The Vesak Great Ceremony in 2023

Commemorating the Buddha's Birthday coming to the world was an important and significant event in Buddhists’ thought. This is a chance to recall His careers, sacrifices, love and timeless wisdom to all sentient beings of three realms. In that gratitude, Hoang Phap Pagoda solemnly celebrated the Great Buddha's Birthday on June 2nd, 2023 (April 15th, LC), Buddhism calendar 2567 with thousands of Buddhist men and women who attended.

At 6 am, three series of drums and the bell was sounded for greeting the monks to enter the stage for starting the rite of incense offering to the Buddha.

Attending this ceremony were the presence of Most Thich Chan Tinh, Master of Hoang Phap Pagoda, Junior Thich Tam Truong, Abbot of Hoang Phap Pagoda together with the Abbot of facilities belonging to the Hoang Phap sect, pagoda’s monks and Buddhists everywhere.

After having stated the reason and introduced the ceremony, Junior Thich Tam Truong gave a speech on the Vesak and Junior Thich Tam Trieu addressed its meaning.

Giving preaching words in the ceremony, Most Ven. Thich Chan Tinh had a dharma talk to the attendees.

The scarce event of the Buddha's Birth brought the light of enlightenment to mankind and Buddhism followers across five continents. The Master briefly recalled the Buddha's life and shared three rare events.

1. The Buddha was born with thirty-two bodily marks and grace, adding eighty subsidiary characteristics in the noble royal family; each of us is born in a life with different figures, life spans, assets, wisdom, etc... until good or bad body characters are caused by karma that has been sown in the past. The reason why the Buddha has a dignified body, full of blessings is the result of long practice, and complete cultivation of ten-parami perfections.

2. When walking through the four-gate citadel, he immediately realized that life is impermanent, suffering, empty, and selfless, so, He decided to leave home and seek liberation. This is the wholesome roots cultivated from countless His past lives.

3. After six years of practice, he attained enlightenment, the last life, the result of practice from 4 Asankhya (Countless eons) and 100,000 Mahakalpa (1,334,000,000 years) in the past.

The Buddha was born in the world as a historical figure, self-cultivated to realize the truth, and attaining Buddhahood is a fact without giving of any gods or saints. He pointed out the way to liberate all sufferings for humanity that he had experienced, realized, and then affirmed, "I am the Buddha that has come true, sentient beings are the Buddhas will become"; therefore, any sentient being who follows the path He has followed will surely attain Buddhahood.

The Most Master advised the mass to try to follow the example of the Blessed One, see the truth of life to transform body and mind, and advance on the path of enlightenment and deliverance.

Continuing the program, the participants spent one minute recalling the Shakyamuni Buddha’s grace, listening to the bell and verse chanting from Junior Thich Tam Tri.

Next, monks and Buddhists performed the ritual of offering incense, celebrating the Buddha Birthday and releasing balloons - a symbol of peace and freedom.

After that, the Buddhists gathered at the Dharma Wheel Building to recite the Buddha's name and participate in the competition Quiz Buddhadharma. The attendees will strengthen their knowledge, have the opportunity to learn deeply about Sakyamuni Buddha life.

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