1 InternationalRecognition OftheDayofVesak

ByProf.Dr.PhraDharmakosajarn Rector,MahachulalongkornrajavidyalayaUniversity Bangkok,Thailand

Wehave comehere to celebratethe DayofVesakatthe United Nations in NewYork,notmerelytoveneratetheBuddha,butalsotoremindtheworld,through themediumofthisprestigiousinternationalbody,thatthemessageoftheBuddhais stillveryrelevanttotheworldtoday. Intheyear2000,IhadanopportunitytoparticipateintheMillenniumWorld PeaceSummitofReligiousandSpiritualLeadersintheGeneralAssemblyHallofthe UN.WeweretoldthatUNHeadquartershadreceivedabout1,000Religious LeadersfromaroundtheworldtoblesstheUNandwehopedthattheUN,andits work,wouldbeallthebetter,asaresultofthatblessing. WekeeplookingattherolesinceplayedbytheUN.Iwouldsaythatthe tragiceventsonSeptember11inNewYork,justoneyearlater,didnotportmuch hopeforabetterworld.ThatiswhyweshoulddosomethingtogetherasBuddhists totrytobringpeacetotheworld.Ourgestureincominghereistostatethatwefeel seriouslythatthemessageoftheBuddhaisstillrelevantinthisregards.Forthe worldtounderstandourposition,oneshouldrecognizethatthefirstthingthatall BuddhistsshoulddoistoworktogetherinunisontocelebrateVesakDayinthe samemannerthatwehavedonehereforthelastfiveyears.

However,Ishouldmention,rightfromtheoutset,thattherearecertain difficultiesforthosefromboththeTheravadaandMahayanatraditionstocelebrate VesakDaytogether,sincehistoricallytheTheravadatraditionhascelebratedthe festivalonthefullmoondayofthemonthofMay,andtheMahayanatraditionona quitedifferentdayandinadifferentmonth.Ithereforehopethatitmaybeable, duringthismeeting,tofindsomemeansofresolvinghowwemightcelebrateVesak inaunifiedmanner,especiallygiventheopportunityprovidedtousfollowingthe

th resolutionof54 GeneralAssemblythatVesakDayreceiveinternationalrecognition.

DifferentTermsbutoneMeaning Whatarewetodoaboutthisandhowshouldwetakeadvantageofthe resolutionadoptedbytheGeneralAssemblyon13 December1999thatVesakDay becelebratedattheUnitedNationsHeadquartersandotherUNOfficesaroundthe world? InThailand,wecallthedayVisakhainSriLankaitisknownasVesak. Both termsarederivedfromthePalitermsVesakhaorVisakha.OurMahayanafriends, however,refertoitbywayofitsSanskritnameofVaisakha,althoughourfriends fromBangladeshalsospeakofitasVaisak,whilstsomeinIndia,especiallywhen referringtothebirthdayoftheLordBuddha,speakinsteadofBuddhajayanti,rather thanVesakha.ThisisnotaproblemfortheTheravada,sinceitcelebratesthe BuddhasBirthday,EnlightenmentandParinibbanaononeandthesameday,thefull moondayinthesixthlunarmonth,whichusuallyfallsinMay,butthisyear,itisbeing celebratedon31May2007/B.E.2550.So fortheTheravada,Vesaksignifiesthelife oftheBuddhaasawhole:hisbirth,hisenlightenmentandhispassingaway. ThetermVesakisfirstmentionedintheMahavamsa,averyoldchronicleof BuddhisminSriLanka,whereitissaidthatKingDutthagamaniofSriLankaheldthe Vesakfestivalsome2,100yearsago.Inthatwork,weread:Manavesakhapujaca catuvisatikarayi,meaningthatheheldtwentyfourgreatVesakfestivals. SoSri LankaishonoredinbeingthefirstCountrytocerebrateVesakday,andthatiswhy theUnitedNationshaveadoptedtheSinhaleseversionoftheterm,viz.Vesak,inits resolution. AsfarasThailandisconcerned,VesakDaywasfirstcelebratedinthe Sukhothaiperiodabout700yearsago. SowecannotcomparewithSriLanka. Indeed,weadoptedourformofBuddhismfromSriLankaandinthiswepayhonorto ourSriLankanfriends,anditisinthisspiritofunitythatwehavecometogetherto cerebrateVesakDayattheUnitedNations. However, we still have a problem with our friends from the Mahayana
th tradition,sinceaccordingtothistradition:theBuddhaSakyamuniwasbornonthe8 th th ofApril,attainedEnlightenmentonthe8 ofDecemberandpassedawayonthe15

of February. What are we to do about this? How can we find some unity in our celebrationofVesakDay? Infact,thereislittledifferencebetweenusandifwealso rememberthatitisstatedintheUNresolutionthatVesakDayistobecelebratedin the month of May, it should be possible for both traditions to join together in

