May 17th: Vesak Day 2554 Buddhist Era

Dhammakaya International Meditation Center: DIMC.net

LOS ANGELES, California - All are invited to celebrate Vesak Day on May 17, 2011 (6:30-8:45 pm) at teh Dhammakaya ("Dharma-body") International Meditation Center in the Los Angeles foothill community of Azusa.

Vesak, celebrated worldwide on the full moon day in May, is when Buddhists commemorate three remarkable episodes in the historical Buddha's life: birthday, enlightenment day (glimpsing the inutterable peace of nirvana), and passing away into final nirvana.

These three occurrences although years apart fell on the same full moon day in the sixth Indian lunar month, corresponding to May on the Western calendar. This is also called "Buddha Day," "Buddhist Xmas," and Buddha Jayanti (Festival). Buddhists attend celebrations, memorial services, and perform many meritorious deeds in honor of the Buddha.

Buddha Festival: 2,600 years of Buddhism

Images: Dhammakaya, Text: Wisdom Quarterly

The birth of the Bodhisattva, the buddha-to-be, in Lumbini garden on the Indian frontier between 3,000 and 2,600 years ago, exact date unknown.

Vesak: the thrice blessed day because it was on the full moon day of the lunar month of Vesakha (ancient Indian calendar) that the Buddha was born to the Shakyan Queen Maya (apparently, according to Wisdom Quarterly research, a Salabhanjika) under a Sala tree in Lumbini garden, attained supreme enlightenment (which made him a buddha) under a Bo tree in Bodh Gaya ("Enlightenment Grove"), and passed into parinirvana, that is, nirvana without remainder laying down between twin Sala trees.

Siddhartha ("wish fulfilled") Gautama (his family name) became the Buddha of this age and was regarded as a famous karmavadin (teacher of the efficacy and importance of karma) and warrior caste (kshtriya) wandering ascetic opposed to the establish Brahminical tradition that relied on interpretations of sacred scriptures (the Vedas) and elaborate superstitious rituals carried out by a formal priestly caste (brahmins) over direct experience of the Truth. He was a knower and teacher of this world, other worlds, and the pathways leading to all kinds of rebirth. And with his tremendous following, the brahmins were not too happy about it. Much later, Adi Shankara decided to organize and standardize Buddhist-influenced Vedic Brahmanical schools, thereby creating what we recognize today as "Hinduism." Hinduism recognizes the Buddha but does a great disservice to his teaching by honoring him with the title of avatar, relegating him to a mere incarnation of the God Vishnu. The Buddha was not a God, not a deva, not spirit. He was a human who attained the incomparable status of a fully-enlightened teaching buddha. It is one thing, an accomplishment worthy of great praise and honor, to become enlightened. But it altogether an incomprehensible wonder to become a supreme teacher of the path to enlightenment.

The devas ("shining ones," deities, divas, godlings, "angels," Earth-fairies, celestial-beings, bright spirits) rejoiced that the Bodhisattva as King Setaketu chose to consummate his quest for enlightenment by taking his final rebirth as a human being on Earth, Prince Siddhartha Gautama.

The Bodhisattva lived in luxury and splendor in Kapilavastu (either near modern Bamiyan, Afghanistan or in the Terai of Nepal, both of which are in view of the Himalayan foothills) but sensed that things were empty. Suffering (unsatisfactoriness) touched everyone and every endeavor. Touched by the inkling that he had a greater mission, he renounced the throne, the household life, family, and worldly fame. He discarded his fine clothes, cut off his gorgeous hair, and left his family's territory to go East in search of a guru and enlightenment (the final solution to suffering that all beings experience). His mission was not only to become enlightened but to rediscover the path in order to show the way to others; that is the difference between a supremely-enlightened buddha and an arhat ("enlightened individual").

The Bodhisattva's struggle is steeped in lore. His life has been made an allegory to teach the Dharma by way of his example. While the essential facts may have survived, they have been mythologized and elaborated. His five-year struggle with two yogi-gurus to attain the exalted levels of serene meditation they taught are largely left out of the story. What is emphasized instead is his sixth year as he went off on his own, followed by five admirers eager to practice austerities with him. His fierce determination ruined his health and almost led to his death. Insight into the futility of fighting, struggling, and fiercely striving gave way to moderation. He understood that this wonderful body is a vehicle and of great help to reaching the goal. The first foundation of mindfulness, of which there are four, is the body. His mythical battle with internal "demons" is represented as a great offensive by Mara and an army of yakkhas ("demons") representing the psychological defilements we all possess that obstruct clear seeing and liberation.

