Magha Puja Day marks two important events in the life of the Buddha. The first event occurred two years after the Buddha’s Enlightenment and is referred to as the Fourfold assembly:
1-All 1,250 monks had achieved enlightenment (Arahants).
2-These Arahants were ordained by the Buddha himself.
3-The Arahants assembled on their own without prior arrangements.
4-It was full-moon day of Magha (3rd lunar month).
As part of this gathering, the Buddha gave the principles of Buddhism to the Arahants called the 'Ovādapātimokha' in the afternoon of Magha Puja day, at the grand temple Veluvana (Bamboo Grove) in the city of Rajgaha. These principles are:
1-To refrain from all bad deeds.
2-To do good deeds.
3-To cleanse the mind of impurities.
The second event occurred in the second half of the Buddha’s life on Magha Puja Day. The Buddha delivered a sermon called "Keys for success". The second event was three months prior to his passing away and it’s also said that on the same day of giving the sermon- “Keys for success”, the Buddha announced that he would pass away in three months time. The Keys are as follows:
1- Good will and good intention (Chanda)
2- Enery/Effort (Viriya)
3- Conciousness/Thoughtfulness (Citta)
4- Knowledge/Wisdom (Vimangsa)