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celebrating the festival of Vesak as the Buddhas Day at the same time as it is celebratedattheUNHeadquartershereandatthebranchesoftheUNaroundthe world, and still reserve the right to celebrate the Buddhas Day in our respective countries,bethisonthefullmoondayinthemonthofMayorApril,orwhatever. If we all agree that Vesak Day be celebrated in the month of May in accordancewiththeresolutionoftheGeneralAssemblyoftheUnitedNations,thenI willalsoproposethatallBuddhistsunitetocelebrateVesakDaynextyearattheUN Headquartersanditsvariousbranchesaroundtheworld. Forexample,inThailand wehavetheUNESCAPHeadquarterswhich,thoughsituatedinBangkok,servesthe whole of the AsiaPacific countries. It should therefore be possible to initiate the celebration of Vesak Day in the month of May therefor Buddhistsfrom aroundthe wholeregion. Iwouldproposeyouponderuponthisitdosenotmeanwecannotre congregatehereinfutureyears. TwoKindsofPuja WhatdoBuddhistsdowhenVesakDayarrives? TheyperformaPuja. Puja inPalimeansreverence,notworship. Inourtradition,therearetwokindsofPuja: 1. AmisaPuja:reverencewithmaterialthingsand 2. PatipattiPuja:reverencewithpractice. InthefirstfromofPuja,weofferthelightofacandletotheBuddha. Thisis onekindofAmisaPuja,worshipwithmaterialthings. InThailand,weconducta candleprocessionaswemovearoundastatueoftheBuddha,holdingalighted candleinourhands. ThisisAmisaPuja,worshipwithmaterialthings. InPatipattiPuja,wegenerallyworshiptheBuddhabyobservingthefive preceptsandpracticingmeditation. Wheredoweperformsuchworship? Wegoto templesorweperformworshipbeforesomestatue,orimage,oftheBuddha elsewhere. BeforetheBuddhapassedaway,hementionedthattherewerefour placesthatwouldformplacesoffuturepilgrimageforallBuddhistsaroundtheworld. AndtheprivilegeofbeingtheforemostplacesofpilgrimageandIwouldsuggestthat wepledgeoursupportforthedevelopmentoftheLordBuddha,sincethisisthemost importantplaceforallBuddhiststhroughouttheworld. InadditiontoLumbini,weshouldalsodosomethingtohelpdevelopthethree otherplacessacredtoallBuddhists:theplaceoftheBuddhasEnlightenmentat BodhGayainIndiatheplaceoftheBuddhasfirstsermondeliveredatSarnathand Kusinara,theplacewheretheBuddhapassedawayintoParinibbana. Thesefour placesaresacredforallBuddhiststheyareourMecca,andshouldbevisitedand paidrespectbyallBuddhists.

