photograph taken at my monastery one night in August
Pāḷivāramāsa-utū
(Abhidhānappadīpaka, v. 74-81)
Ghaṭikā saṭṭhyahoratto, pakkho te dasapañca ca,
There are sixty hours in the day and night, a fortnight has fifteen of these (days), 1
Te tu pubbāparā sukkakāḷā, māso tu te duve.
There are the former and later, bright and dark (fortnights), and there are two of these to a month.
Citto, Vesākha, Jeṭṭho c’ Āsāḷho dvīsu ca Sāvaṇo,
Citta, Vesākha, Jeṭṭha and Āsāḷha, and the two Sāvaṇas (early and late), 2
Poṭṭhapād’ Assayujā ca māsā dvādasa Kattiko. 3
Poṭṭhapāda, Assayuja, the twelve months (include) Kattika.
Māgasiro tathā Phusso, kamena Māgha-Phagguṇā.
Māgasira and then Phussa, and by and by Māgha (and) Phagguṇa.
Kattik’ Assayujā māsā pacchimapubba-Kattikā.
The months Kattika and Assayujas are (also) known as the late and early Kattika.
Sāvaṇo Nikkhamanīyo, Cittamāso tu Rammako. 4
Sāvaṇa (is also known as) Nikkhamanīya, the month Citta (is also known as) Rammaka.
Caturo caturo māsā, Kattikakāḷapakkhato
Four by four months, (starting) from the (end of the) dark fortnight in Kattika
Kamā Hemanta-Gimhāna-Vassānā utuyo dvisu.
In order there is the Winter, Summer and Rainy seasons (divided) in two.
Hemanto Sisiram-utū, cha vā Vasanto ca Gimha-Vassānā,
The six seasons are: Snowy (and) Cool, Spring (and) Hot, Rainy
Sarado ti kamā māsā, dve dve vuttānusārena.
(And) Autumn, that is the order of the months, two by two according to what is said.
Uṇho nidāgho gimho ‘tha, vasso Vassānapāvusā,
Then there is the Hot, the Boiling (or) the Heat (season), the Rains, the Rainy (or) the Showery (season), 5
Utūhi tīhi Vassānādikehi dakkhiṇāyanaṁ,
In the three seasons, from the beginning of the Rainy (season, the Sun) goes by the southern path,
Uttarāyanam-aññehi, tīhi vassāyanadvayaṁ.
(It goes) by the northerly path in the other (months), in the year there are (these) two paths.
Dear Bhante
Awareness of the seasons, the months, the days and of time is for me an important guideas well as pointer to the awareness of self and what I think and do.
Thanks for this detailed information.
With metta
Kah Choon
Dear Bhante
I just chanced on this page. Lovely and engaging!
Might you have any idea as to when the lunar cycle was adjusted to fit into a seasonal solar one? I understand that Vesākha had in pre-Buddhist eras been simply the lunar month in which the full month transited through the Vesākha constellation.
Owing to the effects of the precession of the equinoxes, the position of the moon to the constellations would shift 1 degree every 71 years. In the 2500 years since the Buddha’s time, the shift would be a very noticeable 35 degrees. Vesākha today would definitely not mark the lunar month in which the full moon transits through the Vesākha constellation.
I’m told that the Indian astrologers were aware of the precession, thus giving a sidereal Indian calendar. Over time, an insistence on the sideral calendar would not have matched the seasonal solar calendar, eg the rains would arrive at the same season, regardless of where the moon was.
Do you have any idea when the Indians or the Buddhists gave up tagging the moon to the constellations, in favour of a seasonal solar calendar?
Many thanks, Bhante.
Hi Sylvester, glad to hear the post was of interest. According to this Wikipedia page they probably knew about the precession in Vedic times. In fact possibly the most advanced science was the understanding of the calendars in ancient times, as we can witness in many cultures.
Much obliged, Bhante.