Vesak Day holds profound significance in my family’s life. It is a momentous occasion that encapsulates the essence of peace, compassion, and spiritual awakening.
As we immerse ourselves in the celebrations and volunteer our time to facilitate the event, we are always reminded of the noble teachings of Buddha, whose wisdom and enlightenment continue to guide humanity towards harmony and enlightenment.
Personally, Vesak Day serves as a time for reflection, spiritual growth, and coming together as a community to honour the Buddha’s teachings. Furthermore, it inspires me to contribute positively to the world, fostering a more compassionate and enlightened society.
Vesak began this year with a blessing of the site by our Spiritual Master on Sunday. It felt like it was yesterday that we had our last Vesak celebration together, in 2019. Four years have passed we have celebrated Vesak on this scale.
This is possibly not unique to our community, as many other religious societies have or are still going through the same, since the pandemic hit us all equally. Some were perhaps more fortunate to have their own place to call home, while we continue to raise funds to find land and have our own place for the community.
The fund raising effort has made harder by our fund raising philosophy centering strictly around the laws of karma. anyway, but i am excited that the government in Singapore has introduced the balloting process instead of bidding. A small society like ours could finally get a chance of some sort. But, that is a theme for another blog.
A stark image this Vesak is the agedness of our community. As our time on this earth wears on, so does our body. The natural process of our ageing, made more visible by the social separation caused by the pandemic
Our Buddhist Society is made up entirely of volunteers. From the erection of the structures on a tempoary site to hold the paraphernalia and objects of offering, to the chanters and the food preparation to feed these selfless volunteers and friends and public who drop in for a visit…. each year, for the last 4 decades, volunteers have come together as one to build a temporary home for the community to gather and pay homage to the Buddha for His teachings and blessings.
i am thankful for being a part of this special community. I am thankful for the dharma lessons as I journey through life with this community. And I am thankful for the Buddha’s and our Spiritual Master’s teachings and compassion.
So often we hear about friends fighting because someone had said something that has offended someone else.
In the heat of the moment it is easy to blurt out whatever we feel. Often, in a state of anger, we say things just to spite the other person. Hit below the belt, as some would say.
Society encourages us to speak our minds. Unfortunately, if the mind is untrained and remains tainted with misconceptions and illusions, speaking our mind could sometimes cause pain and harm for ourself and others.
There is a Chinese saying that illnesses are often caused by what we eat, and problems are often caused by our speech.
Right Speech is not just about not telling lies or gossiping. It is about stating what is true, at the right time when it is beneficial to others.
Speech is such a common thing. Humans engage in it for nearly every waking moment. Even in our dream state, we dream about conversations we have with others. It is one action that we do often without thinking much about it.
Right Speech fundamentally is to uphold the 4 basic virtues of 1) not telling lies, 2) no divisive speech, 3) no abusive speech and 4) no idle chatter.
When you engage in lies, rude language, speaking ill to cause discord and engaging in mindless gossip, they only serve to distract your mind and create hardship for yourself and others around you.
While you may not feel it at that time of speaking, it will affect you and others down the road. Make an effort to control your harsh speech at all times, keep vigilant and stay away from idle talk, and be mindful not to lie.
Related in one sutra (Abhaya Sutta), The Buddha explains the factors that determine what is and is not worth saying. There are three: whether or not a statement is true whether or not it is beneficial, and whether or not it is pleasing to others.
This virtue of right speech in different situations is thus based on its truth value, utility value and emotive content.
Here is an extract for you:
[1] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does not say them.
[2] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does not say them.
[3] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing and agreeable to others, he does not say them.
[4] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, but endearing and agreeable to others, he does not say them.
[5] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, and beneficial, but unendearing and disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.
[6] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing and agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings.”
The Buddha would only state those things that are true and beneficial. He would also have a sense of time for when pleasing and unpleasing things should be said. A false statement no matter how beneficial is not entertained.
I urge you to practice Right Speech. Right Speech is not just a step in the Eightfold Path, it has significance in cultivating the One Heart.
Here’s a cheat sheet on minimum vegetarian timing for our Vesak celebration this year.
For morning meditation, lighting of oil lamps and Seet Goh, it is 11pm the day before.
For Kwan Teng, healings and blessings, and presentation of Ten Treasures, it is 3 days prior.
If you have friends or family coming to the Gala Dinner (or any time over the five days), we will once again have a prayer and contemplation area for non-vegetarians. If they would like to enter the central spine to walk the Lotus Path ( nine pillars) and light an oil lamp, they will need to have been vegetarian since 11pm the day before. a The dates and times for the various events are in the image.
Online registration for the Gala Dinner, Kwan Teng and fruit and flower bags is still open online at https://near.tl/mhbs2023/order.html
上午九時至晚間十時三十分: 啟建清供,祈求世界和平、國泰民安。接受禮佛、點燈、供奉花菓 9.00am to 10.30pm: Chanting of prayers for peace and harmony. Lighting of oil lamps, offering of fruits and flowers is allowed.
五月二十九日及五月三十日 (29 & 30 May 2023)
晚間九時開始: 光讚地藏十王寶灯 9.00pm: Oil Lamp Procession
五月三十一日 (31 May 2023)
晚間七時三十分開始: 賜醫驅邪 7.30pm: Healing
六月一日 (1 June 2023)
上午十時至中午十二時: 賜醫驅邪 10.00am to 12pm: Healing
下午二時三十分開始: 十献科儀 2.30pm: Presentation of “TEN TREASURES”
晚間七時三十分開始: 賜醫驅邪 7.30pm: Healing
晚間七時四十五分: 貴賓抵步 7.45pm: Arrival of VIPs
晚間八時正: 素宴開始 8.00pm: Vegetarian Dinner
六月二日 (2 June 2023)
下午一時至五時: 設放瑜伽燄口 1.00pm to 5.00pm: Deliverance of recently deceased and wandering souls
晚間八時至九時十五分: 稱頌教主佛號儀式，歡迎本堂善伩攜眷及親友出席參加 8.00pm to 9.15pm: Mass prayer session for all devotees. Family members and friends are welcome to join the prayers.
晚間九時三十分: 發還生果 9.30pm: Collection of fruits and flowers upon completion of thanks giving prayers.
Our Vesak celebration this year will be at the open field next to the old Thomson CC (currently under renovation) on Upper Thomson Rd. It will be held over 5 days, from Monday 29th May to Friday 2nd June.
We were last at this site some 35 years ago! It is directly across the road from the Upper Thomson Rd site we used in 2018.
Our theme for this year is Right Speech.
We will post updates in the coming weeks such as public transport routes, vegetarian dates for events and the healing schedule.
If you won’t be at the Shrine for the final opening this Sunday (14th May), you can arrange fruit bags, oil lamp procession and Gala Dinner places online