TheFourObjectsofWorship Notonlythat,butwealsohavetodosomethingtogethertopreserveother placesofBuddhistheritage,inadditiontothesefourplacesofpilgrimage. Weread, inthePaliliterature,oftheCetiya,whichalsoformsanobjectofworship. Thefour objectsofworshipinBuddhismare: TheDhatuCetiya,oraplacecontainingtheBuddhasrelics,suchasa pagoda. PeoplegotosuchplacestoworshiptheBuddhasrelics. Forinstance,the peopleinSriLankaareespeciallyfortunateinhavingtheBuddhastoothrelic. There areonlytwotoothrelicsoftheBuddhaintheworld. ThefirstisinKandy,SriLanka andthesecondinBeijing,thePeoplesRepublicofChina. Therearemanyother relicsinotherpartsoftheworldbutnoneareasimportantasthesetwo. ThesecondtypeofCetiyaistheParibhogaCetiya,whichhouses possessionsorobjectsusedbytheBuddha,suchashisblackbowl,andyellow robes. Rightnow,wehaveonlytheoriginalBodhiTreeatBodhGayainIndiabut Iwouldsaythatthepresenttreeoriginatesfromtheoriginalsaplingtakento AnuradhapurainSriLankaduringthereignofKingAsoka,twothousandandthree hundredyearsago. ThethirdtypeofCetiyaistheDhammaCetiya,thecollectionofthe Buddhasteachings,intheformoftheTipitaka. Wehaveheretheoldestversionof theTipitakainpalmleavesintheworld,nowkeptinthepersonalcollectionofa millionaireinEurope. IseefromtheInternetthathebroughtitfromPakistanandthat itisnowonsaleforonemillionUSdollars. Itwouldbewonderfulweresomeoneto buyit,sothatitcouldbehousedinaBuddhistmuseumwhereBuddhistsfromall overtheworldcouldgoandworshipitorbetteryet:translate,publishandmake availablethetextforstudentstostudyandlearnfromthecontents. ThefourthtypeofCetiyaistheUddesikaCetiya,objectsdedicatedtothe Buddha,suchasBuddhastatues,Buddhaimages,andpaintings. Buddhastatues areobjectsofhomageforallBuddhistsaroundtheworldandformalinkinourminds withtheBuddha. SuchBuddhastatuesinBamiyan,althoughdefacedbyGhengis Khan,stoodintheworldfortwothousandyearsbeforebeingdestroyedbyanon BuddhistgovernmentinAfghanistan. AndnotwithoutprotestbyUNESCObutstill theirdestructionwentonpiecebypiecebeforethesetwosacredBuddhastatueshad beendestroyed,whilstBuddhistsaroundtheworldstoodbyaspassivewitnesses. Whatarewetodo?Thinkaboutfurtherthreatstocetiyasaroundtheworldinthe future. IthinkwehavetovoiceourconcernsandIcalluponmyfellowBuddhiststo showunityandseekprotectionofourBuddhistheritage.

TheThreeleggedChair RememberthethreeleggedchairthatstandsinfrontoftheUnitedNations OfficeinGeneva. Ifinditrelevanttoourunity. Thethreeleggedchaircannot withstandanythreat. Itisnotstrongenoughtosupportanythingbyitself. Buddhistsaroundtheworldshouldcometogethertotaketheopportunityof celebratingVesakDaytobringaboutourcommongoals,initiatecommonactionsto dosomethingforthepromotionofBuddhism. Why?Becauseitismentionedinthe UnitedNationsresolutionthatBuddhism,oneoftheoldestreligionsintheworld,has made,forovertwentyfivecenturies,andcontinuestomake,acontributiontothe spiritualityofhumanity. Ithinkweshouldtakegoodnoteofthis:continuestomake. IsitpossibleforBuddhismtobeastrongspiritualforcesothatitcancontinueto makeacontributiontotheworld? Thatisourmainconcern. Buddhismhascertainly playedagreatroleinthespiritualdevelopmentoftheworld. IfH.G. Wellswasalive today,hewouldtotallyagreedwiththeUnitedNationsresolutionbecausehestated thatBuddhismhaddonemoretoadvanceworldcivilizationandwasunderthreatdue topoliticalconflictthroughoutthepreviouscentury,whilstatthedawnofthisnew centurywestillhaveconflictsbasedonreligiousideologies. Weneedaneutralin thatcanbringallreligiousideologiestogether. Itisneutralinthesenseofamiddle path,amiddlewaythatdoesnotsidewithconflictingparties. Buddhismisthe answertothepresenttroubles,becausetheBuddhawouldsaythatthereisnosuch thingsasaholywar,sincethereisnojustifiedwarinthenameofreligion. The Buddhaoncesaid: Nahiverenaverani Averenacasammanti sammantidhakudacanam esadhammosanantano

