The general Buddhist holiday Vesak, or Donchod (in the Mongol-Buryat tradition), is celebrated on the second week of the 1st summer month (May). This is a single date for all countries of the Buddhist world.
On this day, three events happened at once in the life of the Buddha: his last earthly birth, enlightenment and immersion in nirvana. Eighty years have passed between the first and the last events. He became enlightened at the age of 35, but all this, according to the traditional biography of Buddha, happened on the same day.
For a whole week the monks talk in the temples about the life of the Buddha. Festive processions move around temples and monasteries, depicting theatrical versions of these three events. Not only monks but also numerous believers take part in processions and temple services.
In Chinese temples, as well as Buddhists at home, they wash Buddha statues with sweetened water and shower them with flowers. Many people buy various water creatures and release them into the water, performing the "ritual of freeing living creatures" pleasing to the Buddha. Some families prepare lean rice porridge mixed with various types of dried fruits and nuts - almonds, peanuts.
In Central and Eastern China, rice was cooked in a decoction of ebony leaves for the Buddha's birthday, which was attributed to magical properties. Such rice, which acquired a dark shade, was sent by the monks as a gift to their parishioners. This tradition still exists in many provinces today.
Legend tells that the originator of the tradition, which arose in the XII century, was the commander Yang Wenguang. Once he was thrown into prison and not allowed to eat. But the commander's sister managed to deceive the vigilance of the jailers by sending the mash a basket with "black rice". A sword was hidden at its bottom. Yang Wenguang broke out of prison on Buddha's birthday.
In another province, there is another tradition. A loving son fed "black rice" to his mother, who after death turned into a hungry spirit.
Peasants in China celebrated this holiday in their own way. It was considered the birthday of buffaloes. Arable buffaloes were allowed to graze freely on the eve of sowing, and on the first day of sowing, the whole village went out into the fields, and the oldest plowman, with the sound of gongs and crackers, planted the first sprout of rice.
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Inhabitants of the Hunan province on the holiday of ablution of the Buddha hung out a spell against insects: strips of yellow paper were glued crosswise to the doors of the house with the inscription: “On this holiday, the legendary magician Lü Dongbin will come to rest. The holy celestial dweller will blow once, and all the insects will scatter. " The Sichuan people hung out red paper with the inscription: "Marrying Hairy Insects."
In Yunin County, the holiday was celebrated with communal sacrifices to the gods, which were accompanied by dances of smartly dressed girls and boys.
In Korea, Buddha's Birthday is the most colorful and significant. It is also known as the Lantern Festival. On this day in Seoul, you can see a sea of multi-colored paper lanterns mounted on tall bamboo poles in front of almost every house. The house where the son was born over the past year was decorated with paper images of fish - a symbol of the boy. The lanterns were of various shapes and colors - in the shape of a melon, a lotus flower, a drum, a boat … Children dressed in smart costumes fired firecrackers. All night in the city the gates were not closed, and people walked, admiring the lanterns.
In the monasteries, ablutions and sprinkling of Buddha statues were performed, especially statues depicting a child Buddha.
On a holiday of love with lanterns
It's good to go up to the terrace
At the hour before the sun went down
And everything can be seen far around.
Lanterns are hung everywhere.
And in paper lotus buds
Little girls took cover
The lotuses will open - and children
The gluttonous cranes will be driven away.
Those who peck flowers.
The moon has risen in the east.
The radiance spreads around.
It's like the sun is on fire again.
The lanterns are on. The moon is shining.
Both Heaven and Earth shine.
In Japan, Buddha's birthday is also known as the festival of flowers.
According to legend, Buddha will be born at the moment when his mother was about to break the stem of a flower. On the same day, the god of the fields came down from the mountains and people greet him with flowers. This time is also the period of cherry blossoms.
The holiday in Japan began to be celebrated long ago, since 840. On the territory of Buddhist temples, a small model of a quadrangular temple 50-60 cm high, without walls, was placed on a pedestal. A flat bowl was installed in the center, and in it was a small statue of the child Buddha. The sculpture depicted Buddha at the moment when, according to legend, he uttered the words: "I am the ruler of the world, I am the best in the world, I am the first in the world."
