Bodhi Day, Rohatsu: Buddhists embrace Buddha’s enlightenment

December 08, 2013 by Leave a Comment

“How marvelous, I, the great earth, and all beings are naturally and simultaneously awakened.”
Buddha, upon seeing the first morning star during enlightenment

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8: It’s the season of light for several world religions—Nativity/Advent for Christians, Hanukkah for Jews, Yule for Pagans—and today, Mahayana Buddhists join the festivities by celebrating Buddha’s enlightenment on Bodhi Day (Rohatsu, in Zen Buddhism).

For some Buddhists, Bodhi spans the entire month; in Japanese Zen monasteries, Rohatsu incorporates a week-long sesshin, or meditation retreat, during which participants spend all waking time in intense meditation. For most lay Buddhists, however, Bodhi Day is spent contemplating the Dharma, dining on tea and cake and chanting Buddhist sutras. Families with children may string colored lights or bake cookies in the shape of the Bodhi tree’s leaf, celebrating their own traditions in the midst of the holiday season. (Find more ideas at Family Dharma.)

Note: Theravada Buddhist commemorate Buddha’s enlightenment on Vesak, a holiday that collectively celebrates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing into Nirvana.

The historical Buddha was born Siddhartha Guatauma in approximately the 6th century BCE (calculations vary by sect. Wikipedia has details). Born into a noble family, Siddhartha left wealth and luxury in his late 20s to seek the answer to the question: What is the root of suffering? Once he had seen the suffering of the commoners in his community, Siddhartha became determined to figure out why. He would go on to spend years in ascetic practice, retreating to the forests of India and Nepal for deep meditation. (Gain clarity in celebrating Bodhi Day in the 21st century in this article from the Huffington Post.)

Did you know? According to 2012 polls, approximately 14 percent of Asian Americans are Buddhist.

The details leading up to Siddhartha’s enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree vary by tradition: some believe that he made a vow to find the root of suffering, while others refer to temptations made by the god Mara (literally, Destroyer). Yet within the pages of the Pali Canon is a collection of discourses written by Buddha, describing the night of his enlightenment as occurring in three stages. (Get Buddhism fast facts at CNN.) During the first watch of the night, Siddhartha discovered the cycle of rebirth; in the second, he became aware of the Law of Karma; in the third, he understood the Four Noble Truths, and finally reached Nirvana. Upon enlightenment—at age 35—Siddhartha became a Buddha: “Awakened One,” or “Enlightened One.”

IN THE NEWS:
OLDEST BUDDHIST SHRINE UNCOVERED IN NEPAL

Archaeologists in Nepal recently discovered traces of a wooden structure beneath the Mayadevi temple in Lumbini—a structure believed to be the world’s oldest Buddhist shrine. (The Guardian reported.) Most intriguing to Buddhists is the fact that the structure has been scientifically dated to approximately the 6th century BCE—meaning that it could have been in existence when the historical Buddha was born at the temple site.

Obon: Buddhists, Japanese culture embrace ancestors and Bon dances

July 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

MONDAY, JULY 15-SUNDAY, AUGUST 18: It’s Obon season! From China to Japan to Hawai’i and in Buddhist communities worldwide, temples are adorned with hundreds of paper lanterns; devotees honor the spirits of deceased ancestors; the Bon-Odori dance invites participants of every age; flavorful chicken teriyaki, steaming bowls of udon and juicy watermelon slices are the common fare.

The festival of Obon lasts just three days, but when the lunar calendar was changed to the Gregorian at the beginning of the Meiji area, localities reacted differently—and now, different regions mark Obon at widely varying times between mid-July and mid-August. (Wikipedia has details.)

Obon is a shortened version of the term Ullambana, which, in Buddhism, indicates great suffering. By praying for ancestors’ spirits, it’s believed that their suffering can be lessened; the Bon-Odori dance is a joyful recognition of the alleviation of suffering.

IT ALL BEGAN WITH: THE STORY OF BON ODORI

Japanese culture has embraced Obon for more than 500 years, but the story of Bon Odori begins much earlier, with a disciple of Buddha. According to legend, this disciple possessed supernatural powers that he used to look upon his deceased mother. The disciple saw that his mother had fallen into the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, and was suffering there. Deeply bothered, the disciple approached Buddha and asked how he might free his mother’s soul from the realm. Buddha instructed the monk to make offerings to Buddhist monks who had just completed their summer retreat, and when the monk did this, he saw his mother’s release. In joy, he also began to see his mother’s past unselfishness and the numerous sacrifices she had made for him. Now overjoyed, the monk danced the first “Bon Odori” dance. (The Shingon Buddhist International Institute has more.) Centuries later, adherents continue to recognize the sacrifices and goodness of their ancestors during the festival of Obon.

