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Wesak Festival

Wesak Festival. Why are we here?. The time of the full moon is a time of celebration. We celebrate the energy of the SUN. The reason is that when the Moon is full it is the furthest from the Sun, thus the Sun’s energy is the strongest.

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Wesak Festival

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  1. Wesak Festival

  2. Why are we here? The time of the full moon is a time of celebration. We celebrate the energy of the SUN. The reason is that when the Moon is full it is the furthest from the Sun, thus the Sun’s energy is the strongest. Thus we celebrate the energy of the Sun through meditation and reflection.

  3. All is Energy! For those of you who are not familiar with esoteric philosophy – or do not know it well – I will remind you that all is energy. Thus you should simply relax and try to feel the energy rather then concern yourself with understanding everything. During the lecture you can ask questions or make comments. After the meditation you may also ask questions.

  4. Wesak Presentation • Buddha • Wesak Festival • Water Ceremony - Short Break - • Coffee/Tea - discussion

  5. Buddha (“the awakened” - someone who is completely free from all faults and mental obstructions) was the title given to Siddhartha Gautama, the son of a Nepalese rajah. According to tradition, Guatama left a life of luxury at age 30 and devoted himself to years of contemplation and self-denial, finally reaching enlightenment while sitting beneath a tree. Henceforth known as Buddha, he spent his life teaching disciples about his beliefs (embodied in the Four Noble Truths) and the goal of achieving the enlightened state of Nirvana. Buddha • Lord Buddha is considered the ninth avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu (Preserver in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer)

  6. As with Christ we know where Buddha was born. With Buddha it was Lumbini, Nepal - which is in the southern part of Nepal, near India. • As with Christ we do not know the year Buddha was born—563 B.C. is one date, 623 B.C. another, and 1029 B.C. a third. Buddha • As with Christ we do not know Buddha’s birthday. But not knowing Buddha’s birthday it seemed that there should be a day to celebrate his birthday—as we in the West have Christmas for Christ. • The date decided upon for the exact date of Vesak, informally “Buddha’s Birthday,” is in the fourth month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar (typically May), coinciding with the first full moon of that month. The date varies from year to year in the Western Gregorian calendar. This is a national holiday in Nepal. • This day commemorates three important events of Buddha’s life—His birth—His enlightenment, i.e. attainment of supreme wisdom—His attainment of Nirvana i.e. the complete extinction of his self at the age of 80.

  7. Gautama Buddha was not a god and the philosophy of Buddhism does not entail any theistic world-view. Thus using a narrow definition of religion Buddhism is not a religion. The teachings of the Buddha are solely to liberate human beings from the misery and sufferings of life. Buddha • According to Buddhism, sorrow and desire are the main cause of all the evil and suffering of this world. Lord Buddha advocated Four Noble Truths along with the Eightfold Path consisting of precepts to gain mastery over suffering. It is only after following this path one can reach the ultimate aim of Nirvana. Nirvana is the transcendental state of complete liberation.

  8. Life means suffering. To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. Although there are different degrees of suffering and there are also positive experiences in life that we perceive as the opposite of suffering, such as ease, comfort and happiness, life in its totality is imperfect and incomplete, because our world is subject to impermanence. This means we are never able to keep permanently what we strive for, and just as happy moments pass by, we ourselves and our loved ones will pass away one day, too. The Four Noble Truths

  9. Life means suffering. The origin of suffering is attachment. • The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and—in a greater sense—all objects of our perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardor, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a “self” which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call “self” is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe. The Four Noble Truths

  10. The origin of suffering is attachment. The cessation of suffering is attainable. • The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment. This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas. Nirvana is not comprehensible for those who have not attained it. The Four Noble Truths

  11. The cessation of suffering is attainable. There is a path to the cessation of suffering. The Four Noble Truths • There is a path to the end of suffering—a gradual path of self-improvement, which is described more detailed in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. The latter quality discerns it from other paths which are merely “wandering on the wheel of becoming”, because these do not have a final object. The path to the end of suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance, delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as progress is made on the path.

  12. Life means suffering. The origin of suffering is attachment. The Four Noble Truths The cessation of suffering is attainable. There is a path to thecessation of suffering.

  13. } Right View Right Intention Right Speech Right Action Right Livelihood Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Concentration Wisdom The Noble Eightfold Path } EthicalConduct } MentalDevelopment

  14. I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from: … harming living beings … taking things not freely given … sexual misconduct … false speech … intoxicating drinks and drugs causing heedlessness … taking untimely meals … dancing, singing, music and watching grotesque mime … use of garlands, perfumes and personal adornment … use of high seats. … accepting gold or silver. The Precepts

  15. Wesak Festival

  16. This Festival links the past with the present. This Festival marks the high-water mark of spiritual blessing in the world. At the time of the Festival … and through the united effort of the Christ and the Buddha working in the closest cooperation … there is opened a channel of communication between humanity and God. The Wesak Festival stands for certain most definite and clearly marked ideas:

  17. Buddhism Hinduism Jainism Bön

  18. The Legend of Wesak

  19. By what name we call these Beings does not greatly matter.

  20. I see and when the eye is opened, all is illumined.

  21. Water Ceremony

  22. Animal Realm Taoist Celtic Christians Water is essential to our very existence • Transformation • Subconscious • Fertilization • Purification • Reflection • Intuition • Renewal • Blessing • Motion • Life Native Americans Greeks Tarot Purity and fertility Astrologically Buddhist Egyptians

  23. In the centre of all Love I stand. 
From that centre I, the soul, will outward move. 
From that centre I, the one who serves will work.
May the love of the divine Self be shed abroad
In my heart, through my group, and throughout the world. Water Ceremony

  24. The Next Full Moon Gemini Full Moon Weekday, Month Day, Year Time Gemini Full Moon Meditation Weekday, Month Day, Year Time

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