Vesak Day Ceremony at Borobudur Temple

Thousands of Buddhist devotees will congregate at the magnificent Borobudur Temple in Central Java to take part in Buddhism's holiest event of Vesak 2558/2014, which this year falls on 15^th May 2014. While, the pinnacle of the ritual ceremony will occur at 02.15.37 West Indonesia Time.

The event is preceded by a rite to obtain holy water from the pristine springs at Jumprit in the Temanggung district,  on Tuesday, 13^th May 2014. On the same day, the ritual will be followed by igniting the Vesak torch whose flames are taken from the natural eternal flames at Mrapen in the village of Grobogan, in the Purwodadi district, Central Java. The flame and holy water will be kept in the Mendut Temple to be carried and used during the ceremony at Borobudur on the actual Vesak day.

As has become tradition every year, the ceremony will first commence with prayers at the Mendut temple, then gathering pilgrims will walk  to the Borobodur temple carrying the flame of eternal fire, holy water and Buddhist symbols that were kept in the Mendut temple,  to place these on the main altar already set up on the west side of the  Borobudur temple.

An inseparable part of the ritual is the lighting of candles and chanting of the Ghata Visaka Puja by the congregation. Devotees will then continue with pradaksina or the ritual of prayers and circling three times around the Borobudur temple, moving clockwise from east to west.

Marking the pinnacle of Vesak’s  series of rituals some 1,000 Puja lanterns will be released into the sky symbolizing enlightenment to the entire universe.

This year, the event will also be attended by the Vice President of Republic Indonesia, Boediono, who will give his remarks.

For 2014, WALUBI ( Perwakilan Umat Buddha Indonesia ) or the Indonesian Buddhists Representatives Association, who leads the ceremony has designated the theme of Vesak 2558 BE as: “Developing Brahmavira for the Happiness of All Creatures” with special address on “Maintaining a bright vision and righteous mind”.

Conducted annually during the full moon in the month of May or at the purnama sidhi , Vesak  commemorates  three most important events in the life of Siddharta Gautama  known as the Tri Suci Waisak. The first important event is the Birth of Prince Siddharta at the Lumbini Gardens in 623 BC. The second episode is the enlightenment (nirvāṇa) in which Prince Siddharta became the Buddha in Bodhgaya at the age of 35 in 588 BC, and the third is the passing away (Parinirvāna) of Gautama Buddha at Kusinara at the age of 80 in 543 BC. Thus, Vesak is also known as simply Budhha’s day.

More Information available at: http://www.walubi.or.id/ 

(Indonesia.Travel)