This day comes one week after the Magha full moon. Magha Puja "Sangha Day" remembers several great events in the life of the Buddha: his appointment of his chief disciples, his teaching of the "Ovada Patimokkha," and in his 80th year of life, his announcement of his impending Mahaparinibbana after three months time.

 

This leads into another very great event: the Parinibbana of Arahant Mahapajapati Gotami, the foster mother of the Buddha, and the founding mother of the Bhikkhuni Sangha together with hundreds of the founding bhikkhuni arahantas. On the Magha full moon Mahapajapati Gotami decided her Parinibbana (final nirvana), and commenced seven straight days offering her final teachings. A large number of her awakened bhikkhuni companions who had ordained together with her, thirty years before, decided they would follow her in this final release. 

 

Then, on the Atthami Uposatha, the lunar eighth day, which is the half moon day following the Magha full moon – the great arahanti Maha Gotami Theri and the Courageous Founding 500 Great Arahanti Bhikkhunis entered their final nirvana (their Parinibbana) together.

 

The texts tell us that this event was more grand, even, than the final nirvana of the Buddha, because the Buddha himself was in attendance. The Buddha asked Mahapajapati to display miracles, to dispel the wrong view of any who doubt that women can penetrate the Dhamma. The gods themselves mourned her, and carried her body to the funeral pyre. The Buddha himself offered Maha Gotami’s eulogy, her cremains held in her alms bowl in his hands, before their enshrinement in a stupa in Vaishali (Vesali).