VesakBon Festival (in
Japan)
Blessed Rainy Day in
BhutanVesakVesak (Sinhalese) is the most holy time in the
Buddhist calendar. In Indian
Mahayana Buddhist traditions, the holiday is known by its Sanskrit equivalent, Vaisakha. The word Vesak itself is the
Sinhalese language word for the
Pali variation, "Visakha". Vaishākha is the name of the second month of the lunar
Hindu calendar. Vesak is also known as Visakah Puja, Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti in
India,
Bangladesh and
Nepal, Visakha Bucha in
Thailand, Phat Dan in
Vietnam, Waisak in
Indonesia, Vesak (Wesak) in
Sri Lanka and
Malaysia, and Saga Dawa in
Tibet. The equivalent festival in
Laos is called
Vixakha Bouxa and in Myanmar is called Ka-sone-la-pyae meaning Fullmoon Day of Kasone which is also the second month of the Myanmar Calender. Vesak is a public holiday in many Asian countries like
Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand,
Singapore,
Vietnam, and so on.
The exact date of Vesak, informally "
Buddha's Birthday," is in the fourth month in the
Chinese lunar calendar (typically May), coinciding with the first full moon of that month. The date varies from year to year in the Western
Gregorian calendar and actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment
Nirvana, and passing (
Parinirvana) of
Gautama Buddha.
HistoryThe decision to agree to celebrate Vesak as the Buddha’s birthday was formalized at the first Conference of the
World Fellowship of Buddhists (W.F.B.) held in Sri Lanka in 1950 , although festivals at this time in the Buddhist world are a centuries-old tradition. The Resolution that was adopted at the World Conference reads as follows, "That this Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, while recording its appreciation of the gracious act of His Majesty, the Maharaja of Nepal in making the full-moon day of Vesak a Public Holiday in Nepal, earnestly requests the Heads of Governments of all countries in which large or small number of Buddhists are to be found, to take steps to make the full-moon day in the month of May a Public Holiday in honour of the Buddha, who is universally acclaimed as one of the greatest benefactors of Humanity."
On Vesak Day, Buddhists all over the world commemorate events of significance to Buddhists of all traditions: The birth, enlightenment and the passing away of
Gautama Buddha. As Buddhism spread from India it was assimilated into many foreign cultures, and consequently Vesak is celebrated in many different ways all over the world.
The celebration of VesakMay 2007 has two full moon days, the 1st and the 31st. Some countries (including
Sri Lanka,
Cambodia and
Malaysia) will celebrate Vesak on the 1st, while others (
Thailand,
Singapore) will celebrate the holiday on the 31st.
On Vesak day, devout Buddhists and followers alike are expected and requested to assemble in their various temples before dawn for the ceremonial, and honorable, hoisting of the
Buddhist flag and the singing of hymns in praise of the holy triple gem: The
Buddha, The
Dharma (his teachings), and The
Sangha (his disciples). Devotees may bring simple offerings of flowers, candles and joss-sticks to lay at the feet of their teacher. These symbolic offerings are to remind followers that just as the beautiful flowers would wither away after a short while and the candles and joss-sticks would soon burn out, so too is life subject to decay and destruction. Devotees are enjoined to make a special effort to refrain from killing of any kind. They are encouraged to partake of vegetarian food for the day. In some countries, notably
Sri Lanka, two days are set aside for the celebration of Vesak and all liquor shops and slaughter houses are closed by government decree during the two days. Also birds, insects and animals are released by the thousands in what is known as a 'symbolic act to liberation'; of giving freedom to those who are in captivity, imprisoned, or tortured against their will. Some devout Buddhists will wear a simple white dress and spend the whole day in temples with renewed determination to observe the observance of the Eight Precepts.
Young buddhist monk on Vesak Day Parade
Devout Buddhists undertake to lead a noble life according to the teaching by making daily affirmations to observe the
eight Precepts. However, on special days, notably new moon and full moon days, they observe additional disciplines to train themselves to practice morality, simplicity and humility.
The Eight Precepts are:
Not to kill
Not to steal
Not to engage in improper sexual activity
Not to indulge in wrong speech
Not to take intoxicating drinks and drugs
To abstain from taking food at unreasonable times
To refrain from sensual pleasures such as dancing, singing and self-adornment
To refrain from using high and luxurious seats in order to practice humility.
Devotees are expected to listen to talks given by monks. On this day monks will recite verses uttered by the Buddha twenty-five centuries ago, to invoke peace and happiness for the Government and the people. Buddhists are reminded to live in harmony with people of other faiths and to respect the beliefs of other people as the Buddha had taught.
