Celebration

1. Which celebrations i.e. festival occasions – are important to the faith community.

2. How, when and where are these celebrations done?

3. Why are they important to the individual and the faith community?

4. What rituals occur.

5. What is distinctive about these celebrations?

There are many celebration days in the Buddhist calendar. These festivals are always joyous occasions. Typically lay people will visit the local temple or monastery in the morning and offer food to the monks, take the Five PreceptsThe Five moral rules Buddhists undertake: I undertake the precept to refrain from taking the life (killing) of living beings I undertake the precept to refrain from stealing. I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct I undertake the precept to refrain from false speech I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicants which lead to heedlessness and listen to a Dhamma talk. In the afternoon, people often distribute food to the poor in order to generate merit, and in the evening they might join in a ceremony of circumambulation of a stupaA chamber or mound containing relics of the Buddha or saints three times as a sign of respect to the BuddhaAn Enlightened being who discovers and teachers the Dhamma; the historical person, Siddhartha Gotama who discovered and taught the Dhmrma in the 5th Century BCE, Dhamma and Sangha. The celebrations will usually conclude with evening chanting of the Buddha's teachings as well as meditation.

Some celebrations are specific to a particular Buddhist tradition or ethnic group, for example in the MahayanaA branch of Buddhism distinct from Theravada; followers aim to become bodhisattvas and eventual Buddhas tradition many festivals celebrate the birthdays of bodhisattvas. When considering Buddhist festivals it is also important to remember that, with the exception of Japan, most Buddhists use the Lunar Calendar and the dates of festivals vary from country to county and between traditions.

The major Buddhist festivals include the following: VesakThe annual Buddhist festival celebrating the birth, death, enlightenment and parinirvana of the Buddha. It is based on the lunar calendar, but usually falls in April or May in the Gregorian calendar (or Visakah Puja or Buddha Day) is traditionally a celebration of the Buddha's birthday, but his Enlightenment and death are also celebrated. This is the major Buddhist festival of the year and is held on the day of the first full moon in May, except in a leap year when the festival in held in June. Vesak day is usually a public holiday in Buddhist countries and Buddhists assemble at their temple before dawn for the ceremonial hoisting of the Buddhist flagThe flag created by Colonel Henry Steele Olcott, symbolising the Dharma and peace and the singing of hymns in praise of the Triple GemA way of referring to the three refuges: the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. Devotees may bring offerings such as flowers, candles and incense. These symbolic offerings remind followers that just as flowers wither and candles and incense burn out, so too is life subject to change, decay and destruction. Buddhists are also encouraged to refrain from eating meat on Vesak day with butchers and places selling alcohol usually closed. Sometimes symbolic acts of liberation are made, where animals or birds are released. Additionally, Buddhists will feed monks and the poor, take the Precepts, listen to Dhamma talks, chant, meditate and offer homage to the Triple Gem

Buddhist New YearThe Buddhist festival celebrating the New Year, in Theravadan countries (Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Lao), is celebrated for three days from the first full moon in April. In some Mahayana countries it starts on the day following the first full moon in January, but dates are very much dependent on ethnic background. For example, Chinese Koreans and Vietnamese Buddhists celebrate in late January or early February (depending on the full moon), while Tibetans usually celebrate a month later.

Asalha Puja Day (or Dhamma Day) commemorates the first teaching of the Buddha and the turning of the Dhamma Wheeldhammakara, a Buddhist symbol representing the Dhamma and the path to Nibbana, to his old ascetic colleagues at the SarnathThe site of the Buddha's first sermon Deer Park. This festival is usually held on the full moon day of the eighth lunar month (approximately July).

Ulambana (or Ancestor Day) is mainly celebrated in Mahayana countries although some Theravadans also participate. It is held during the first fifteen days of the eighth lunar month. It is believed that ghosts visit the world during these days, so food offerings are left out to relieve their sufferingThe universal condition of humankind, partly caused by the impermanence of all things.

UposathaMonthly Buddhist celebration based on the lunar calendar is mainly observed in Theravada countries and is held on each new moon, full moon and quarter moon days (ie around once a week). For the laity this is a chance to renew vowsPromises made usually in the context of religion and take precepts, visit monasteries, make offerings, listen to Dhamma talks and meditate. Monks will confess any violations of the vinayaThe framework for the sangha to live and operate. Part of the Vinaya Pitaka, one of the three baskets particularly emphasising discipline then chant the PatimokkhaThe Theravadin code of monastic discipline consisting of 227 rules for monks and 311 for nuns (a set of rules for monks). Depending of the speed of the chanting this can take from 30 minutes to an hour. The laity are often allowed to listen and many find it a peaceful experience, settling the mind and aiding meditation.

Websites

http://buddhamind.info/leftside/lifesty-2/vesak.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asalha_Puja

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Festival

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uposatha

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesak

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/holydays/index.shtml

http://www.buddhanet.net/vesak.htm

Bibliography

Cush, D. 1994. Buddhism (Student’s Approach to World Religions). London: Hodder.

Gethin, R. 1998.The Foundations of Buddhism (OPUS). Oxford: Oxford Paperbacks.

Gombrich, R.F.& Bechert, H., 1991. The World of Buddhism: Buddhist Monks and Nuns in Society and Culture (The Great Civilizations). London: Thames and Hudson Ltd.