International Vesak Day

[thornbush]

Yup fellow Dhammadutas.....
It's that time of the year again for the International Vesak Day, May 9th 2009
What do you normally do on this day? Please share

[cooran]

Hello thornbush, all,

This Sunday I will be spending the day at Dhammagiri - the lay followers will be wearing white, taking dana, taking the 8 Precepts, maintaining silence for the day, and not eating from noon Sunday until the next day.

There will be three separate teachings by Ven. Dhammasiha spaced throughout the day - the first on the Birth of the Bodhisatta, the second on his Enlightenment, and the third on his Parinibbana.

In between the teachings and offering of the Dana to the Bhikkhus and having a communal meal, we will be sitting in silent meditation.

metta
Chris

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

In Melbourne...

Buddha's Day and Multicultural Festival
16-17 May, Federation Square
http://www.buddhaday.org.au/

Buddhist Society Of Victoria
Special program featuring Ajahn Brahm
http://www.bsv.net.au/

Metta,
Retro.

[zavk]

Hmmm.... I wonder why it's commemorated a week later in Melbourne.

I'll probably go to BSV next week to listen to Ajahn Brahm.

[thornbush]

For many years, after adopting various practices, it has been standardized for my own practice to this schedule on Vesak's eve and actual day:
1. On Vesak's Eve at night, selected parts of the Paritta and Sutras are recited for about 2-3 hours at home
2. Taking up of the 8 Precepts at midnight of commencing Vesak Day and ends at midnight of next day.
3. On actual Vesak Day:
Morning: participate in an early morning Dharma Assembly in a Chinese Mahayana Buddhist Vihara
Mid Afternoon: Another round of bowing repentance and recitation at home
Evening: Join in a walking Vesak Road Procession (an estimated 10km worth of walking and the procession floats are from all participating Buddhist Traditions) starting from the Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist Maha Vihara into certain parts of the city and back to the Maha Vihara for a farewell blessing by the Vihara's Maha Thera. One is free to recite according to one's Tradition whilst participating in the walk.

A Chinese Buddhist Buddha Gatha
In Heavens above and all below, the Buddha, incomparable,
In Tenfold Directions' Lands, peerless is He,
All in this world, have I seen, without exception,
Nothing is parallel to the Buddha

Bathing the Buddha Gatha
Now do I bathe all Tathagatas,
Adorned of Pure Wisdom, Storehouse of Merit and Virtue,
May sentient beings of five turbidities steer off defilement,
Together attain the Tathagata’s Pure Dharma Body.

Dhajagga Paritta
To those recalling the Buddha supreme,
To those recalling the Dhamma sublime,
And to those recalling the Sangha,
No fear, no terror will make them quiver.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... ction.html

May the thrice sacred Vesak Day 2009 bring forth the blessings of the Triple Gem on all sentient beings!

[puthujjana]

Hi thornbush,

I'm a buddhist since about one year, so I will celebrate Vesakh this weekend for the first time.

I will spent some days (Friday till Monday; the Vesakha Puja is on Saturday) at Muttodaya.

Somehow I'm curious and a little bit afraid about it, because I've never been to a monastery before. I've just visited the local Thai Wat for evening puja two times.

However, I think I will have some great, peaceful and maybe even insightful days
It's great to have the opportunity to meet Than Gavesako, Ajahn Cattamalo and Than Mettiko.

with metta

[Ben]

Vesak falls very close to my birthday this year.
With my daughter visiting from Melbourne and my young family keen on celebrating my birthday, it will be impracticable to obvserve eight precepts on the day.
I will continue with my daily practrice and, as always around Vesak and my birthday, contemplate my gratitude to the Buddha and the Sangha for rediscovering and maintaining the Dhamma.
Metta

Ben

[forestmat]

Greetings from Thailand,

here Vesak day is celebrated on the 8th May (this coming Friday) as it is the day of the fullmoon.

On Thursday I will be driving 6 hours north of Bangkok to my wife's family house in Isaan.

