Mettavalokanaya Buddhist Magazine - December 13 2016

The Seven Weeks After Enlightenment
All Buddhists as well as others are aware that after
enlightenment Buddha spent the next seven weeks at seven
different places. Pilgrims from all over the world come to
Bodh Gaya and venerate the seven places by offering flowers,
lighting oil lamps, incense sticks and reciting stanzas. Yet how
many are aware of the inner true meaning of the seven weeks
the Enlightened One spent after enlightenment? The stanza
says,
The First Week - At Bodh Gaya pilgrims who visit will
pay homage to the Bodhi Tree by offering flowers, lighting oil
lamps, burning incense sticks and recitation of the stanzas.
They will also worship the seat at the base of the tree stated to
have been used by Buddha. However the great majority would
limit their veneration to the ritual aspects without trying to
fathom the depth of the occasion or the inner understanding
of the actual situation. It is also customary for devotees to
observe the eight precepts while venerating the seven places.
It is stated that after enlightenment Buddha stayed the
first week at the base of Bodhi (BODHI MULE NISIDATHI). What
is the base of Bodhi, is it the base of the Ficus Religiosa tree?
To understand, we need to delve deeper into the Dhamma.
At the end of the first week, on the final night Buddha in the
first watch delved into the co-dependent origination. Then
he saw that all things (Dhamma) are dependently originated.
When this is there this arise, when this is born this is born.
In the middle watch he noted that all things, when this is
not there this is not there, when this is ceased this ceases. In
the morning watch he introspected in both the forward and
backward directions simultaneously, this arises when this is
there and this ceases when this is not there.
Then Buddha uttered these stanzas, “To the Brahmana
(the Arahath) who is meditating with energy, to him there
it arises that all things arise because of a cause - To the
Brahmana who is meditating with energy, to him there it
arises that when the cause is not there the resultant too is not
there - To the Brahmana who is meditating with energy will
disperse away the ten armies of Mara just as the morning sun
will brighten up the dark sky.”
This in itself is the essence and the basis of codependent
origination. We worldly people know to recite
the 12 resultants arising from the dependent causality.
Those are the results but here on the first week after
enlightenment the Enlightened One dwelled on the
very principle of co-dependent origination. In other
words this is the very base of knowledge (Bodhi). Thus
it should be seen that the Buddha in the first week after
enlightenment dwelled looking at the very base on
it all, co-dependent origination. Thus we say
BODHI MULE NISIDATHI seated at the base of
realization, the co-dependent origination.
The things or Dhamma are the 12 things
in the co-dependent origination (Patichcha
Samupppada). To the Brahmin (the Buddha
or Arahath) who is meditation with energy
and strength it becomes fully clear that the
12 things or Dhamma that arise are purely
on the basis of co-dependency
principle. Indeed, when a person
becomes a stream enterer (Sothapanna), the person realizes
this foundation, “Yan kinchi samudaya dhamman, sabbanthan
nirodha dhamman”, that the twelve things as evident in codependent
origination arise and cease.
“ITHI IMASMIN SATHI, IDAN HOTHI, IMASSA UPPADA
IDAN UPPAJJATHI”. When this is present this arises, when this
is born, this is born. In short it all happens then and there. This
is different to the modern science where it is about when this
is there, that arises.
The Second Week - The location where Buddha spent
the second week after enlightenment is in the area in front
of the temple, to its left. This week it is said that the Buddha
spent whole week looking at the Bodhi Tree without blinking
his eyes. In the veneration of Dhamma the stanza speaks of
wise realizing this Dhamma through self. Thus here too we
must dwell deeper into the situation.
In explaining the conditioned in Dhamma it is stated,
“Bhikkus, the conditioned have in it these three, what are
these three? There appears arising, there appears ceasing and
what is seen as permanent there is this and that”. This means
that in the conditioned even this permanence visualization is
a case of being this and that simultaneously or in other words
this constant change and not permanence. It is also said that
this arising and ceasing (birth & death) occurs faster than the
blinking of the eye. Buddha is one who is beyond birth and
death and during this week it can be seen that he was delving
into the realization or the enlightenment. Thus the Buddha
spent the second week in the realization of Nibbana where
there is no birth or death. Thus we say the second week he
spent in expression of his gratitude to the Ficus Religiosa
tree which gave the shelter. From a deeper perspective it can
clearly be understood that Buddha spent the second week
in the super mundane aspect of the Nibbana of no birth or
death.
Suppose an eminent scientist finds something new
after much research, he or she will delve into that again
and again to relook at it. In the same way it can be seen
that Buddha too looked into his self realization of the
truth. It is also stated that given the deep and profound
nature of the realization, the Enlightened One once did
wonder whether the worldly people would be able to
understand such a profound and deep truth.
Third Week - The location where the Buddha
spent the third week after enlightenment is seen
to the left of the temple. It is said that in the third
week Buddha with his omniscient knowledge created
another Buddha and the two of them walked
in the opposite direction to each other.
This means that both the Enlightened
One and the created Buddha walked
alone in direction opposite to each
other.
What is the inner super mundane
significance of this? To understand the
higher significance one must dwell
into the “DWAYATHANUPASSANA
SUTTA”. This person together
with the second person of
14 fu;a;djf,dalkh I foieïn¾ I 2016
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