Hatredsneverceasebyhatredbuthatredcancease bynonhatred.Thislawiseternal

BuddhismandWorldPeace SoweBuddhistsshouldtelltheworldthatthereshouldbenomorewarinthe nameofreligion. WhenourreligiousleadersmethereattheUNHeadquartersin 2000,theysaidthatweshouldnotallowtheworldtowagewarinthenameof religion. Thereisnojustifiedwar. Ifyouwanttowagewar,doit,butdonottryto justifyitinthenameofreligion. Whatdoesthismean? Itmeansthatwarorconflict isnotsupportedbyreligion,beitBuddhismoranyotherreligion. Buddhistswould saythattheywantpeaceandtheBuddhasmessageisveryrelevanttothis. We wanttheworldtolistentohismessage. ThestartingpointinBuddhismasregardsworldpeaceisthatweshould cultivateinnerpeace(ajjihattikasanti)inthemindofmen. Ajjhattikasantiispeaceof mind. TheBuddhasaid:Natthisantiparamsukham:thereisnohigherblissthan peace. Sopeaceofmind,innerpeace,isaprerequisiteforouterpeaceinour interpersonalrelations.Religiouspracticecanbringpeacetoourminds. Inthe UNESCOpreamble,wereadsincewarbeginsinthemindsofmen,itisinthe mindsofmenthatthedefensesofpeacemustbeconstructed. Whatdosethismean intheBuddhistcontext? IfyouvisitBuddhisttemplesinThailand,youwillfindin mostofthemthispaintingonthewalloftheUposatha,ortheBuddhasHall. AThaiPaintingDepictingtheTriumphofGoodoverEvil ItdepictsthestoryofthetriumphofgoodoverevilonthedayoftheBuddhas Enlightenment. Youwillrememberthis:theBuddhastatue. Itissimilartothisone, therighthandoftheBuddhainthispaintingpointsdowntotheearth. Andthis pictureorpaintingdepictseventsthattookplaceonVesakDay,thedayonwhichthe BuddhawastoattainEnlightenment. HecreatedaseatatthefootoftheBodhitree. ThentheBuddharesolvesinhismindthatthisisgoingtobehislastseat,thathewill sithereuntilheattainsEnlightenment,andwillnevergetupwithouthavingattained Enlightenment. SoMara,theEvilOne,knowingthatresolutionofhis,comeswitha hugearmy. HecomestodisturbtheBuddhasmeditativetrancewithahugearmyon thedayofhisEnlightenment.HechallengestheBuddha. Firsthetriestochasethe Buddhaawaywithhisstockpileofweapons. Thispaintingisfoundinatemplein London. HereMarapossessesmodernformsofweapons. Asthecanonshootsthe Buddha.ItturnsoutthattheBuddhaisbulletproof,andjustsitsthereinameditative position,withoutanydisturbancefromMara. SoMararunsoutofweapons. What doeshedo? HechallengestheBuddha. Monk,getupbecausethisseatbelongsto

me,hesays.Itisnotyoursasamonk,youshouldnotstealthepropertyofothers youshouldgetoutoftheforest. Marasfollowersactaswitnessfortheirleader, tellingtheBuddhatoleavebecausethisseatbelongstotheirleader,andthatthe Buddhahasnotestimony,nootherwitness,sinceheisalone. So,atthatmoment,theBuddha,whohasbeencontinuingtomeditatewith hisrighthandonhislefthand,nextseeksawitness,bypointinghisrighthandtothe earth,askingthemotherearthtoactashiswitness. Sheagrees,statingthatthis seatbelongstoSiddhatthaGotama. Atthismoment,thereisagreatearthquake provingthatthemotherearthhadbecometheBuddhaswitness. Marathen departed,leavingtheBuddhatositandmeditatethewholenightandattain EnlightenmentontheDayofVesak. Whatdoesthisstorytellus?Itshowsthatthereisinourmindanongoing conflictbetweengoodandevilallofthetime. SothegreatvictoryoftheBuddhais thevictoryofthebestsideofthemind. TheBuddhasaid,Theonewhoconquers manythousandsofmeninbattlesisnotthegreatvictorthegreatestvictoristheone whoconquershimself. ALotusUnpollutedbyWater Thegreatestvictorinallwarsisonewhohasconquestofselfbypracticing meditation. SotheBuddhagivesthesimileofalotus. WhenyouseeaBuddha statueorapaintingoftheBuddha,youwillfindhimalwayssittingorstandingona lotus,becausethereisasayingintheTipitakathattheBuddhaislikealotus. Justasalotusisborninthewater,growsupinthewater,risestothe surface,andstandsunpollutedbythewater,sodoestheBuddhacometobe bornintheworld,growupintheworld,andyetpassbeyondtheworldwithout beingpollutedbytheworld. Thissignifiesthatweliveintheworld,aredeeplyrootedintheenvironment, andshouldnotrunawayfromasociety. Weshouldhaveconcernforthesufferingof peoplethere,trytofeelpity,tohavemercyorcompassionforthem,andhelpthemto liberatethemselvesfromsuffering. Thatisthemeaningofthesimile. Ithinkthatthe MahayanasuggestionthattheTheravadatraditionencouragespeople,suchas monks,torenouncetheworld,toleavethesocietywithoutcaringforthepeople,is notanentirelycorrectunderstandingoftheBuddhaswordshere. Monksdolivein theworld,inthecitytemple,inthesociety,sincetheycultivatetheirmindssoasto