The central ceremony of the holiday began at the moment when the children poured a special tea on the image of the Buddha-boy. It was prepared from the leaves of hydrangea growing high in the mountains. There was a belief: if you touch your fingers dipped in such tea, to the statue of Buddha in the place where your pain is, then healing will come. Parents brought sick children to the temples, hoping for the help of the Buddha.
The custom of pouring sweet tea on a Buddha figurine is associated with the legend of the birth of Buddha. When the little Buddha took the first seven steps and stretched his arms up and then lowered them down, the sea dragon poured sweet rain on him.
On the festive day, processions of children were organized in smart clothes and holding flowers. They danced and sang.
In almost all rural areas of the country, there was a rite to exhibit branches of wild azalea in front of ordinary dwellings. Hermit monks climbed high into the mountains to celebrate Buddha's birthday.
One Japanese scholar described the holiday as follows:
“Believers, 20 in number, dressed in white flowing clothes, carry on their shoulders a small temple with a small figurine of a child Buddha placed inside. The procession is accompanied by the same number of priests … During the procession, they blow large sea shells. The procession is met by another group of priests in festive vestments, about sixty in number, and thirty children, dressed in beautiful silk kimonos, with gilded crowns on their heads …
Flowers are laid on the altar of the temple. In the same place, smoking is ignited. Children recite special dedications and sing songs. A choir of sixty priests begins to sing religious verses calling for eternal peace.
At this time, children from five to eight years old come out on the platform and dance in front of the altar, dazzling with many flowers.
Today, the holiday remains a festive spectacle. It also passes, but in the figurative expression of R. Kipling, who visited Japan, "against the background of a feast of flowers."
In Thailand, Vesaka Puja Day is celebrated in honor of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha. Religious flags are flying everywhere. Ceremonies are taking place. In the countryside, people get up early in the morning to prepare food and sweets for the monks. At dawn, they make their way to a nearby temple, where they spend most of the day.
The main events take place around the temples. Throughout the day, people listen to sermons, and in the evening they take part in the candle procession. During it, everyone holds flowers, three incense sticks and a lighted candle in their hands, which symbolizes three shrines - Buddha, his Teachings and his Followers.
The royal family is present at the festival at the Putta Monton temple, where the walking Buddha statue is installed. One of its members leads the candlelight procession.
Most of all sweets and gifts go to the novice boys on this day.
Life in a Buddhist temple
The first Buddhist temple built in China was the White Horse Temple in Luoyang (present-day Henan province). According to legend, in 67 AD. BC, during the reign of Emperor Ming-di, two Indian monks - Kasyapamatanga and Dharmaraksha brought Buddhist sutras to Luoyang on a white horse from the far western land. They helped to build this temple. In the next millennium, Buddhist temples, pagodas, and caves were built throughout the country. Typically, a Chinese Buddhist temple consists of the Hall of Heavenly Rulers, the Hall of Guanyin (the goddess of mercy), the Buddha's sanctuary and the storehouse for the Tripitaka, that is, Buddhist scrolls. In every temple there is a present, an overseer and monks who are obliged to receive pilgrims and perform religious rites.
Many boys in Thailand live in temples. This is due to the fact that mostly their parents are poor farmers and are unable to feed their children. In addition, by serving the monks, they acquire a lot of knowledge.
The novice boy's morning begins before dawn. He should prepare "black pots" or begging vessels for the monks, in which they bring food to the monks in the morning. When the monks are ready to collect alms in the village, they follow them and help carry the collected alms. Every day, boys accompany the monks to distant villages, where they often have to flee from ferocious dogs.
Upon returning to the temple, the boys immediately begin preparing food for the monks. According to custom, monks are forbidden to accept food from the hands of anyone other than lay people. After the meal, the boys keep their food until the second, noon meal. Some monks strictly follow the custom and eat only once a day. Then the boys themselves begin to eat, since it is considered a sin for the laity to take food before the monks. In the afternoon, the monks are not allowed to eat; they are only allowed to drink water and soft drinks and milk.
Monks and novice boys wear similar robes and are often the same age. Despite this, there is little in common between them. While monks follow 227 precepts, novices follow only ten of them. Novice boys work for free food and shelter. Living next to the monks, the boys are taught discipline and educated as true Buddhists.
Many of the men who hold high positions in the state were once novice boys.
From the book: "100 Great Holidays". Elena Olegovna Chekulaeva