Today is Ajahn Braham's 70th birth day!!

[bodom]

Celebrating the Buddha's birthday doesn't seem one of his teachings. Nor celebrating anyone's birthday. Nor even celebrating.

Buddhists get the unfortunate bad rap of being depressive and pessimist because of statements like these.

I've never been to a buddhist country and seeing this thread shock me a little.. I didn't mean to encourage people to lose their happiness and joy. On the contrary, I hope everyone spend a happy life. I'm sure wishing a happy birthday and celebrating is a good thing to do that earns people's heart. It was just unexpected for me. I hope Ajah Brahm keeps teaching the good dhamma for many more years.

That's understandable. Unfortunately there is a tendency among Lay Buddhist practitioners who make the mistake of trying to apply practices and attitudes that are meant for monastic members. It can lead to a lot of frustration. I know it did for me.

The Buddha said that those who live the household life should aspire and model there practice to be like his great lay discples Citta the householder or Hatthaka of Ālavi. Those gone forth aspire to be like Sāriputta and Moggallāna.

If a devout lay woman should admonish her only son whom she dearly loves, she would rightly do so by saying: “My dear son, you should be like Citta the householder or Hatthaka of Ālavi!”—because these two are models and exemplars for my lay devotees. (And she should further say:) “But if, my dear, you go forth from home into the homeless life of a monk, you should be like Sāriputta and Moggallāna!”—because they are models and exemplars for my bhikkhu disciples.

- SN 17:23 and MN 141.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

I think it is fine for the lay supporters to celebrate the birthday of their teacher. If it gets people to participate in wholesome activities such as offering alms and listening to Dhamma talks, what is the harm in it?

It is certainly not a new tradition, though Ajahn Brahm has his own way of doing things. His birthday party does appeal not to me, but let those who wish eat cake; let those who wish abstain from eating cake.

At Chanmyay Yeikthā, on the Sayādaw’s birthday each year there would be a special almsgiving with monks and novices being invited from other centres from all over Burma. In Rangoon the monks would receive many offerings of soap, towels, and other requisites which they could never use. We gave away our excess requisites to the visiting novices for them to take away. A lottery was held to distribute luxurious items.

Every year at Mahāsi Yeikthā they celebrate the anniversary of the foundation of the centre, when the Sayādaw would give exhortations to the head monks of the branch meditation centres who gather for the occasion. I don't recall any birthday celebrations, but they probably had special alms-giving on the Sayādaw’s birthday.

[Tennok]

Happy Bithday Ajahn Brahm!