becomeunpollutedbythatsociety,yetatthesametimetheyremaindeeprootedin thatsocietyandtrytorescueothers,andhelpthemovercometheirsuffering. Meditation ThisisTheravadapractice:tobelikealotusdeeplyrootedinthewater,yet unpollutedbythatwater. Todoso,wepracticeVipassanameditation. Howdidthe BuddhaattainEnlightenment,andbywhatmethod? TheBuddhaattained EnlightenmentbyVipassanameditation,notbySamathaortranquilitymeditation. ThisisbecausetranquilityorSamathameditationisadditionallyfoundintheHindu tradition. TheBuddhahadalreadyattainedtheabsorptions,thehigheststageof tranquility,byfollowingtheteachingsofAlaraandUddaka.Afterthat,hefoundthat toattainEnlightenmentalsorequiredVipassanameditation. Themostimportant suttaonVipassanameditationistheMahasatipatthanasutta,whichcontainsdetails ofanapanasatimeditationassociatedwithinandoutbreathing. Itwasinalways practicingVipassanameditationintheformofanapanasatiasdescribedinthe MahasatipatthanasuttathattheBuddhaspentmostofhistime. Hepracticed anapanasatiaspartofhisVipassanameditationpriortohisEnlightenmentandlater said,followinghisseasonpracticingthatconcentrationassociatedwithinandout breathing. InbreathingandoutbreathingthisisVipassanameditation,ameansof livinghappilyinthisworldinthepresentday. IwouldsaythatVipassanameditationisuniquetoBuddhismandwouldlike todrawyourattentiontothefactthattheproperPujafortodayisPatipattiPuja, reverencebywayofthepracticeofmeditation,whichwillleadtoastateofaman livingunperturbed,undisturbed,andunpollutedbytheworldaroundhim. Purifyyour mindjustlikealotusrisingabovethewater,unpollutedbythewater. Thisisan exampletakenfromtheBuddhaswayoflife. ConcludingRemarks TheUnitedNationsresolvedthatVesakbecelebratedatboththeUN HeadquartersinNewYork,andatotherUNofficesaroundtheworld. Pleasetakea noteofotherUnitedNationsoffices. Whatdoesthismean? Itmeansthatalthough VesakhasalreadybeencelebratedatUNHeadquartersinNewYork,ithasnot,over thelastfiveyears,beencelebratedattheUNESCAPHeadquartersinBangkok. If wecanagreethatVesakDaybecerebratedinthemonthofMayinaccordancewith

theresolutionoftheUNGeneralAssembly,andperhapsagreetorefertoitalsoas theBuddhasDay. ThenIwouldalsoproposethatallBuddhistsuniteandagreeto celebrateVesakDaynextyearatthevariousbranchesoftheUNaroundtheworld. Inparticular,IwouldalsoinvitemembersoftheBuddhistcommunityintheAsia PacificregiontoconsiderholdingajointcelebrationofVesakattheUNESCAP HeadquartersinBangkok. Atthispoint,Iwillbringmytalktoaconclusion,bystatingthatVesakDayis themostsacreddayforallBuddhistsintheworld. WeworshiptheBuddha,notonly withmaterialthings,butalsobyobservingthefiveprecepts,listeningtoDhamma talks,andpracticingVipassanameditation. AsfollowersoftheBuddha,wewishtoworshiphiminthismannerand therebyspreadhismessagethroughouttheworld,sothat,withpeaceofmind,with peacefromourmeditationpractice,wecanextendtoothersourlovingkindnessand compassioninthehopethattheycanbenefitfromtheblessingofTripleGems. Mayallbeingsintheworldliveinpeaceandprosperity.