The Festival of Theravada Tradition

New Year: In countries like Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Lao, where Theravada is the dominant religion, the New Year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April. On this occasion, every house is decorated with colorful bamboo-framed lanterns and people visit temples in large number and offer prayers and foods. In countries with dominant Mahayanist population, the New Year starts on the first full moon day in January. However, the Buddhist New Year depends on the country of origin or ethnic background of the people. For example, Chinese, Koreans and Vietnamese celebrate New Year in late January or early February according to the lunar calendar, whilst the Tibetans usually celebrate this day about one month later.

The people who follow the Theravada tradition are more strict. According to them, the festivals that have been incorporated with religion could sometimes pollute the purity of a religion. On the other hand, a religion without festivals can become very dull and lifeless to many people. Usually, children and youths get associated with religion through religious festivals. To them, the appeal inherent in a religion is based on its festivals. However, to a mediator, festivals can become a nuisance.

There is no gainsaying that some people will not be satisfied with religious observances only during a festival. So, they naturally like to have some sort of merry-making and outward show. Rites, rituals, ceremonies, processions and festivals are organized therefore to quench their thirst for emotional satisfaction through religion. No one can say that such practices are wrong, but devotees are supposed to organize those ceremonies in a cultured manner, without causing a nuisance to others.

It is a fact that Theravada Buddhists do not observe Buddhist festivals by enjoying themselves under the influence of merry-making or holding feasts by the slaughtering of animals because in the deep means of giving alms as foods they are not allowed to concede to request from lay peoples for vegetables foods or other things, just receive whatever lay peoples offers to them. True Buddhists observe festival days in an entirely different manner. On the particular festival day, they would devote their time to abstaining from all sorts of evil practices. Instead, they would strictly practice charity and help others to relieve themselves from their suffering. They may entertain friends and relatives in a respectable way.

Buddha's Birthday (Vesak Day):

Following the Theravada tradition, practices observed by lay people on the occasion of the Buddha's Birthday Celebrations include the observance of eight precepts (the regular five plus not taking food after midday and celibacy and not over indulging in sleep). Also, the lay people may participate in chanting and meditation and listening to sermons.

Traditionally, Vesak is the major Buddhist festival of the year as it celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha on the one day, the first full moon day in May, except in a leap year when the festival is held in June. This celebration is called Vesak after the name of the month in the Indian calendar.

The significance of Vesak rests on the Buddha and his universal peace message to mankind. To recall the Buddha and his Enlightenment, the Buddhist fellows are immediately reminded of the unique and most profound knowledge and insight which he attained on the night of his Enlightenment. This coincided with three important events which took place, corresponding to the three watches or periods of the night.

During the first watch of the night, when his mind was calm, clear and purified, light arose in him, knowledge and insight came. It was at that time that he saw his previous lives, at first one, then two, three up to five, then multiples of them.... ten, twenty, thirty to fifty. Then 100, 1000 and so on.... As he went on with this practice, during the second watch of the night, he saw how beings died and were reborn, depending on their Karma, how they disappeared and reappeared from one form to another, from one plane of existence to another. Then, during the final watch of the night, he saw the arising and cessation of all phenomena, mental and physical. He saw how things arose depending on causes and conditions. This led him to perceive the arising and cessation of suffering and all forms of dissatisfaction paving the way for the eradication of all taints of cravings. With the complete cessation of craving, his mind was completely liberated. He attained the state of Full Enlightenment. The realization dawned on him together with all psychic powers.

This wisdom and light that flashed and radiated under the historic Bodhi Tree at Buddha Gaya in the district of Bihar in Northern India more than 2500 years ago is of great significance to human destiny. It illuminated the way by which mankind could cross, from a world of superstition, or hatred and fear, to a new world of light of true love and happiness.

The heart of the teachings of the Buddha is contained in the teachings of the Four Noble Truths, namely,

1. The Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha)
2. The Origin or Cause of suffering
3. The End or Cessation of suffering
4. The Path which leads to the cessation of Sufferings

The First Noble Truth is the Truth of Dukkha which has been generally translated as 'suffering'. But the term Dukkha, which represents the Buddha's view of life and the world, has a deeper philosophical meaning. Birth, old age, sickness and death are universal. All beings are subject to this suffering. Separation from beloved ones and pleasant conditions, association with unpleasant persons and conditions, and not getting what one desires -these are also sources of suffering and dissatisfaction. The Buddha summarizes Dukkha in what is known as the Five Grasping Aggregates and herein lies the deeper philosophical meaning of Dukkha for it encompasses the whole state of being or existence.

Our life or the whole process of living is seen as a flux of energy comprising the five aggregates, namely the Aggregate of Form or the Physical process, Feeling, Perception, Mental Formation, and Consciousness. These are usually classified as mental and physical processes, which are constantly in a state of flux or change.

