International Abhidhamma Divas

About International Abhidhamma Divas:

• Abhidhamma Divas commemorates the day when Lord Buddha descended from the celestial realm, Tāvatiṃsa-devaloka, to Sankassiya (now Sankisa Basantapur) in Uttar Pradesh.
• The Asokan Elephant Pillar, a historical marker at the site, marks this significant event.
  • According to Theravāda Buddhist texts, Lord Buddha spent three months teaching the Abhidhamma to the deities in Tāvatiṃsa, including his mother.
• The celebration of Abhidhamma Divas coincides with the end of the first Rainy Retreat (Vassa) and the Pavāraņā festival, a time when monks and nuns conclude their retreat period with a ceremony.
• This year International Abhidhamma Divas washosted by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).
• Teachings of Abhidhamma
  • The Abhidhamma adopts a specialized and analytical approach to explore reality.
  • It offers a detailed framework for understanding the nature of existence, addressing the processes of birth, death, and mental phenomena in a precise and abstract manner.
  • The four ultimate realities in the Abhidhamma are: "citta" (consciousness), "cetasika" (mental factors), "rūpa" (materiality), and "nibbāna" (final liberation).

Q1: What is Pavarana-festival?

According to Theravada, it is a significant Buddhist ceremony that marks the conclusion of the Rainy season retreat for monks. During this festival, monks express gratitude, seek forgiveness from one another, and invite members of the monastic community to point out any faults. 

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