Vesak
"When one abandons harming, one gives freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings, one gains a share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the first gift, the first great gift — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — that is not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and without fault acknowledged by the wise…”
from the Abhisanda Sutta (AN 8.39)
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Dear Dhamma Friends,
Best wishes and peace on this sacred Vesak day.
Every year in May on the full moon day, Buddhists worldwide celebrate Vesak. This day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and Parinibbāna of Lord Buddha. Every May, the United Nations commemorates Vesak and its significance for our global community. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says: “During this time of conflict in the world, the Buddha’s teachings of tolerance, compassion, and service to humanity are a source of solace and strength. As we navigate the path to a better future together, let us honor the spirit of Vesak.” The message of the Buddhist teachings is also found in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights: that all human beings are equal in rights and dignity, and that we as Buddhists commit ourselves to bringing peace and justice in the world.
Commemoration of the International Day of Vesak at UNESCO
Here is UN Vesak 2024 message: Buddha’s Timeless Teachings of Peace, Compassion Are Pathway …
The Buddhist flag first created by the Colombo Committee in Sri Lanka was publicly displayed on Vesak in May 1885 and symbolized the solidarity of Sri Lankan Buddhists during British colonialism. The flag represents the colors radiating from the Buddha’s aura when he achieved enlightenment: blue as universal compassion, yellow as the middle way, red as the blessings of practice, white as the purity of dhamma, and orange as the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings. These colors symbolize the universality of the truth of the Buddha’s teaching. Today this Buddhist flag has been adopted by over 60 countries, and millions of Buddhists worldwide.
This is the Vesak message that I offered on behalf of the TBC last year for the Toronto Vesak celebration which brought together many Theravada and Mahayana communities (and unfortunately, is not take place this year):
"On this sacred day of Vesak, let’s also pay homage to our ancient sisters, the first Buddhist women. The Buddha names them and their excellent qualities in the Numbered Discourses 1.18. As we recite their names and recollect their excellent qualities, may we be encouraged on the path of dhamma:
“Foremost in seniority is Mahā-pajāpatī Gotamī…foremost in great wisdom is Khemā … foremost in psychic abilities is Uppa-la-vaṇṇā…foremost in monastic law is Paṭā-cārā…foremost in teaching the dhamma is Dhamma-dinnā…foremost in meditative absorption is Nandā…foremost in energy is Soṇā…foremost in clairvoyance is Sakulā…foremost in swift insight is Bhaddā Kuṇḍa-lakesā…foremost in recollecting past lives is Bhaddā Kāpi-lānī…foremost in penetrative insight is Bhadda-kacc-ānā…foremost among ascetics is Kisā-gotamī…and foremost in faith is Siṅgāla-ka-mātā.”[i]
Documentary: Dawn of Buddhism in Cuba
The documentary provides a new and revealing perspective on the emergence and presence of Buddhism in this country.
May we Gather 2024
We gathered on Saturday, March 16, 2024 to mark the three-year memorial of the 2021 Atlanta-area shootings, which claimed the lives of eight people, six of them women of Asian descent, including the 63-year-old Buddhist Yong Ae Yue. We remember that these shootings are woven into a broader tapestry of anti-Asian animus, religious bigotry, and injustice against women. The suffering of racial, religious, and gender violence affects us all.
With palms together, we invite spiritual friends of all backgrounds to join us for national ceremony and peace walk. Together, we will recover, commemorate, and celebrate Asian American Buddhist history and strengthen interconnected ties of kinship.
Burning Refuge: Buddhism and Social-Spiritual Liberation
This conference is being held at the Harvard Divinity School (in person) and online (Zoom).
Buddhism and Well Being Forum
The BCC Forum on Buddhism and Well Being Forum is an exploration and sharing of Buddhist teachings and practices addressing Buddhist spiritual care and the well-being of individuals and communities. There will be presentations and workshops from diverse Buddhist perspectives: monastic and lay, academic and practitioners. Light refreshments will be provided for the in-person component in the morning and afternoon on November 10. Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch or dine at Ned's Cafe (Goldring Centre, Victoria University) if they are attending in person on November 10. This event is hosted by Emmanuel College's Centre for Religion and Its Contexts. For more information, please contact: buddhist.council.of.canada@gmail.com