We're All In This Together (16) - Let's Celebrate A Joyous Buddha's Birthday

[Jundo]

Dear All

Today is Buddha's Birthday, Hanamatsuri in Japanese tradition, April 8th. Let us celebrate a Joyous Buddha's Birthday which sweeps in both the happy and the hard days of life.

On a Hanamatsuri in 1246, the teacher Dogen said: "Great assembly, do you want to see the birth of the World-Honored One?" Dogen held up his whisk, drew a circle, and said: "The World-Honored One has been born. In the entire world in ten directions, in mountains, rivers, and lands, all the human beings and all sentient or insentient beings, and all buddhas in the three times in the ten directions, all have been born simultaneously with Gautama, the World-Honored One. Not one thing is born before or after that."

https://youtu.be/J8qpszieyYg

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Jundo]

A little more information on Buddha's Birthday ....

Vesak, or Visakha (pronounced way-sak), is a celebration that commemorates the Buddha's birth .... It is named for the month of May and is celebrated on a full moon on varied days by the lunar calendar in much of Asia. However, in Japanese Buddhism, where it is called "Hanamatsuri" ... the Flower Festival... it is cerebrated each year on April 8th. .

In some descriptions, the story goes like this ...

Mahamaya, Siddhartha's mother [the wife of a great king of the Indian Sakyan clan], had a premonitory dream before giving birth to him: A magnificent white elephant with six tusks descended from the heavens surrounded by a chorus of beatific praises. The elephant approached her, its skin white as mountain snow. It held a brilliant pink lotus flower in its trunk, and placed the flower within the queen's body. Then the elephant, too, entered her effortlessly, and all at once she was filled with deep ease and joy.

The king summoned all the local holy men to divine the meaning of this dream. Their conclusion: 'Your majesty, the queen will give birth to a son who will be a great leader. He is destined to become either a mighty emperor who rules throughout the four directions, or a great Teacher who will show the Way of Truth to all beings in Heaven and Earth.'

It was the custom in those days for a woman to return to her parents' home to give birth there. Along the way she stopped to rest in the garden of Lumbini. The forest there was filled with flowers and singing birds. Peacocks fanned their splendid tails in the morning light. Admiring an ashok tree in full bloom, the queen walked toward it, when suddenly feeling unsteady, she grabbed a branch of the ashok tree to support her. Just a moment later, still holding the branch, Queen Mahamaya gave birth to a radiant son."

The story goes that sages arrived at the scene and washed the baby in perfumed water (which is why practitioners of Zen and other Mahayana schools celebrate the birthday by pouring water over a figure of the baby Buddha). Then Mahamaya's attendants wrapped him in silk and carried him to the palace. But seven days after the birth, Mahamaya died (there is no account of how or why), and her sister, Mahapajapati, who was also married to the Buddha's father, became his surrogate mother. After the Buddha's awakening, when he began to teach, Mahapajapati became his first woman disciple and led the order of bhikshunis, or ordained nuns.
.
... [In some accounts] It is said that auspicious signs herald his birth, the sky was clear with brilliant sunshine, flowers bloomed and birds sang. Directly after his birth nine heavenly dragons appeared and emitted two steams, one cool and one warm, of the purest fragrant rain from their mouths that gently cascaded to bathe the newly born Prince. The baby Prince immediately took seven steps and seven lotus flowers sprang from beneath his feet.

Flowers drifted down from the heavens. [The flowers in this scene are said to be the original of the name "Flower Festival"] The young Prince purified in body and mind from the rain, pointed one hand towards the heavens and one towards the earth and he said,

"Heaven above and earth beneath, I am the Honoured One, the One who liberates all who suffer in the Three Realms."

Of course, one need not take the symbolism of magic elephants, heavenly dragons and talking babies literally to realize that we are celebrating together a truly world changing event!!

Gassho, Jundo

By the way, we also have some suggestions for "At Home" family events to celebrate the holiday sometime this week when you are all together ... All can be adapted for our need to be at home these days.

VESAK HOLIDAY IDEAS

Some of the family ideas include ...

Bathing The Baby Buddha On the day of Vesak, participate in a ceremony (at home with your family) in which all participants bathe a figure of baby Buddha which you make. A piece of fruit, such as an apple, can also serve to represent the Buddha ...

Celebrating Nature Vesak is a holiday of birth and Spring and ever new beginnings and hope for this world. Go outside with your family, if weather permits, and touch nature. Of course, we need to be away from others now, so even honoring a single tree, plant or planting tomato seeds or a single lovely flower in a pot will do.

Practice of Dana (Giving) As a family, make a donation of money, food, clothes, etc. to a foodbank, shelter, or other charitable organizations. No matter how hard many of us may have it now, many without work, find a little bit to send to those even less fortunate through a reputable public charity online.

Lighting Vesak Lanterns Make Vesak lanterns with the kids! Instruction can be found various places online. Each family member should make one to symbolize both the Buddha's light and the light within each of us. It is best to just hang them without actually lighting, lit only by the light within your own heart.

A Birthday Party For Baby Buddha! Celebrate with your kids the holiday with a typical child's birthday party, but with the Baby Buddha as the Birthday Boy! Invite other, especially Buddhist children of other Treeleaf members (via Zoom or Facetime). Cake or other sweets (in moderation, and each bringing their own) ...

Read To Kids The story of Buddha's birth, early life and continue up to and slightly after, his enlightenment. This story can be found in a few different versions online, which parents can simplify in telling the tale to children ...

Elephant Hunt Much like an egg hunt, families with small children could enjoy an "ELEPHANT HUNT" at home - elephants because Siddhartha's mother dreamt of a white elephant while she was pregnant with him. Draw, cut out and hide elephant pictures ...

Of course, a little family Zazen is always good too!

Gassho, Jundo

SatTodayLAH

[Amelia]

A very happy Hanna Matsuri to all!

Gassho
Sat today, lah

[Meitou]

Amachabutsu tada hōetsu no daihondō

Great temple hall
I ladle sweet tea over Baby Buddha
simple dharma bliss

From 'A White Tea Bowl' by Mitsu Suzuki

Happy Birthday Buddha
Gassho
Meitou
Sattoday lah

[Heiso]

Happy birthday Buddha and a happy Hanna Matsuri to everyone.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

[Hokin]

Much happiness and healing to everybody,,,,now!!!

Gassho.
Arya.
ST.

[Shinshi]

Thank you Jundo. I am going to try a couple of your suggestions. I also ran across this.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[Jundo]

Thank you Jundo. I am going to try a couple of your suggestions. I also ran across this.

Yes, it is actually not such a big holiday here, barely noticed in fact. It is celebrated at some temples by some folks, but nothing like that great national holidays found in Southeast Asia for Vesak.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Kendrick]

Thank you, Jundo! /\ A cheerful and joyous birthday to Buddha and all.

Gassho
Kendrick
Sat/LAH

[Washin]

Thank you Jundo

Gassho
Washin
st/lah

[Onka]

Thank you Jundo
Gassho
Onka Anna

[Kotei]

Thank you Jundo.

Happy Birthday!
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[silence]

Happy Birthday Buddha!!!

Gassho
John

SatLah

[Tai Do]

Happy Hanamatsuri, dear Sangha.
May Gautama Buddha come to life in all of us.

Mateus
Sat/LAH

[Doshin]

A Good Day

Doshin
St