enlightened: (1) Kakusandha (2) Konagamana (3) Kasyapa (4) Gotama. The bud represents the upcoming Buddha Ari Maitreya in our world of five Buddha circle.
The literal meaning of Thadingyut is being liberated from the Wah vows of religious rain retreat of three months of wet cultivation monks are bound by their Wah vows to stay inside their residential monasteries to devote themselves to teaching, practising, meditating. They may formally apply for leave of absence for emerging such as to attend a funeral of their father, mother, relative or to help people in their urgent need.
In Thadingyut monks are free to go about. Buddhist monks are peripetite. They are religious bound by three vows: (1) celibacy (2) poverty and (3) obedience. They have to be celibate. They have to be poor, i.e., owning not more than three sets of yellow robe. They have to obey the order of their senior monks to go anywhere, home or abroad, to propagate Buddhism and missionary works. Satupyitsaya or four basic needs (1) food (2) clothing (3) shelter and (4) medicine are provided by the king or state and public.
Thadingyut Light Festival is also known as Tavimsa Pwe or Semi Myint Mo Pwe. Lord Buddha who went up to Tavatimsa the kingdom of devas on the summit of Mt. Meru to preach Abidhamma to Sundusitha Deva , who was his mother Maha Maya in the previous life. He owed infinite debt of gratitude for his birth and breastfeed to his mother. So his soul went up to Tavatimsa and preached Abidhamma to Sundusitha Deva and all devas, including Sakka Deva and Brahmas. Human Buddha remained on earth.
On finishing his Abidhamma, preaching at the end of Lent, he told Sakka Deva that he would return to Earth. Whereupon Sakka Deva created three stairways, namely ruby stairway upon which the Buddha was to descend to earth (2) on the right was a gold stairway for devas to descend and the one on the left was a silver stairway for Sakka Deva to descend upon.
Several deities joined the great occasion
Several deities joined the great occasion by holding celestial regalia. Pancha Theinkha Deva with five hair knots playing the harp ‘Veluva’ singing songs of praise and devotion to honour Lord Buddha Matali Deva on the left carried flowers and fragrances to honour Lord Buddha. Suria Yama Deva carried Yak tail fly whisk Santussita Deva held the ruby-studded gold fan and Sakka Deva blew the Vizayttara conch shell to celebrate the occasion. All deities dwelling in the whole of universe also gathered to pay homage to Lord Buddha as best (as) they could. Three stairways being illuminated by the lights radiated from the deities led to the gateway of the capital city of Sankassa Nagana on earth.
When the Lord Buddha set foot upon Earth, the crowd that awaited at the city gate all paid obeisance to Lord Buddha and a grand ceremony was held to welcome and honour by lighting oil lamps while full slowly rose in the east.
To commemorate this great event in the life of Lord Buddha which took place on the full moon day of Thadingyut, Myanmar people hold the Tavatimsa Festival or Myint Moe Festival. Tavatimsa is said to be on the summit of Mount Myint Moe (Mt. Meru).
To commemorate this great event in the life of the Lord Buddha which took place on the fullmoon day of Thadingyut the Myanmar people hold Tawedeintha (Tavatimsa=Celestial abode) festival or Myint Mo festival because Tavatimsa is said to be on the summit of Mt. Myint Mo (Mt. Meru). Fantastic replica of Myint Mo is constructed artistically with the three stairways, and in the evening lights are lit on it. The event of the descent of the Lord Buddha accompanied by the deities is depicted with the statues and devotees pay reverence to the image of the Buddha in a descending posture on the middle stairway.
Mural paintings
Thadingyut light festival was depicted in the mural paintings of the Pagodas at Bagan and other old capitals. One particular fresco which vividly portrays the Tawedeintha Festival of the time is found on the inner wall of Myinkaba Ku Byauk Kyi Pagoda at Bagan. It is the scene of the descent of the Lord Buddha from Tavatimsa to the City of Sankassa. In other paintings are seen earthem oil lamps illuminating religious monuments. Earthern oil lamps called 'simee gwat' are small circular flat cups to contain some oil in which cotton wickers are soaked and lighted. Myanmar people still use them.