Taking a balanced approach -- eating well, resting, keeping a regular schedule -- he persisted. He realized that the sublime pleasure born of serenity meditation was not a hindrance but an aid to insight. The defiled mind/heart (contaminated by the hindrances and fetters) cannot free itself. But the heart/mind temporarily freed of these obstructions, if it practices insight-meditation (examining dependently originated nature of unhappiness), can realized the Truth. And it is the Truth that sets one free. While he may have determined to not get up until he found freedom under the Bodhi tree, that resolution was only made after having come so far in his meditation that his mind was now luminous and ready to break through.

• EDITORIAL NOTE: If we practice with that determination, we are sure to fail -- because most of us have not done the preliminary work of cultivating the eight stages of serenity meditation that make the mind malleable, intensified, wieldy, and luminous. But this so often gets left out of the myth of the Buddha's glorious, take-no-prisoners, gung ho charging into battle against temptation. That is no way to win a war, and it is utterly impossible to win the peace this way.

Having attained the goal, the "Sage of the Shakya clan" (Shakya-muni) revered the Bodhi tree, rejoiced in the liberation of mind and liberation of heart through wisdom and virtue. Having found his way out of compassion for others, he was drawn to teach. But he well understood that it would be difficult to show anyone so subtle a Dharma, so non-polemic an answer, to teach the Middle Way. He decided to remain silent. Sakka, King of the Devas, came to ask him to reconsider out of compassion and particularly to help those who had "only a little dust in their eyes" who, with his help, would surely be able to realize the Truth. A brahma named Sahampati immediately came and repeated this entreaty, and the Buddha consented. He set out to teach his five former companions, seeing that his yogi-teachers had by then passed away. As others followed the practice and became enlightened by the practice, the Dharma grew. The Buddha continued to teach throughout the civilized and very spiritually advanced realm called the Rose "Apple Land" in the Middle Country (Jambudvipa, northern India), living mostly in Magadha.

His goal was not only to teach but to establish the teaching, or Dharma, through the ordination of monks, nuns, and male and female lay followers. The Buddha earned the title "the teacher of gods and men," which refers to the fact that he taught both devas and human beings. Devas live on Earth and in many extraterrestrial worlds. He and his disciples visited them, and they visited. In fact, more devas reached enlightenment than humans. (And it seems that in straight numbers, not proportions, more lay followers reached at least the first stage of enlightenment than monastics). The Sangha or "monastic community" grew and overtook the Vedic Brahmanism, the established religious authority. Although it is popularly believed that he did not want to ordain women, in fact, he stated that his Dispensation (sasana) would not be complete until all four types of disciples (male and female monastics and male and female lay followers) existed. Only in this way was the Dharma to have longevity. With the loss of nuns, who seem to have been sabotaged by the sexism prevalent in the world and by conspiracies by monks to undermine and subordinate them, the lifespan of the Dharma was threatened. But finally that segment of the Sangha is again on the rise.

Dhammakaya, Thailand's reawakening annual worldwide candlelight celebration in honor of Vesak. 2011 marks the 2,600th Vesak in Buddhist history. This means that it has been twenty-six centuries since the Buddha sat smiling under the Bodhi tree, having rediscovered the liberating Truth. This celebration takes place every year throughout the world where the Thai Theravada tradition has become established. The Los Angeles branch, perhaps the largest in America, celebrates tonight at 5:00 pm in the foothill city of Azusa.

The Buddha's Last Disciple

Mahaparinibbana Sutra ("Great Final Passing Discourse")

KUSHINAGAR, ancient India - The Buddha had decided to enter nirvana (without-remainder) near a podunk town. Ananda, who was already distraught, could hardly believe it. But the Buddha explained that in the distant past the area had been a significant site for previous buddhas. Moreover, it was in territory no kingdom could outright claim to the exclusion and consternation of others. Before passing, the Buddha answered one final question.

Last Days of the Buddha

Sister Vajira & Francis Story (DN 16) edited by Wisdom Quarterly

51. Now at that time a wandering ascetic named Subhadda was dwelling at Kusinara. And Subhadda the wandering ascetic heard it said: "Today in the third watch of the night, the final passing (parinirvana) of the ascetic Gautama will take place."

52. And the thought arose in him: "I have heard it said by old and venerable wandering ascetics, teachers of teachers, that the arising of Wayfarers (tathagathas), Liberated Ones (arhants), Fully Enlightened Teachers (buddhas) is rare in the world. Yet this very day, in the last watch of the night, the final passing of the ascetic Gautama will take place. Now there is in me a doubt. But to this extent I have faith in the ascetic Gautama -- that he could so teach me the Dharma so as to remove that doubt."

53. Then the wandering ascetic Subhadda went to the Sal tree grove, the pleasure park of the Mallas, and drew near to the [sad and preoccupied] Ven. Ananda, and told him his thought, saying: "Friend Ananda, it would be good if I could be allowed into the presence of the ascetic Gautama."