Bringing happiness to othersCelebrating Vesak also means making special efforts to bring happiness to the unfortunate like the aged, the handicapped and the sick. To this day, Buddhists will distribute gifts in cash and kind to various charitable homes throughout the country. Vesak is also a time for great joy and happiness, expressed not by pandering to one’s appetites but by concentrating on useful activities such as decorating and illuminating temples, painting and creating exquisite scenes from the life of the Buddha for public dissemination. Devout Buddhists also vie with one another to provide refreshments and vegetarian food to devotees who visit the temple to pay homage to the Blessed One.
Paying homage to the BuddhaTradition ascribes to the Buddha himself instruction on how to pay him homage. Just before he died, he saw his faithful attendant
Ananda, weeping. The Buddha advised him not to weep, but to understand the universal law that all
compounded things (including even his own body) must disintegrate. He advised everyone not to cry over the disintegration of the physical body but to regard his teachings (The Dhamma) as their teacher from then on, because only the Dhamma truth is eternal and not subject to the law of change. He also stressed that the way to pay homage to him was not merely by offering flowers, incense, and lights, but by truly and sincerely striving to follow his teachings. This is how devotees are expected to celebrate Vesak: to use the opportunity to reiterate their determination to lead noble lives, to develop their minds, to practise loving-kindness and to bring peace and harmony to humanity.
Bon FestivalO-bon (お盆, O-bon
?) or only Bon (盆, Bon
?) is a
Japanese Buddhist holiday to honor the departed (deceased)
spirits of one's
ancestors. This Buddhist festival has evolved into a
family reunion holiday during which people from the big cities return to their home towns and visit and clean their ancestors' graves. Traditionally including a
dance festival, it has existed in Japan for more than 500 years. It is held from
July 13 (
August 13 according to the lunar calendar still observed in many regions) to
July 15 ("Welcoming Obon" and "Farewell Obon" respectively) in the eastern part of Japan (
Kantō), and in August in the western part. In recent years, however, most parts of
Tokyo, and by extension, the
media, hold Obon in August to coincide with the summer holiday period. Obon shares some similarities with the predominantly
Mexican observance of
el Día de los Muertos, such as customs involving family reunion and care of ancestors' grave sites.
Obon is a shortened form of the
legendary Urabonne/Urabanna (
Japanese: 于蘭盆会 or 盂蘭盆会, urabon'e). It is
Sanskrit for "hanging upside down in
hell and suffering" (Sanskrit:
Ullambana). The Japanese believe they should ameliorate the suffering of the "Urabanna".
Bon Odori originates from the
story of
Mokuren, a disciple of
Shakyamuni, who saw a vision of his deceased mother in the Realm of
Hungry Ghosts where she was indulging in her own selfishness. Greatly disturbed, he went to the
Buddha and asked how he could release his mother from this realm. Buddha instructs him to make offerings to the Sangha on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. The disciple did this and, thus, saw his mother's release. He also began to see the true nature of her past unselfishness and the many sacrifices that she had made for him. The disciple, happy because of his mother's release and grateful for his mother's kindness, danced with joy. From this dance of joy comes Bon Odori or "Bon Dance", a time in which ancestors and their sacrifices are remembered and appreciated. See also:
Ullambana Sutra.
Toro Nagashi is the floating of paper lanterns on the last evening of Obon, to guide the spirits in their journey.
Bon OdoriBon Odori (盆踊り, meaning simply Bon dance) is an event held during Obon. It is celebrated as a reminder of the gratefulness one should feel toward one's ancestors.
Originally a
Nenbutsu folk dance to express the effusive welcome for the spirits of the dead, the style of celebration varies in many aspects from region to region. Each region has a respective local Bon dance, as well as respective music accompanying the dance. The music accompanying the dance can be songs specifically pertinent to the spiritual message of Obon, or local
min'yo folk songs. Consequently, the Bon dance will look and sound different from region to region. Hokkaido, or northern Japan, is known for a folk-song known as "Soran Bushi." The song "Tokyo Ondo" needs no explanation. Residents of the Kansai area will recognize the famous "
Kawachi Ondo." Tokushima in Shikoku is very famous for its "Awa Odori," or "fool's dance," and in the far south, one can hear the "Ohara Bushi" of Kagoshima, Kyushu.
The way in which the dance is performed is also different in each region, though the typical Bon dance involves people lining up around a high wooden building made especially for the festival called a '
yagura'. The yagura is usually also the bandstand for the musicians and singers of the Obon music. Some dances proceed clockwise, and some dances proceed counter-clockwise around the yagura. Some dances reverse during the dance, though most do not. At times, people face the yagura and move towards and away from it. Still some dances, such as the Kagoshima Ohara dance, and the Tokushima Awa Odori, simply proceed in a straight line through the streets of the town.
