Feb 26th Magha Full Moon Mahapajapati Parinibbana Day: Dhammadharini Winter Retreat Uposatha program (No. 4 of 6)
Friends of Dhammadharini
Warm greetings, dear Venerable monastics & Dhamma friends -
As the moon waxes growing bright, we look forward to the upcoming Magha Full Moon "Sangha Day" this coming Friday Feb 26th. This full moon is a special day in Buddhism for the Sangha, the lunar anniversary of the first spontaneous reunion of the early Sangha of arahants with the Buddha, the Buddha's teaching of the Ovada Patimokkha, his appointment of chief disciples, and his transmission of the ability to offer full acceptance into the monastic Sangha to his disciples. We will also be remembering and commemorating the Parinibbana of the great disciple of the Buddha, our Bhikkhuni foremother Mahapajapati Gotami Theri, together with the founding 500 Theris, this coming full moon. Warm welcome to join us on this special full moon day and night.
Mahapajapati Gotami is said to have decided her Parinibbana (final Nirvana) at the time of the Buddha's own announcement of his own impending great final passing (Maha Parinibbana) on the Magha/February full moon. According to the texts,[1,2] after offering final teachings for seven days straight, the great arahanti Maha Gotami Theri and the great 500 entered Parinibbana together on the eighth day lunar quarter following the Magha full moon. This year, the actual day, the eighth day (the Māghamāsaṁ Kaṇhapakkhaṁ Aṭṭhamī Uposatha or in full Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī saddhiṃ Mahārahantī Pañcasatabhikkuṇīparivārehi Parinibbāṇaṃ Aṭṭhamī in Pāli), will be on March 5th. We will commemorate this day all together on the Sangha Day Magha Full Moon also known as Magha Puja "Sangha Day" in Thai Theravada traditions and in Sri Lanka "Navam Poya" during our Winter Retreat time Full Moon Uposatha program.
Mahapajapati Gotami Theri "Fear Not" blessing image at Sunnata Bhikkhuni Arama Vietnam
This Full Moon is the second to last of our winter retreat - the next full moon will be on the last day of our Winter Retreat.
Our Uposatha program consists of Refuges & Precepts in the morning and Meditation & Dhamma Sharing in the evening (California time). You are welcome to join for one or both parts.
This Uposatha, for Refuges & Precepts, we will again be joined by special guest teacher Ayya Sudhamma, while our venerable Ayya Sucitta is in her personal retreat time. Thank you, Ayya Sudhamma, for joining us!
Ayya Sucitta will be back with us again next New Moon Uposatha. Also next New Moon Uposatha, Ayya Tathaloka will be in her period of silent, secluded winter retreat, and we will be joined for our evening Meditation & Dhamma program by Ayya Khema's disciple Dhamma & Meditation teacher Leigh Brasington, facilitated by Ayya Sobhana. We very much appreciate Leigh's willingness to offer this for our community!
This Friday Feb 26th Uposatha Programs:
8:30am: Join Ven. Sudhamma Theri to undertake the Three Refuges and the Uposatha Eight Precepts.
7pm-8:30pm: Join Ven. Tathaloka Theri for meditation, Dhamma talk, and Dhamma discussion.
The times given here are in Pacific Standard Time, please see the Time Zone Converter to find your local time and date. (If you are on the other side of the world from California, the evening Meditation and Dhamma program will be on your Feb 13th morning.)
You may join the Uposatha program via Zoom for live interactive or watch on Dhammadharini Monastery's Youtube. Please do not post the Zoom info on social media - thank you; you are welcome to share Dhammadharini's Youtube or posts on Dhammadharini's Facebook here. If you know anyone who would like to join in, you can point them to this page to register.
Join via Dhammadharini Monastery's Youtube
(you can also see the past 3 Uposatha meditations and Dhamma talks here):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN7xaB8XO8Iq-FAhcDPWe2g
Join Zoom Meeting: Winter Observance Days with Dhammadharini:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89462927664?pwd=clgxekdKVmRZWEFNbWxQQUg1R0JBZz09
Zoom Meeting ID: 894 6292 7664
Passcode: 7692 (this spells "POYA" on your phone keypad)
One tap mobile
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Dial by your location
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Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbvcS7lun4
These programs are offered freely as pure gifts of Dhamma Dana. Thanks to everyone near and far who has offered the support that makes these offerings possible!
If you wish to join in the merits of offering a gift of Sangha Dana for the Magha Full Moon or in commemoration of Mahapajapati Gotami and our founding Bhikkhuni Sangha, you can find helpful info to make your gift here: dhammadharini.net/support.
Wishing you a happy Sangha Day Magha Full Moon full moon, with much metta to all,
~ friends of Dhammadharini
P.S. Welcome to share these Uposatha program postcards below with anyone who you think might like to know.
![Magha Puja Mahapajapati Parinibbana Day Feb 26 2021_Dhammadharini [Tathaloka].jpg](https://groups.google.com/group/dhammadharini/attach/33a7c85f0da47/Magha%20Puja%20Mahapajapati%20Parinibbana%20Day%20Feb%2026%202021_Dhammadharini%20%5BTathaloka%5D.jpg?part=0.1&view=1)
![Magha Puja Mahapajapati Parinibbana Day Feb 26 2021_Dhammadharini [Sudhamma].jpg](https://groups.google.com/group/dhammadharini/attach/33a7c85f0da47/Magha%20Puja%20Mahapajapati%20Parinibbana%20Day%20Feb%2026%202021_Dhammadharini%20%5BSudhamma%5D.jpg?part=0.2&view=1)