15 Wonders of the Buddha (Monlam Chenmo)

Monlam Chenmo is a two-week period during which the Buddha performed various miracles. The two weeks of holy days are observed with the Tibetan Great Prayer Festival beginning on Tibetan New Year, and, on the final day - the Day of Miracles - many fesitvals and rituals are held.

The Great Prayer Festival was established in Tibet in 1409 by Lama Tsongkhapa to commemorate Shakyamuni Buddha’s performance of miracles at Shravasti. According to the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish, six great Hindu teachers, representing the six great schools of Hinduism, challenged Shakyamuni Buddha to a competition of miracles. Typically the Buddha purposely avoided displays of powers because people are easily interested in mundane powers instead of practicing Dharma.

However, through his clairovoyance, he understood they wouldn’t be subdued unless he performed the miracles, so he outdid them for 15 days, and the six scholars converted to Buddhism. The main purpose of the Great Prayer Festival is to pray for the long life of all the holy Gurus of all traditions, for the survival and spreading of the dharma in the minds of all sentient beings, and for world peace.

This is how the tradition of the story of the creation of miracles. Soon after the Buddha began preaching his doctrine, he had many disciples. Six monks ascetics who left the disciples, who became disciples of the Buddha, they hated him for it, and began to publicly mock the Master, showing around the different miracles to prove his innocence. The Buddha did not pay attention to them, but the disciples once asked him to confound these false teachers who were causing others only evil and anxiety. Buddha agreed. It was chosen place - Shravasti, where he made his 15 miracles: the miracle of one day creating itself worldwide fame.

On the first day of the first month of spring, he stuck a toothpick in his own land, and from it grew a huge tree, overshadowing crown the whole sky, the sun and moon. On the branches of a tree hung a huge fruit, like vessels, accommodating five buckets of water.

On the second day wave of his hand Buddha created on both sides by high mountains themselves with growing fruit trees on them. On the right hand of the Buddha people gathered and ate these wonderful fruits, and to the left of his herds.

On the third day the Buddha rinsed his mouth with water and spit out the water on the ground. The water immediately turned into a beautiful lake, where huge lotuses bloom, its fragrance filled the whole neighborhood.

On the fourth day at the behest of the Buddha from the lake there was a loud voice that preached the sacred teachings of the Buddha.

On the fifth day the Buddha smiled, and his smile spread out the light in the three thousand worlds. All to whom fell the light, become blessed.

On the sixth day, all followers of the Buddha come to know each other's thoughts and learned about the reward that awaits them in the future for the committed sins and virtues.

On the seventh day the Buddha appeared before the disciples surrounded by kings and rulers of the world, who, together with his entourage paid homage to him praise and accolades. All the while, the false teachers were quite powerless to make any miracle, their thoughts were confused, languages ​​numb feelings were suppressed.

On the eighth day the Buddha touched his right hand to the throne on which he sat, and before him there were five ferocious monsters: they began to destroy the seats of false teachers, and appeared deity Vajrapani shooed his vajra apostates - a formidable weapon, like lightning. After that 91 thousand admirers of the false teachers went over to the Buddha.

On the ninth day the Buddha was brought before the others growing up to heaven and preaches the Doctrine inhabitants of all the worlds.

On the tenth day of the Buddha is visible simultaneously in all the kingdoms of the material world and preached his teachings in them.

On the eleventh day of the Buddha's body turned to the light, which filled its radiance thousand worlds.

On the twelfth day of the Buddha's body he left a golden beam that illuminated the kingdom of three thousand worlds. Everyone who touched this light, imbued with the Buddha's teachings.

On the thirteenth day of the Buddha he gave up from the navel of the two beams, which rose to a height of seven fathoms; each ray was crowned with a lotus flower. Then these lotuses were reflections of the Buddha, which is also emitted by the two beams ending lotus - and they appeared reflection of the Buddha. It was not until as long as the lotus and Buddha did not fill the entire universe.

On the fourteenth day of the Buddha he created a huge wave of the hand cart, which has reached the world of the gods. From it formed many such chariots, and each one is a reflection Buddha. Shine comes from these reflections, light filled all the worlds.

On the fifteenth day of the Buddha filled with food all the vessels that were in the city. The food in each container differ in taste and people ate it with pleasure. The Buddha then hand touched the ground: the earth opened and they saw hell, where the suffering souls of those who sought to obtain from life only pleasure. Who saw the hell were troubled, and again continued to preach the Buddha gathered his teaching.