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Buddhist Rituals and Observances│1│2│3│4│ |
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The Birth of
the Prince/ Aurora Foundation Collection, Taiwan |
A.
The Buddha's Birthday
2,500 years ago (ca. 6th century
BCE), Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born as a prince
in Kapilavastu, India. When he saw human sufferings of old age, sickness
and death, and realized the impermanence of life. He decided to renounce
his worldly life in search for the Truth. Finally, while, sitting under
a bodhi tree (the Tree of Enlightenment), he attained Enlightenment. He
began to speak the Dharma, taught and transformed his disciples, and established
the Sangha community.。
After the Buddha's parinirvana, how is he remembered on his birthday
as Buddhists around the world celebrate his birth?
(A) Celebrating the Buddha's Birthday in
Taiwan
April 8th of the lunar calendar marks the Buddha's Birthday, the day
on which Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born and it is
celebrated as a national holiday in Taiwan every year. According to Buddhist
legend, when the Buddha was born, heavenly dragon bathed him with streams
of fragrant water pouring from the sky; thus gave rise to the occasion
known as “Bathing the Buddha Festival.”
On the Buddha's Birthday, most of the temples in Taiwan will conduct
the “Bathing the Buddha Ceremony.” Besides making offerings of flowers,
candles, fruits and tea, a bathing pavilion is built for devotees to bathe
the statue of the young prince inside with scented tea and fragrant broth,
making use of the opportunity to rid themselves of greed, anger and worries.
People are offered an herbal brew, together with Dharma services, charity
events, and float parade. All for encouraging them to speak good words,
do good deeds, and think good thoughts as they celebrate the Buddha's
Birthday.
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devotees celebrate the Buddha's Birthday
by participating in the “Bathing the Buddha Ceremony” |
(B)
Celebrating the Buddha's Birthday Around the World
1. China, Japan, and Korea (Northern School of Buddhism)
In addition to the activities mentioned above
in celebrating the Buddha's Birthday—sutra chanting, offering making,
charity work, and float parade—Korean Buddhists often begin their preparation
right after the New Year's holiday by volunteering at their temples. They
would go in groups to make thousands of paper lotus lanterns to be hung
during the celebration, creating a sea of unmatched splendor.
2. Southeast Asia
In Southeast Asia, the “Vesak Festival” or “Buddha
Day” on the full moon of the 5th lunar month (May) celebrates the Birth
of the Buddha, his Enlightenment, and Parinirvana. It is a day for Buddhists
to pay reverence to the Buddha and show their gratitude as they remember
him with chanting and prayer services, bathing the Buddha ceremony, donations,
charity work, and releasing trapped animals.
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In Tibet, the annual “Unveiling
of the Great Thangka” is the most anticipated event of the year./
Jokang Temple, Lhasa, Tibet |
3.
Tibet
For
Tibetans, the eighth day of April is the holiest day of the year as it
commemorates the birth of Sakyamuni Buddha. Besides Dharma lectures, a
very special event, the “Buddha Unfolding Festival,” is held annually
for people to admire and pay homage to the Buddha, and at the same time,
to focus their minds and introspect. It is a great opportunity for cultivating
both merits and wisdom.
B. An Auspicious and Joyful Act—Paying Homage
to the Buddha
(A)
Revering the Buddha
Besides the practice of giving and making offerings,
the act of paying homage is very significant for Buddhists. The objects
of reverence are the sacred objects of faith, such as the stupa, the pagoda,
the Buddha's relics or the Buddha image. It is a way for Buddhists to
express their deference to the Buddhas by action—chanting the Buddha's
name, reciting the sutras or be firm in their resolve to learn and practice
the Buddha's teachings.
(B) Making the Pilgrimage—Following
the Buddha's Footsteps
There are Buddhists who make the journey to India to visit the eight
holy sites of Buddhism, places of the Buddha's life events and his teachings
to transform the minds of sentient beings. There are the Buddha's birthplace
in Lumbini on the boarders of India and Nepal, the site of the Buddha's
Enlightenment in Buddha Gaya, the site of the Buddha's first turn of the
Dharma Wheel in Isipatana (Deer Park), sites of his subsequent teachings,
and the site of his Parinirvana in Kusinagara. Therefore, making the pilgrimage
to the eight holy sites of Buddhism is considered an act of unsurpassed
merit, auspiciousness, and joyfulness.
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site of the Buddha's
first teaching |
site of the Buddha's
birth |
(C) Symbols of Reverenc
1. The Buddha's Footprint
By following the Buddha's footsteps on
their pilgrimages, Buddhists often paid homage to a set of large footprints.
Whose footprints are they? Why do Buddhists have so much respect for them?
They are, in fact, representations of the Buddha's presence before the
development of Buddha iconography. Therefore, by paying homage to the
footprints, Buddhists are indeed showing reverence to the Buddha.
2. The Bodhi Tree and the Diamond
Throne
Similarly, people had been depicted in carvings
and paintings of temple architectures as paying homage to trees and platform-like
diamond thrones. Why are these objects given so much respect? First of
all, the Buddha was born in India as a prince 2,500 years ago (ca. 6th
century BCE) and decided to renounce his householder's life after he realized
the impermanence of life in old age, sickness, and death—the sufferings
of human life. While sitting under a bodhi tree, he finally attained enlightenment
and became the “Enlightened One.” Thereafter, the Buddha began to teach
the Dharma, transform the minds of his disciples, and establish the Sangha
community.
Since the Buddha was enlightened under a bodhi tree, the tree became
the symbol of the Buddha's wisdom and the diamond throne which he sat
upon that of his presence. Therefore, paying homage to the Buddha's footprints,
his relics, the bodhi tree or the diamond throne is like paying homage
to the Buddha himself.
3. The Origin and Significance of Circumambulating
and Paying Homage to the Stupa
It
is quite common for Buddhists to circumambulate a temple's stupa from
the right while paying homage to it. What are placed in the stupa? After
the Buddha's parinirvana, stupas were built to house the Buddha's relics.
As Buddhists behold the Buddha's wisdom and virtues in their minds, they
see the stupa as the Buddha himself, as if the Buddha is still present
in this world. Thus, they practice circumambulating and paying homage
to the stupa.
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Footprints of
the Buddha/Peshawar, Pakistan |
The Bodhi Tree/Buddha
Gaya, India |
Elapattra, the Naga King, pays homage
to the Bodhi Tree and the Diamond Throne/Calcutta National Museum
Collection/Calcutta, India |
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