Sacred Yantra Temple Tattoos ("sak yant")

The all faiths yantra (lotus.org)

Sacred (sak) geometry (yant or yantra) tattooing refers to protective symbols embedded in the skin in Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. It is the ancient magical practice of using sacred geometry along with Buddhist, Brahminical (proto-Hindu), and animist imagery as well as magical incantations (kata or mantras), written in Khom (an ancient script used to write Pali-Sanskrit or Prakrit, which does not have a unique script).

Thai Buddhist monk receiving sak yant or sacred tattoos (peaceloveandtea/devishakti)

Sacred geometry tattoos are made by Buddhist monks, brahmins, and Ruesi ascetics. Where they are made is called a Samnak Sak Yant (if a temple or a large establishment) or Dtamnak (if a smaller establishment with one master). Sak-yant.com presents a compendium of knowledge, information, and galleries about Thai Buddhist/animist temple tattoos, Saiyasart (Thai occultism), Buddha magic, kata (mantras), and sacred magic amulets. More

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Relics Tour continues through California

The upcoming relic display will take place on Friday at starting 6:00 pm at Wat Lao Buddharangsy, 3819 E. Service Rd., Ceres (maitreyaproject.org).

CERES, California (ModestoBee) - Sacred relics of the Buddha and other Buddhist masters will be on display this weekend at the Laotian Buddhist temple in Ceres.

It's an exciting exhibit, said Chanthavilay Sanouvong, a 47-year-old Ceres resident who teaches children about the Theravada Buddhist tradition and Laotian language at the temple.

"It's so very special for the relics to be here," she said. "It's my first time to see them. I believe they bring healing and good luck. They can change the bad in your life to the good."

The relics, which next will travel to Tahoe City on July 8-10, and Sacramento on July 15-17, have been on display around the world for the past two years.

Laotian monks Ven. Bounma Khamvongsod and Ven. Sackda Mikey Amphavannasouk in the room that will display relics (Debbie Noda/Modbee.com).

The tour is part fundraiser, with donations going toward the construction of a 500-foot-tall Buddha statue in [the ancient city where the Buddha passed into final nirvana] Kushinagar, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.

According to a Web site, the statue will sit atop a throne building surrounded by a park and will include temples, exhibition halls, a museum, library, audio- visual theater and hospitality services. There also will be meditation pavilions, water fountains, and tranquil pools.

In Ceres, an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday will include a procession, prayers, candlelight, and blessings from monks, said Ven. Bounma Khamvongsod (pictured), a 71-year-old monk from Laos who has served at the temple for 25 years. Some of the relics, enclosed in special small display cases, can be placed on the crown of a person's head as a personal blessing. More

Vesak 2011: Cal. Bodhi Vihara, Long Beach

California Bodhi Vihara celebrates 2600th Buddha Purnima (Indian Buddhist festival)

Vesak 2011 celebrations in Los Angeles

A brief outline of the life of the Buddha (dimc.net)

May in California is punctuated by Vesak celebrations. Temples usually divide up weekends to hold events. The Sri Lankan community has seven temples in the Los Angeles area and celebrates the event on different dates. (The final Sinhalese event in the area will be held on May 22, at Maithri Vihara in Sun Valley).

Today, the actual full moon observance day, was observed in a massive event at Dhammakaya Int'l Meditation Center (dimc.net) in Azusa. Two-hundred Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana monks from 11 different countries (Japan, China, Korea, Tibet, Burma, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and the USA) were in attendance along with -- by our estimate -- 1,000 white-clad Buddhists.

There were short welcoming speeches, chanting in various languages, guided meditation, and respectfully circumambulating holding candles in honor of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as it sprinkled and thoughts of gratitude went out for the Dharma wishing the world peace.