Yesterday a friend was asking me about Vesakh Day in Borobudur this year. I know something messed up there, but I wasn't quite sure what it was all about. He sent an article about the incident. Seems like some Buddhist complaining about reckless and impolite 'photographers-wanna-be' that interfering their religious rituals. Some were complaining about the long wait for the climax of the event -> releasing lantern into pitch black sky, the problem was it rained quite bad that night. So they have to postpone the lantern thing.
Btw, what climax? What lantern? What bullshit is this?
Even when someone commented, "The climax of Vesakh Day is not lantern thingy, it's the "Vesakh Day Countdown" (Indo: Detik-detik Waisak)" -->still wrong.
The truth is the countdown only existed in Indonesia. Nowhere else in the world, even in Buddhist countries recognise the countdown. The countdown, was to mark the exact second where the moon is the fullest, you can check it with some cool apps from your android phones now (note that the timing is specific to each area, it's not real-time for the whole part of the world). But then it's not a Buddhist thing, it's adopted from our Moslem brothers. In Indonesia, Moslem are so specific about the sun and moon movement especially during the fasting month's schedule and their Ied Day, so specific that they calculated to exact second. Buddhists in Indonesia adopt this culture, and somehow it evolved to be something sacred. How misleading that is!
There are 2 big Buddhist communities in Jakarta. One celebrated Vesakh Day with a glittery mumbo-jumbo ritualsss!, big billboard on main street, parade of government officials, they even managed to break a "Indonesian Record" - a smaller version of World Record; the Record is thing is wildly known to be easily purchased. I dunno why they are throwing the hard-donated-money into something so useless. Don't tell me it's for publication, I don't see why Buddhism needs any publication or advertisement to get new followers.
Another community celebrated Vesakh with a marathon of teaching (apparently they always have classes, they added an additional class for the event). A much simpler event, without any overboard ceremonies. Something I consider closer to the real teaching. Here, if you wanna know what they are having in the classes
Same as in my hometown, 2 contradicting communities. Too many politics. I refused to go to either ones on the day. I don't see my attendance will help in my self-improvement at all. Anyway, my absence has been a trending topic :) not on twitter, on local market it is. Hahahaha
So, Vesakh Day is not about rituals, not about lantern, not about publications, not about breaking a record.
It's about reminding yourself on the true purpose in these repetitive lives, to end all these sufferings, and finally attain Nibanna.
Happy Liberation for all of you.
May all beings be happy :)
Btw, what climax? What lantern? What bullshit is this?
Even when someone commented, "The climax of Vesakh Day is not lantern thingy, it's the "Vesakh Day Countdown" (Indo: Detik-detik Waisak)" -->still wrong.
The truth is the countdown only existed in Indonesia. Nowhere else in the world, even in Buddhist countries recognise the countdown. The countdown, was to mark the exact second where the moon is the fullest, you can check it with some cool apps from your android phones now (note that the timing is specific to each area, it's not real-time for the whole part of the world). But then it's not a Buddhist thing, it's adopted from our Moslem brothers. In Indonesia, Moslem are so specific about the sun and moon movement especially during the fasting month's schedule and their Ied Day, so specific that they calculated to exact second. Buddhists in Indonesia adopt this culture, and somehow it evolved to be something sacred. How misleading that is!
There are 2 big Buddhist communities in Jakarta. One celebrated Vesakh Day with a glittery mumbo-jumbo ritualsss!, big billboard on main street, parade of government officials, they even managed to break a "Indonesian Record" - a smaller version of World Record; the Record is thing is wildly known to be easily purchased. I dunno why they are throwing the hard-donated-money into something so useless. Don't tell me it's for publication, I don't see why Buddhism needs any publication or advertisement to get new followers.
Another community celebrated Vesakh with a marathon of teaching (apparently they always have classes, they added an additional class for the event). A much simpler event, without any overboard ceremonies. Something I consider closer to the real teaching. Here, if you wanna know what they are having in the classes
Same as in my hometown, 2 contradicting communities. Too many politics. I refused to go to either ones on the day. I don't see my attendance will help in my self-improvement at all. Anyway, my absence has been a trending topic :) not on twitter, on local market it is. Hahahaha
So, Vesakh Day is not about rituals, not about lantern, not about publications, not about breaking a record.
It's about reminding yourself on the true purpose in these repetitive lives, to end all these sufferings, and finally attain Nibanna.
Happy Liberation for all of you.
May all beings be happy :)
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