This post is about Vesak (also known as Wesak) Day, which is an auspicious celebration of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. This year, I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to attend the Colours of Vesak Festival, a Multicultural Performance by SA Zhu-Lin Buddhist Association. The performance revolves around the life of the Buddha, just like the movie: Little Buddha.

As the stage performance was managed by mostly Malaysian Buddhist students, it was a nostalgic moment for me to witness such an interesting performance (reminding me of my involvement in Buddhist plays when I was a young boy).

Few memorable moments of laughter for this show are:

1. A ’skinny’ white elephant appearing in Queen Māyā Maya’s dream touching her side, and made her became pregnant, after 20 years of marriage without birth
2. when the Buddha was born, he stood straight, took seven steps, and declared “I alone am the World-Honored One.” And he pointed up with one hand and down with the other, to indicate he would unite heaven and earth. I am told the seven steps represent seven directions — north, south, east, west, up, down, and here. Mahayana Buddhists interpret “I alone am the World-Honored One” in a way that “I” represents all sentient beings throughout space and time — everyone, in other words.
3. A half contemporary half ancient ‘talent show contest’ in the selection of Yasodhara  as Prince Siddhartha’s wife to keep Prince Siddhartha happy in the palace

Pictures of the Colours of Vesak Festival show cast and crew members:

There are 2 significant events that stood out from this show:

a) Ordination of Maha Prahjapati Gotami, Buddha’s step mother

Maha Prajapati Gotami, Buddha’s step mother, requested ordination. He refused and eventually travelled on to Vesali. Gotami followed with a large group of ladies and on arrival met Ananda, the Buddha’s attendant, who agreed to ask the Buddha on their behalf. Eventually – if reluctantly – the Buddha agreed, subject to Eight Important Rules.

When the Buddha allowed women to be ordained, it was because he realized women have the same spiritual potential as men to be enlightened. He therefore allowed them to become nuns. The statement that by accepting women, Buddhism
would be shortened from 1000 years to 500 years is no longer valid because the Buddha’s teachings had prospered for over 2500 years. So such words could have not have come from the Buddha. He also set out the Garudarama or the Eight Important Rules in order to strengthen the sangha. So there is no question that Buddhism would decline because women become nuns.

Another argument was that:

the issue isn’t centered around the 1000 to 500. It’s the issue that women “is” the problem that only buddha ordained them so they lost their lineage to be ordained today because there is no female arahants to do so. The basic argument is skewed. That’s the real problem, so …
1) the 1000 to 500 becomes sort of a “cursed” for women … they are perceived as the culprit … making today’s women “faulty” to be ordained ….
2) if women lost the lineage of arahant nuns to further the ordaination process for all the females, then males have problems as we know now  as well we don’t have arahant males to ordain us … so if that argument is true, for the last 2000 years, we are illegal in our ordination and all our elders are fakes …
3) the ordination was done by ananda (stream enterer) …. so anyone could do it, do not need arahant nor the buddha to perform it … just literally anyone can do the ordination … short of being a 5, 8 or 10 precept holder

therefore, the argument didn’t centered around the 500 years after the buddha’s passing.

b) Buddha’s exposition of Dharma to Upali

Once Upali, the millionaire and a follower of Niganta Natha Putta was so impressed by the Buddha’s expounding of the dhamma, that he immediately met the Noble One and expressed his desire to become a follower forthwith.

The Buddha, calm and collected as usual replied, “Upali, a distinguished citizen like you should not arrive at hasty decisions. Think about the matter calmly, investigate and inquire with care and then make up your mind”.

These words of wisdom of the Buddha made Upali more keen to become a follower of the lofty teaching of the noble teacher.

He then respectfully told the Buddha, “Lord had I joined as a follower of another teacher the adherents of that teaching would have taken me in procession round the town, proclaiming that such and such a millionaire became a follower of their teaching. You O! Lord, on the contrary advise me to think further, investigate and analyse, without being hasty”.

He then appealed once again to the Buddha to take him as a follower. On realizing that Upali wanted to become a follower through conviction, He gave his consent. The Buddha advised Upali to treat his former teacher with respect and regard and to support him as usual.

This incident and the resulting conversation clearly shows that the Buddha’s aim in disseminating the dhamma was not to swell the number of converts, but to change the hearts and minds of the people and draw them towards the Buddhist way of righteous living.

Even today there are thousands of people living in the West, who lead lives in conformity with dhamma but do not call themselves Buddhists. The Noble One’s advice to Upali to support his former teacher shows that the sublime teaching of the Buddha does not speak of other religions or their teachers in disparaging terms.

The dissemination of the dhamma is done in the most civilized and cultured manner. No threats, coercion or other iniquitous methods are ever employed. The spread of the dhamma has been going on for over 2000 years. The hands of the dharmadutas were clean of blood, while not a single threat or even a harsh word escaped their lips. This is a good lesson to certain religious sects, that are very busy, particularly in developing countries trying their utmost to get a good “harvest” of converts.

What do you think was the most memorable part of the show?

How do you apply Buddhism in your day-to-day practice?

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Those who reborn as unfortunate spirits
(because of selfish craving
for their property in a past life),
return to their homes and
create an eerie atmosphere
while lingering beyong the doors

They yearn for human food,
but because of their past kamma,
their living relatives neglect
to make offerings to them

Those who are compassionate,
therefore, should remember
their departed relatives and
make offerings (such as almsgiving)
in their name.
By the whole-hearted transference of merits,
the spirit will gratefully wish
for the well-being of their living relatives
who perform the meritorious deed.

