Wesak Day

-
Wesak Day is the most important event of the year for the Buddhist community. It commemorates the Birth, Enlightenment and Final Nirvana of the Buddha on the full moon day of the fourth lunar month.

This occasion is observed by millions of Buddhist throughout the world. It is a festival for rejoice and goodwill to all. It is also an occasion for reflection of our own personal spiritual development.

For some Buddhist, the observance of Wesak begins early in the morning when they assemble at temples to observe the Eight Precepts. Others may join the communal observances by going through the ceremony of taking the Threefold Refuge, observing the Five Precepts, making offerings at shrines and chanting. They may also participate in processions and circumambulation and listen to sermons of the Buddha's Teachings.

In some temples or centres, Buddhist take part in ceremonial bathing of an image of baby Prince Siddhartha (The Buddha when he was a Prince), place in a basin of perfumed water strewn with flowers. The perfumed water is scooped with a ladle and poured over the statue. This symbolizes the purification of one's unwholesome deeds with wholesome deeds.

Many Buddhist are also taking vegetarian meals on this day as they recall the teaching of the universal Compassion. On this day, temples and centres are colourfully decorated with Buddhist flags and lights and shrines are filled with flowers, fruits and other offerings.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sanghika Dana (Charity meant for the order of the Sangha)

-
The Pali word of Sanghika Dana means offering alms and other requisites to the Order of the Sangha. Supposed you donate one dollar to an association, all members rich or poor are entitled to that one dollar. Similarly, if a bowl of alms food or a set of robes is offered to the Sangha, then all members of the order are entitled to those offertories. You need not go around the world to give alms to the Sangha Order. An offer to any member of the Sangha in general will automatically amount to Sanghika Dana. All members are entitled to such offertories. They can share it between them. How to project one's goodwill? In offering Sanghika Dana, a donor's mind must be directed to the Order of the Sangha in general. Even though you utter Samghassa demi , I offer it to the Order of Sangha, if you have in mind a particular monk or a particular monastery, your charity cannot be Sanghika Dana. Offering alms food to any monk on daily alms-round or to a certain monk designated by the Order of...
Read more

Meaning of Kathina

-
Image
In the commentary to the Kathinakkhandaka (Section on Kathina) of the Vinaya Pitaka, kathina is defined as a concept of conglomeration which means bringing things together. It is a concept that arises because of certain things that come together. For example: A Bhikkhu/s (Buddhist monk/s) who has/have spent the first vassa; A Sangha (Community of Bhikkhus) comprising at least five bhikkhus; Robe season (the Kathina month) - first month after the end of the first vassa i.e. final month of the rainy season; A rightfully acquired robe - the robe to be donated must not be requested by a member of the Sangha, nor must any hint be given for the robe to be offered, rather the robe must be offered spontaneously by the donor. These are some criterias that come together for the concept of kathina to arise. In fact, two meanings of kathina are given in the Vinaya Commentaries: A frame used during the Buddha's time for sewing double layered robes together. The edges of one robe were fixed to...
Read more

Sammaditthi Meditation Grove, Sungai Petani, Kedah

-
Image
I had recently visited the Sammaditthi Meditation Grove (SMG) situated at Lot 617, Tanah Kubur Cina, Sungai Pasir, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah. SMG is the latest Buddhist centre of Theravada tradition to be constructed in Sungai Petani. The construction of its Sima Hall had almost completed, kutis (monk's huts) are also been constructed to accommodate the resident and visiting members of the Sangha. Their daily activities include morning pujas, followed by breakfast and lunch danas, where devotees are encouraged to perform their meritorious deeds. Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.
Read more