Later Myanmar kings also held Thadingyut light festival annually. Even though his kingdom was beset with political disasters, King Thibaw (A.D. 1878-85) the last Myanmar king did not neglect his duty of holding monthly festivals according to the Court traditions. Konbaung Set Maha Yaza Wun Taw Gyi Vol.3 (The Great Royal Chronicle of Konbaung Dynasty) mentions the following account of light festival held by King Thibaw in A.D. 1883:
'Simee Myint Mo' festival
"In accordance with the tradition of holding 'Simee Myint Mo' festival and royal ceremony in the month of Thadingyut, preparations were made, such as the construction of East Myint Mo and puppet stage north of Hluttaw, West Mying Mo and puppet stage in front of the Western Samok Saung Taw, four Tazaung Buildings and puppet stage at four Royal Yards, temporary palace on the rightside of Myay Nantaw and East Maze, Myint Mo and Maze on both sides of Western Somok Saung Taw, mechanically operated Parsee Theatre in front of the Southern Royal Theatre Hall, a puppet stage on wheel in front of it, puppet stages at 16 Pagodas, one life elephant fully caprisoned, four gold elephant dummies and one red elephant dummy to be made by the officers in charge of the workshops. Officers in charge of royal elephant stables were to keep in readiness the white and the red elephants and their attendants. Officers in charge of royal steeds were to keep in readiness the State Coaches. Officers in charge of royal flotilla were to keep in readiness royal rafts, boats, ships and sampans. Officers in charge of royal grannary (were to keep themselves in readiness for distributing paddy ration to the monasteries). Chinese, Indian, Siamese, and Linzin (Laotian) Officers in charge of illumination, set up rows of lights of different colours at 16 Pagodas, rows of coloured glass lanterns with candles along the road between the Palace and Maha Muni Shrine.
Pawa rana and Puja
Two serious ceremonies of Thadingyut are Pawa rana and Puja. The former is the ceremony performed by the monks. It is held at the end of the Buddhist Lent where a monk has to ask other monks to reprimand him for any sin he may have committed. This ceremony takes place every year on the full moon day of Thadingyut in the ordination hall of the monastery precincts. Before the ceremony takes place, the junior monks sweep the floor, clean the place, and fill the pots with drinking water. They also prepare seats for the monks to sit on. Then the monks led by the most senior monk assemble to perform the ceremony.
The origin of Pawa rana dates back to the lifetime of the Lord Buddha. While the Lord Buddha was residing in Jetavana vihara at Savatthi. Some monks observed their lent at a village in Kosala. These monks believed that unity and happiness among them could be achieved by not talking to one another because talking could cause argument and dispute. So they kept mum throughout the lent period. When the Lent was over they visited the Lord Buddha and paid homage to him. The Lord Buddha greeted them by asking after their health, happiness and unity during Lent. The monks exclained how they kept silent so as to gain unity and happiness.
The Lord Buddha objected to their method, saying that keeping mum was like a dumb and that kind of behaviour was disrespectable to the donors and supporters of Sangha. The monk who behaves like a dumb is sinful. The best way to achieve unity and happiness among monks was by means of Pawa rana - by inviting the monks to assemble and letting each monk by turn ask other monks to point out if he has been seen, heard or suspected of committing any sin, and if so, letting other monks reprimand the sinful monk. By so doing the sinful monk will be repented and pardoned and the monks will live in harmony, unity and happiness.
Making a devotional offering
The latter ceremony is performed by the laymen. "Puja " means worship or making a devotional offering. According to Buddhism there are five infinite debts of gratitude, the gratitude owed to the Buddha, the gratitude owed to the Dhamma (his teaching), the gratitude owed to the Sangha (the monks), the gratitude owed to the teachers, the gratitude owed to the parents. It is a religious obligation to worship and make devotional offering to them. In addition those who are senior in age, rank, and position, and those who have helped you while you are in difficulty should be respected worshipped and given due Puja. The full moon day of Thadingyut is an auspicious occasion for Myanmar Buddhists to visit the aged, the seniors, the teachers and true friends to pay them reverence and give them devotional gifts. In return they receive blessings and loving kindness from them. To the minors some pocket money may be given by the aged for their enjoyment of the Thadingyut festival. The festival of light in Thadingyut is an occasion for rejoicing and merry-making, but in essence it is an auspicious occasion for spiritual delight and merit-making
By Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt, Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja Sithu