We will spend the day at the village Wat, offer food and Sanghadana to the small community of monks.

Its always a very happy day with the villagers, and as the only foreigner for miles around, they are very proud

that I always participate in these special days.

I will post some photos after the event.

Hope everyone has a special and happy Vesak day.

Metta

forestmat

[Fede]

Well....

I had asked my Boss if I could have this friday off, because the Monastery is observing Vesak on the friday (quite rightly) but unfortunately due to his business commitments, he could not comply. So nI shall be working as normal....
But that's ok.
I shall rise early and have a short meditation session, re-new my vows (officially taken a year ago on Vesak day) keep the Eight, and then spend Sunday quietly as a 'double' observation....

Just to add, I do Take Refuge daily and recite the 5 precepts... but I shall do so with 'added significance' on friday.

May you all have a wonderful time and rejoice in the way most suited, appropriate and convenient to you.
Ben - have a wonderful birthday....!!

[cooran]

Hello all,

For many of us around the world Vesak and Mothers' Day fall on the same weekend (not Great Britain though).
Mothers Day around the World
http://www.mothersdaycelebration.com/mo ... -date.html

And now Ben's birthday too. What a celebration in your house Ben!

metta
Chris

[David N. Snyder]

I take the 8 precepts, wear white, but with the modern clothes of white jeans and white shirt (polo or t-shirt), and sometimes go to one of the local temples with my family (wife and two kids).

Once we came to the Vesak with a large cake that read "Happy Birthday Buddha" complete with numbered candles for the year since Buddha's birth. The Sri Lankan children loved it and ate most of the cake and most of the monks accepted very small pieces for their dessert.

HAPPY VESAK ! ! !

[Cittasanto]

Once we came to the Vesak with a large cake that read "Happy Birthday Buddha" complete with numbered candles for the year since Buddha's birth. The Sri Lankan children loved it and ate most of the cake and most of the monks accepted very small pieces for their dessert.

I Love this

[nathan]

Here, now in Chiang Mai, we will journey a ways out of the city and on the evening of May 7th at sunrise we will ascend the mountain all night and at dawn we will offer candles, flowers and incense to relics of the Buddha at dawn on May 8th. I will pay homage to the Blessed One on behalf of all members of Dhamma Wheel as well if you so wish. Let me know.

metta & upekkha

[Fede]

Nathan, please count me in.
As I will have scant opportunity to celebrate the day, and none at all to join with others, this would be a wonderful thing if you could do this for me....

[Ben]

Absolutely Nathan!
I hope you have a wonderful Vesak!
Metta

Ben

[thornbush]

Here's some clips on how Vesak is celebrated worldwide...(some in foreign languages)
Korean Vesak
Malaysian Vesak 1
Malaysian Vesak 2
Mongolian Vesak
French Vesak
Singaporean Vesak
Philippines Vesak
Sri Lankan Vesak
Vietnamese Vesak
London Vesak
US Vesak
Visakha Puja
Bathing the Buddha on Vesak
Getting High on Vesak
Vesak 2009
10 Part Vesak Story

[nathan]

Absolutely Nathan!
I hope you have a wonderful Vesak!
Metta

Ben

Consider it done. I'm on my way.



metta & upekkha
n

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Nathan,

I will pay homage to the Blessed One on behalf of all members of Dhamma Wheel as well if you so wish. Let me know.

Sweet, that would be appreciated.

Alas, an information session during lunchtime is going to prevent me from getting to a temple today. I t's a pretty important information session on heart disease, so I don't mind.

Metta,
Retro.

[salmon]

While the Thai full moon day is today, Vesak Day is actually celebrated in many other countries tomorrow. In any case, here's wishing everyone on DW a Happy Visakha Puja Day...may the light of the Triple Gem guide you on your path to Nibbana...and may this world never be lacking in arahants.

[appicchato]

A few pics of today's (and last night's) festivities at Phuttamonthon (Thailand's Buddhist 'Mecca')...I'm bushed!...