The dance of a region can depict the area's history and specialization. For example, the movements of the dance of the
Tanko Bushi (the "coal mining song") of old Miike Mine in Kyuusu show the movements of miners, i.e. digging, cart pushing, lantern hanging, etc. Because everyone dancing performs the same feet and hand movements in unison, it really is an interesting and beautiful dance to behold.
There are other ways in which a regional Bon dance can vary. Some dances involve the use of different kinds of fans, others involve the use of small towels called tenugui which may have colorful designs. Some require the users to use small wooden clappers they use during the dance. The "Hanagasa Odori" of Yamagata is particularly interesting, for its dancers use a flower-decorated hat or "hanagasa" for the dance.
The music that is played during the Bon dance is not limited to Obon music and
min'yo; some modern
enka hits and kids' tunes written to the beat of the "
ondo" are also used to dance to during Obon season. Particularly famous is "
Pokemon Ondo", which was used as one of the ending theme songs for the
Pocket Monsters anime series in Japan.
The Bon dance tradition is said to have started in the later years of the
Muromachi period as a public entertainment. In the course of time, the original religious meaning has faded, and the dance has become associated with summer.
To celebrate O-Bon in
Okinawa, the
eisa drum dance is performed instead.
Celebrations outside JapanBrazil
Bon Odori Festival is celebrated every year in many Japanese communities all over
Brazil, as Brazil is home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan.
São Paulo is the main city of the Japanese colony in Brazil, and also features the major festival in Brazil, with street
odori dancing and
matsuri dance. It also features
Taiko and
Shamisen contests. And, of course, this festival is also a unique experience of a variety of Japanese food & drinks, art and dance.
China
The Chinese version of O-Bon, the
Ghost Festival (盂蘭節), is held in the seventh month of the
Chinese calendar instead of July.
Korea
In Korea the equivalent festival is known as
Baekjung (백중 [百中, 百種, or 白中]). Offerings of food, flowers, paper money, and useful items are presented to the dead at Buddhist temples, where sutras are recited to ease their torments.
Malaysia
A Bon Odori Festival is also celebrated every year at Penang and at the Matsushita Corp Stadium, Shah Alam. This celebration, which is a major attraction for the state of
Selangor, is the brain child of the Japanese Expatriate & Immigrant's Society in
Malaysia. In comparison to the celebrations in Japan, the festival is celebrated on a much smaller scale in Penang and Selangor (Malaysia). Here, it is less associated with Buddhism and more with Japanese culture. Held mainly to expose locals to a part of Japanese culture, the festival provides the experience of a variety of Japanese food & drinks, art and dance.
United States and Canada
The "Bon season" is an important part of the present-day culture and life of Hawaii. Bon Odori festivals are also celebrated in
North America, particularly by Japanese-Americans or Japanese-Canadians affiliated with Buddhist temples and organizations.
Buddhist Churches of America (BCA) temples in the U.S. typically celebrate Bon Odori with both religious Obon observances and traditional Bon Odori dancing around a
yagura. Many temples also concurrently hold a cultural and food bazaar providing a variety of cuisine and art, also to display features of Japanese culture and Japanese-American history. Performances of
taiko by both amateur and professional groups have recently become a popular feature of Bon Odori festivals. Bon Odori festivals are usually scheduled anytime between July and September. Bon Odori melodies are also similar to those in Japan; for example, the dance Tanko Bushi from Kyushu is also performed in the U.S. In
California, due to the diffusion of Japanese immigration, Bon Odori dances also differ from Northern to Southern California, and some are influenced by originally American culture, such as "Baseball Ondo"!
Blessed Rainy DayBlessed Rainy Day is the
holiday marking the end of the
monsoon season in
Bhutan. On this day all natural water resources in the country are considered to be sanctifying and citizens are encouraged to take an outdoor bath to be cleansed of "bad deeds, obstructions and defilements" and accumulated bad
karma. Families traditionally gather for a meal of thup (
porridge) at breakfast time. The holiday also marks the end of the farming season and the beginning of the
harvest season.
Government offices, schools, and institutions are closed for the day.
The most auspicious hour for the ablution is determined by astrologers in the service of the
Je Khenpo, the chief abbot of the country. They refer to the Bhutanese lunar calendar (essentially the
Tibetan lunar calendar), but the exact method of their calculations have not been disclosed. In
2004, they determined the preferred time to be 4:00 PM,
September 22. Citizens who are unable to bathe at the exact hour instead often rise before dawn for a brisk morning splash.
In 2005 Blessed Rainy Day fell on
September 23. The official date in 2006 was found to be
September 24.
Variant romanizations of the
Dzongkha name of the holiday include Thrue-Bab, Thrie-Bab, and Thri-Bab.