They should remember the spirits
of their departed relatives
who are not at peace with themselves and
gathered in many places

In return, such spirits
thus remembered and satisfied,
will eagerly wish for the well-being
of their living relatives our of gratitude.

For there is never ploughing here,
nor any cattle herding found.
‘Nor merchandizing just the same,
nor bartering for coins of gold
The spirits of the departed kin
live there on the merits
transferred to them.’

As water showered on the hill,
flows down to reach the hollow vale,
So the merits transferred can serve,
the spirits of the departed kin.

As river-beds when full can bear
the water down to fill the sea,
so the merits transferred can serve,
The spirits of the departed kin.

‘He gave to me, he worked for me,
He was my kin, friend, intimate.’
‘Give gifts, then, for departed ones,
Recalling what they used to do.’

No weeping, nor yet sorrowing,
Nor any kind of mourning, helps
Departed Ones, whose kin remain
Acting thus, unhelpful to them.

But when this offering is given
To those members of the Holy Order,
Then it can serve them long
In future and at once as well.

(By offering alms to
the Holy Order in memory of the departed)
The true path of action
For relatives has thus been shown,
And how high honour to
departed ones is done,
and how the Holy Order
can be given sustenance as well,
and how great merit
can be stored away by you

Compiled from “Daily Buddhist Devotion”

Transferring merits to the departed is based on the popular belief that on a person’s death, his or her ‘merits’ and ‘demerits’ are weighed against one another and destiny is thus determined. Lifetime actions determine whether one is to be reborn in a sphere of happiness or a realm of woe. The belief is that the departed one might have gone to an existence in the spirit world. The beings in these lower forms of existence cannot generate fresh merits, and have to live on the merits which are earned from this world.

Those who did not harm others and who performed many good deeds during their lifetime will certainly have the chance to be reborn in a happy place. Such persons do not require the help of living relatives. However, those who have no chance to be reborn in a happy abode are always waiting to receive merits from their living relatives to offset their deficiency and to enable them to be born in a happy abode.

Those who are reborn in an unfortunate spirit form could be released from their suffering condition through the transferring of merits to them by friends and relatives who do some meritorious deeds. What happens is really quite understandable. When the dead person becomes aware that someone has remembered him or her, then he or she becomes glad, and this happiness relieves the suffering. As there is greater happiness accrued from repeatedly being remembered, the unhappy birth is transformed to a happy one. It has all to do with the power of the mind.

Some people simply waste time and money on meaningless ceremonies and performance in memory of departed ones. These people do not realize that it is impossible to help the departed ones simply by building big graveyards, tombs, paper houses and other paraphernalia. Neither is it possible to help the departed by burning joss-sticks, joss-paper, etc; nor is it possible to help the departed by slaughtering animals and offering them along with other kinds of food. Also one should not waste by burning things used by the departed ones on the assumption that the deceased persons would somehow benefit by the act, when such articles can in fact be distributed among the needy.

The only way to help the departed ones is to do some meritorious deeds in a religious way in memory of them. The meritorious deeds in clued such acts as giving alms to others, building schools, temples, orphanages, libraries, hospitals, printing religious books for free distribution and similar charitable deeds.

The followers of the Buddha should act wisely and should not follow anything blindly. While others pray to god for the departed ones, Buddhists radiate their loving-kindness directly to them. By doing meritorious deeds, they can transfer the merits to their beloved ones for their well being. This is the best way of remembering and giving real honor to and perpetuating the names of the departed ones. In their state of happiness, the departed ones will reciprocate their blessings on their living relatives. It is, therefore, the duty of relatives to remember their departed ones by transferring merits and by radiating loving-kindness directly to them.

The method for transferring merits is quite simple. First some good deeds are performed. The doer of the good deeds has merely to wish that the merit gained accrues to someone in particular. This wish can be purely mental or it can be accompanied by an expression of words.

The wish could be made with the beneficiary being aware of it. When the beneficiary is aware of the act of wish, then a mutual ‘rejoicing in’ merit takes place. Here the beneficiary becomes a participant of the original deed by associating him or herself with the deed done. If the beneficiary identifies him of herself with both the deed and the doer, he or she can sometimes acquire even greater merit than the original doer, either because the elation is greater or because the appreciation of the value of the deed is based on an understanding of Dharma. Buddhist texts contain several stories of such instances.

The ‘joy of transference of merits’ can also take place with or without the knowledge of the doer of the meritorious act. All that is necessary is for the beneficiary to feel gladness in the hearth when he or she becomes aware of the good deed. If one wishes, one can express joy by saying ‘sadhu’ which means ‘well done’. What is being done is creating a kind of mental or verbal applause. In order to share the good deed done by another, what is important is that there must be actual approval of the deed and joy arising in the beneficiary’s heart.

Even if so desired, the doer of a good deed cannot prevent another’s ‘rejoicing in the merit’ because he or she has no power over another’s thoughts. According to the Buddha, in all actions, thought is what really matters. Transference is primarily an act of the mind.

To transfer merit does not mean that a person is deprived of the merit originally acquired from his or her good deed. One the contrary, the very act of ‘transference’ is a good deed in itself and hence enhances the merit already earned.