It is only when we train our minds to observe the functioning of mental and physical processes that we can realize the true nature of our lives. In that condition, we will see how it is subject to change and dissatisfaction. In other words, one must engage oneself in the Buddha’s teaching in order to relieve suffering. Thus, there is no real substance or entity or Self which we can cling to as 'I', 'my' or 'mine'. When we become aware of the unsatisfactory nature of life, we would naturally want to get out of this state. It is at this point that we begin to seriously question ourselves about the meaning and purpose of life. This will lead us to seek the Truth with regards to the true nature of existence and the knowledge to overcome the state of absolute discontent or dissatisfaction. So, from the Buddhist point of view, the purpose of life is to put an end to suffering and all other forms of dissatisfaction to realize peace and true happiness. Such is the significance of the understanding and the realization of the First Noble Truth.

The Second Noble Truth explains the Origin or Cause of suffering. Tanha or craving is the universal cause of suffering. It includes not only the desire for sensual pleasures, wealth and power, but also attachment to ideas', views, opinions, concepts, and beliefs. It is the lust for flesh, the lust for continued or eternal presence in the sensual realms of existence, as well as the realms of form and the formless realms. Besides, there is also the lust and craving for nonexistence (or nihilism). These are all different forms of selfishness, desiring things for oneself, even at the expense of others.

Not realizing the true nature of one’s Self, one clings to things which are impermanent, changeable and perishable. The failure to satisfy one's desires through these things causes disappointment and suffering. Craving is a powerful mental force present in all of us. It is the root cause of our sufferings. It is this craving which binds us to Samsara -the repeated cycle of birth and` death.

The Third Noble Truth points to the cessation of suffering. Where there is no craving, there is no becoming, no rebirth. Where there is no rebirth, there is no decay, no old age, no death, hence no suffering. That is how suffering is ended, once and for all.

The Fourth Noble Truth explains the Path or the Way which leads to the cessation of suffering. It is called the Noble Eightfold Path. The Noble Eightfold path avoids the extremes of self-indulgence on one hand and self-torture on the other. It consists of Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. These factors may be summarized into three stages of training, involving morality, mental culture and wisdom.

Morality or good conduct is the avoidance of evil or unwholesome actions—actions which are tainted by greed, hatred and delusion; and the performance of the good or wholesome actions, free from greed, hatred and delusion, but motivated by liberality, loving-kindness and wisdom. The function of good conduct or moral restraint is to free one's mind from remorse (or guilty conscience). The mind that is free from remorse (or guilt) is naturally calm and tranquil, and ready for concentration with awareness. The concentrated and cultured mind is a contemplative and analytical mind. It is capable of seeing cause and effect, and the true nature of existence, thus paving the way for wisdom and insight.

Wisdom in the Buddhist context is the realization of the fundamental truths of life, which are basically the Four Noble Truths. The understandings of the Four Noble Truths provide us with a proper sense of purpose and direction in life. They form the basis of problem-solving.

The message of the Buddha stands today as unaffected by time and the expansion of knowledge as when they were first enunciated. No matter how much scientific knowledge can extend man's mental horizon, there is room for the acceptance and assimilation for further discovery within forming the fundamental framework of the teachings of the Buddha. The teaching of the Buddha is open to all to see and judge for themselves. The universality of the teachings of the Buddha has led one of the world's greatest scientists, Albert Einstein to declare that 'if there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism'.

The teaching of the Buddha became a great civilizing force wherever it went. It appeals to reason and freedom of thought, recognizing the dignity and potentiality of the human mind. It calls for equality, fraternity and understanding, exhorting its followers to avoid evil, do good and purify their minds on this most important festival day (Vesak).

Realizing the transient nature of life and all worldly phenomena, the Buddha has advised us to work out our deliverance with heedfulness, as 'heedfulness is the path to deathlessness'. His clear and profound teachings on the cultivation of heedfulness otherwise known as Satipatthana or the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is the path for the purification of beings -for the overcoming of sorrows and lamentation, destruction of all mental and physical sufferings, attainment of insight and knowledge, and for the realization of Nibbana. This has been verified by his disciples. That is why it is regarded as a path, a technique which may be verified by all irrespective of caste, color or creed.

In Thai villages, people get ready during the day. They clean their houses and hang up garlands of flowers. The men take clean sand from the river bank and spread it over the temple courtyard, where everyone walks with bare feet. Statues of the Buddha are brought out of the temple to be washed and polished and all the books come out to be dusted. When it gets dark, the villagers gather with candles or small oil lamps. The biggest Buddha statue is put on a platform outside the temple and lights are put on to shine all round it. Scented water is thrown onto it. Holding their lights, everyone starts to move round the Buddha statue so that in the end it is encircled with light.

Most of the Theravedin countries also celebrate the Festival of the Tooth of the Buddha. The tooth can never be seen, as it is kept deep inside many caskets. But once a year in August, on the night of the full moon, there is a special procession for it. All the meanings of festivals are construed by the members in different nations. In other words, the groups of engage Buddhists stand for nothing more than the benefit of well beings from different cultural groups living in Australia.