Penance Rites On Lunar Mach 30th, Monkey Year

On May 6th, 2016 (March 30th, Lunar Calendar), Hoang Phap Pagoda has organized the monthly Penance Rites with the attendance of thousands of Buddhists from Ho Chi Minh City and nearby provinces.

More than 26 centuries ago, at Kapilavatthu Sultanate appeared a great person, the Exalted One. He was the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maya. Siddhatha Prince was born in a full moon day of Vesak month (according to the Indian ancient calendar). Recognising the sufferings of human beings in life, he renounced the luxury life with kingdom, palaces, charming wife, good son to become an ascetic in search of truth and awakening.

 After approaching and following the famous masters’ teaching, he knew that their methods did not lead to a perfect awakening and super-knowledge hence he turned away from them. He spent 6 more years practicing the most severe ways of life (gave up food) with lots of suffering just to know that it could not help him to reach his goal. Then he gave up these extremes and followed a middle path. He sat cross-legged under the big Bodhi Tree (The Tree of Enlightenment) and decided not to rise from his meditation until he gained wisdom. Finally, after 49 days and nights, he has got the Enlightenment and became Buddha, the Fully Awakened One, opening the Door of Deathlessness to all living beings, Nirvana.

After the Enlightenment, Buddha travelled all over India to preach his Dhamma which benefited everyone. After fulfilling the Dhamma preaching, under the Sala tree, he passed away (Parinibbana) at the age of 80. Buddha’s entire life, from actions, teachings, behaviors to silence, has been the great convincible lesson for us to study. The light of his compassion and wisdom has been maintaining  great value through time globally.

 Vesak is around the corner. As a lecturer, Venerable Thích Tâm Đạo advises us, the Buddhists, welcoming the festival with Buddhist pennons, flags, banners … Especially, families should prepare beautiful models of Lumbini Park if it is possible. Each of us should contribute our parts to celebrating the Vesak so that more and more people in the world can know about this important event. Furthermore, we can also read the book “The Buddha’s Story” edited by Venerable Thích Chân Tính, the Hoang Phap Pagoda’s Abbot. This is a wonderful book of Buddha’s life that we should read to understand more about the Buddha, follow him and improve ourselves to contribute to the society.