VESAK MESSAGES 2012 FROM BUDDHIST LEADERS
Message from Ajahn Brahmali, Bodhinyana Monastery, Serpentine:
If you can find a worthy friend,
A virtuous, steadfast companion,
Then having overcome all perils,
You should associate with him content and mindful.
Dhp.328
Wishing all beings a peaceful and joyous Vesak!
The Sangha of Bodhinyana Buddhist Monastery
Message from Thubten Dondrub, Resident Teacher, Hayagriva Buddhist Centre, Kensington
What is called Vesak in the Theravada tradition is called Sakadawa in the Tibetan Mahayana tradition and is considered to be the holiest of the four holy days of the Buddhist calendar. The other holy days are the Day of Miracles, the Day of the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma and The Day of the Descent from the Realm of the Thirty Three (where the Buddha had gone to teach his mother the Dharama). Vesak/Sakadawa is the most holy, special day because it celebrates three great events in the Buddha’s life: his birth, enlightenment and Parinirvana.
In the Tibetan Tradition this day is said to occur on the full moon of the fourth lunar month. It is believed that any actions done on this day, good or bad, have far greater karmic consequences than on any other day. So for this reason people are encouraged to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts and to dedicate the day to practice. In fact the whole fourth lunar month is also called Sakadawa and traditionally in Tibetan people would try put extra effort in to avoiding negative actions during this month and those who ate meat would try to abstain from doing so during the whole month, but especially on the Sakadawa/Vesak day.
As resident teacher at Hayagriva Buddhist Centre I have tried to promote the four holy days, especially Vesak/Sakadaw as much as possible and encourage students of the Centre to try to take the day off from work in order to devote it to practice. At our Centre we celebrate Vesak/Sakadawa day by taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts early in the morning, spending the afternoon making extensive water-bowl offerings, then in the evening we do an extensive light-offering practice followed by a Shakyamuni Buddha puja in which we recall the life and sublime qualities of Lord Buddha.
Vesak message 2012 from Beruwala Siri Sobhitha, Chief Incumbent of SLSBS
From Abbess Ven Chueh Shan of BLIWA (Maylands):
“Congratulations to Buddhist Council of WA in celebrate the Vesak which not only acknowledges our Buddhism, but also brings people together to celebrate the cultural diversity. I wish you every success.”