OBON: COTTON KIMONOS, DANCING, LANTERNS, FIREWORKS

Legend has it that the monk of Bon Odori called upon Buddha in the seventh lunar month, and as such, Obon has always been a summer festival. (Interested in a short documentary of a Japanese observation of Obon? Check out this one on YouTube.)

Lightweight, cotton kimonos are commonly worn by dancers and festival attendees, with carnivals in some areas and a mix of summer and traditional foods. Bon dances are as different as the regions that perform them, with some using accessories like fans or towels and others imitating the area’s history. (This press story interviews a 77-year-old woman who has been dancing traditionally since age 4.) Modern Bon dance music can be written to the beat of well-known songs or kids’ tunes, and often, steps are intentionally simple so that everyone can participate.

Lanterns are hung on the front of houses throughout Obon to guide ancestors’ spirits home, and on the last day of Obon, the paper lanterns are illuminated with a candle and floated down a river or body of water to symbolize the ancestral spirits’ return to the world of the deceased. (Make your own lanterns and teach kids about Obon with help from Circle Time Kids and In Culture Parent.) A grand fireworks display ends the ceremonies.

OBON SEASON: YOU SAY JULY; I SAY AUGUST

Though Obon is not a national holiday, many Japanese citizens take vacations during this time and return home for family reunions. (Get the scoop for 2013 in Japan at Japan-Guide.) Calendar interpretations vary widely, placing Obon in mid-July in Tokyo, in mid-August in China, and varying in other regions of Japan, such as Okinawa.

Outside of Japan, dates also vary in Brazil, which houses the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. Hawai’i follows suit, where Japanese-American events are prominent. (In San Jose, Japantown provides food and entertainment in mid-July; the Kauai Museum in Hawai’i is currently running a “Buddhist Temples of Hawaii” exhibit; in Ontario, a press story covers the deep-rooted history of its Buddhist temple.) Street festivals stocked with Japanese culture, art and cuisine are also popular during Obon season.

 

VESAK: Give and live by the Dharma on Buddha’s birthday

May 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

SATURDAY, MAY 25: The word Dharma resounds around the world this week, as Buddhists, monks, non-Buddhists and international UN offices pause to observe Vesak. A Buddhist observance, Vesak recalls a trio of events: the birth, enlightenment and death of Guatama Buddha. Per the request of Buddha himself, devotees focus especially on carrying out the Buddha’s teachings by living kindly, giving generously and abiding by the Dharma (or Dhamma, spellings vary). In India—the birthplace of Buddhism—Vesak is observed today, as it is in Nepal and Indonesia; some countries commemorated Vesak yesterday, and still others will observe Vesak Week through Monday. Specific dates are determined by various lunar calendars.

Despite varying dates, Vesak celebrations across the globe begin the same way: with adherents gathered at their local temple, before sunrise, to watch the ceremonial hoisting of the Buddhist flag. Hymns of praise rise through the air, as attendees line up to offer flowers, candles and food. (Wikipedia has details.) A shared vegetarian meal with follow, but it’s in the flowers and candles that devotees understand the truth of Vesak: that life, as with all things, will wither away and decay. All that is eternal is the Dharma truth.

The World Fellowship of Buddhists tried to formalize the celebration of Vesak as Buddha’s birthday in 1950, although festivals of a similar fashion had been custom for centuries. Aside from parallel morning ceremonies, Vesak festivities vary around the world: In Sri Lanka, two days are set aside for Vesak and liquor shops, slaughter houses and casinos are closed; in Japan, a sweet Hydrangea tea is poured over statues. Nepalis can claim Lumbini as the birthplace of Buddha, and their holy temple—Swayambhu—is opened only one day per year, on Vesak. Since Vesak is a public holiday in Nepal, even non-Buddhists get into the spirit by donating and volunteering on this special day. Processions line the streets in many countries during daylight hours, while colorful lanterns light the skies at night. In 1999, the United Nations resolved to internationally observe Vesak at its headquarters and offices.

The government of Sri Lanka has selected “Live by the Dharma” as the theme for Vesak 2013.