54. But Ven. Ananda answered him, saying: "Enough, friend Subhadda! Do not trouble the Wayfarer. The Blessed One is weary."

55-56. Yet a second and a third time the wandering ascetic Subhadda made his request, and a second and a third time Ven. Ananda refused him.

57. The Buddha heard the talk between them, and he called Ven. Ananda and said: "Stop, Ananda! Do not refuse Subhadda. Ananda, Subhadda may be allowed into the presence of the Wayfarer. For whatever he will ask me, he will ask for the sake of knowledge, not as an offense. And the answer I give him he will readily understand."

When the Buddha was passing from the danger of samsara to the blissful peace of nirvana with devas and the Sangha on hand

58. Then Ven. Ananda said to the wandering ascetic Subhadda: "Go then, friend Subhadda, the Blessed One gives you leave."

59. The wandering ascetic Subhadda approached the Buddha, saluted him courteously, and having exchanged with him pleasant and civil greetings, he seated himself respectfully at one side, saying: "There are, Ven. Gautama, wandering ascetics and brahmin priests who are heads of great companies of disciples, who have large retinues, who are leaders of schools, well known and renowned, held in high esteem by the multitude, such the teachers

• Purana Kassapa
• Makkhali Gosala
• Ajita Kesakambali
• Pakudha Kaccayana
• Sañjaya Belatthaputta
• Nigantha Nataputta [Mahavira, the founder of Jainism].

Have all of these attained realization, as each of them would have it believed, or has none of them, or is it that some have attained realization and others not?"

60. "Enough, Subhadda! Let it be as it may, whether all of them have attained realization, as each of them would have it believed, or whether none of them has, or whether some have attained realization and others not. I will teach you the Dharma, Subhadda; listen and heed it well, and I will speak."

"So be it, venerable sir."

The Buddha's Lion's Roar
61. And the Buddha spoke, saying: "In whatsoever teaching (dharma) and discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true wandering ascetic of the first, second, third, or fourth degree of enlightenment (saintliness).

But in whatsoever dharma and discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness.

Now in this Dharma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path. And in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of enlightenment.

Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the recluses live rightly, the world will not be destitute of saints.

62. "In age but 29 was I, Subhadda,
When I renounced the world to seek the Good;
Fifty-one years have passed since then, Subhadda,
And in all that time a wanderer have I been
In the domain of virtue and of truth,
And except therein, there is no saint
(of the first degree).

Siddhartha renouncing the world at age 29 with his charioteer Channa and his beloved white stallion Kanthaka on the outskirts of the Shakyan territory (ancient northwest Indian frontier).

"And there is none of the second degree, nor of the third degree, nor of the fourth degree of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the recluses live rightly, the world will not be destitute of saints."

63. When this was said, the wandering ascetic Subhadda spoke to the Buddha, saying: "Excellent, O venerable sir, most excellent, O venerable sir! It is as if, venerable sir, one were to set upright what had been overthrown, or to reveal what had been hidden, or to show the path to one who had gone astray, or to light a lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see -- even so has the Blessed One set forth the Dharma in many ways [suggesting he must have said more than is recorded here]. And so, O venerable sir, I go for guidance (sarana) to the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the Community of wandering ascetics. May I receive from the Blessed One admission to the Community and also the higher ordination."

64. "Whoever, Subhadda, having been formerly a follower of another creed (dharma or teaching), wishes to receive admission and higher ordination in this Dharma and Discipline, remains on probation for a period of four months. At the end of those four months, if the recluses are satisfied with him, they grant him admission and higher ordination as a recluse. Yet in this matter I recognize differences among people."

65. "I... will remain on probation for a period of four years. And at the end of those four years, if the recluses are satisfied with me, let them grant me admission and higher ordination as a recluse."

66. But the Buddha called Ven. Ananda and said to him: "Ananda, let Subhadda be given admission into the Community." Ven. Ananda replied: "So be it, venerable sir."

67. Then the wandering ascetic Subhadda said to Ven. Ananda: "It is a gain to you, friend Ananda, a blessing, that in the presence of the Buddha himself you have received the sprinkling of ordination as a disciple."

68. So it came about that the wandering ascetic Subhadda, in the presence of the Buddha, received admission and higher ordination. And from the time of his ordination Ven. Subhadda remained alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute [determined to reach the ultimate goal].

And before long he attained to the goal for which a worthy person goes forth rightly from the household life into homelessness, the supreme goal of the monastic life. And having by himself realized it with higher knowledge, he dwelt in it. He knew, "Destroyed is birth; the higher life is fulfilled; nothing more is to be done, and beyond this nothing more remains." Ven. Subhadda became yet another among the saints, the last disciple liberated by the Buddha himself. More