Why "Nagadeep" in Sri Lanka Important ?

Gautama Buddha's second visit to Sri Lanka was on the Bak Full Moon Poya Day, five years after his Enlightenment.

He visited the island to settle a dispute between two Naga kings, Mahodara and Chulodara, over the possession of a gem-studded throne.

The Nagas were a race of semi-divine beings who lived in the water.

They were said to be very powerful and could control the weather.

Mahodara was the king of the Nagas in Nagadeepa, which is the name given to the entire Jaffna Peninsula in the Mahavamsa, the ancient chronicle of Sri Lanka. Chulodara was his nephew.

The two kings were arguing over who should own the gem-studded throne.

Mahodara claimed that the throne belonged to him because it had been passed down to him from his ancestors.

Chulodara claimed that the throne belonged to him because his mother had inherited it from her father.

The dispute was causing a lot of unrest among the Nagas.

They were preparing for war, and many people were afraid that there would be a great deal of bloodshed.

The Buddha heard about the dispute and decided to intervene.

He travelled to Nagadeepa and met with the two kings.

He listened to their arguments and then spoke to them about the importance of peace and non-violence.

The Buddha told the kings that the throne was not worth fighting over.

He said that it was only a material object and that it could not bring them true happiness.

He urged them to resolve their dispute peacefully and to live in harmony with each other.

The two kings were impressed by the Buddha's wisdom and compassion.

They agreed to his terms and put aside their differences.

The Buddha then blessed them and left Nagadeepa.

The Buddha's second visit to Sri Lanka is considered to be a significant event in the history of the island.

It is said that his visit helped to spread the message of peace and non-violence and that it laid the foundation for the development of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

The place where the Buddha met with the two kings is now known as the Nagadipa Purana Vihara.

It is a Buddhist temple that is located in the Jaffna Peninsula.

The temple is said to enshrine the gem-studded throne that was the subject of the dispute between the two kings.

The Bak Full Moon Poya Day is still celebrated in Sri Lanka as a day of peace and non-violence.

It is a day when people come together to remember the Buddha's visit to Nagadeepa and to reflect on his teachings.