Vesak Day 2014 @ FGSSTL 5-25-14
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Vesak Dayt Celebration at Fo Guang Shan St. Louis Buddhist Center
on May 25, 2014, conducted by Buddhist Council of Greater St. Louis
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Vesak Day or Visakha Puja Day marks the Buddhism Trinity or three important incidents occurred in the life of Lord Buddha, which happened on the same day on full moon of the sixth lunar month.
The three significant separate events are:
• The Buddha was born on this day. into the Sakhaya Dynasty as Prince Siddhartha at the Lumbini Park (in what is now Nepal).
• The Buddha attained “Enlightenment” at Bodhagaya, India, at the age of 35.
• He passed away (Pari-Nirvana) at the age of 80 at Kushinara, India.
In his early years, he lived a luxurious life, and was shielded from the misery most people faced.
At the age of 29 he renunciated and became an ascetic seeking for the Ultimate Truth. Eventually he rejected this practice and practiced the “Middle Path” and attained enlightenment at the age of 39.
His great discovery is referred to as the “Four Noble or Ultimate Truths” namely:
• The Noble Truth of Suffering
• The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering
• The Noble Truth of Extinction of Suffering
• The Noble Truth of the Middle Path leading to the Extinction of Suffering
He spent the remainder of his life teaching the Truth, pointing out that there is a way out of misery in life. He guided people to practice Insight Meditation to realize the Ultimate Truths and end suffering.
Vesak or Visakha in Pali means the sixth month and is known as Vaisakha in Sanskrit. People in Thailand call it Visakha. ‘Visakha Puja’ means the chantings and offerings initiated in the sixth lunar month. People in Sri Lanka have called this event ‘Vesak’, the United Nations have adopted “Vesak” as the official term and have officially recognised it as one of its International Day, as stated in the U.N.’s GA Resolution 54/115 of 2000.
Buddhist Council of Greater St. Louis
Founded in June of 1999, The Buddhist Council of Greater St. Louis is a collaborative effort among various Buddhist organizations in the Greater St. Louis region aiming to promote cooperation among St. Louis Buddhists and to share the awakened way of life with all beings.
The Council meets monthly to organize three annual activities.
1) Vesak Day celebration commemorate the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death (pari-nirvana: death of an enlightened being) in the spring.
2) Walk to Feed the Hungry, in collaboration with Buddhist Global Relief, led by Bhikkhu Bodhi.
This year will be on Sunday, October 5, 2014 at the Tower Grove Park 1 PM at the Son of Rest Pavilion.
3) The Mindfulness Day Seminar is conducted during each fall season.
This year will be on Saturday, September 13, 2014 at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Art – ‘the Lots’ PXSTL.