I'm in the US, I've taken a liking to Chinese style-Buddhism (after decades of reading mostly popular Zen and Vipassana books). I've been trying to fill out my practice with more practice, such as celebrating holidays.
So I have the City of 10,000 Buddhas calendars and they mention about 1 or 2 Buddha or Bodhisattva birthdays a month. How are these celebrated, both here in the US and abroad?
My googling suggests visiting a Temple (not easy to do on a weekday, not subway accessible), or eating vegetarian for the day (I do that all year, so it doesn't seem like an celebratory activity if you do it every day anyhow).
How does one celebrate the numerous Bodhisattva Birthdays?
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Re: How does one celebrate the numerous Bodhisattva Birthday
Well, do a regular daily liturgy and include some Sutra or Mantra recitation related to that Bodhisattva. I think that's usually how they'd do it. Maybe put up a picture of them too.
Re: How does one celebrate the numerous Bodhisattva Birthday
At CTTB itself, most of the Buddha and Bodhisattva days are marked simply by the addition of the Jewelled Censer Praise during the morning ceremony. For the more special occasions, CTTB will host Buddha recitation assemblies, such as the three Guanyin days which are marked by the weeklong Guanyin sessions, with a celebration day during which Universal Bowing (as they call it at CTTB, original term is 普佛) is added to the relevant sutra recitations, as well as other 'festive' events such as liberating animals, viewing of relics, and transmitting the three refuges and five precept. When they mention being vegetarian, they are probably referring to the more narrow practice of Buddhist vegetarianism which excludes eggs, garlic, onion, chives, leeks and the like in addition to meat and seafood, and ideally abstaining from solid food past midday. The term for being vegetarian in this context can also refer to taking the eight precepts.
Re: How does one celebrate the numerous Bodhisattva Birthday
You can also light a candle (I often go to Catholic churches for this because of the temple problem) and incense (this at home).
Kirt
Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Re: How does one celebrate the numerous Bodhisattva Birthday
Me too. Great places to meditate on weekdays.kirtu wrote:You can also light a candle (I often go to Catholic churches for this because of the temple problem) and incense (this at home).
Kirt
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
- Jainarayan
- Posts: 304
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- Location: New Jersey, USA
Re: How does one celebrate the numerous Bodhisattva Birthday
I'm just catching up on reading, so I may have a few questions...
When one goes into a Catholic church for the meditation and/or candle lighting, do you simply make a respectful bow or nod? When I've been to a Catholic wedding or funeral I did a bow. I consider Jesus something of a bodhisattva, but not God or a god; I didn't feel quite right genuflecting.
When one goes into a Catholic church for the meditation and/or candle lighting, do you simply make a respectful bow or nod? When I've been to a Catholic wedding or funeral I did a bow. I consider Jesus something of a bodhisattva, but not God or a god; I didn't feel quite right genuflecting.
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Re: How does one celebrate the numerous Bodhisattva Birthday
I just light a candle and put my hands together in silent prayer/offering and usually also recite mantra subverbally.Jainarayan wrote:I'm just catching up on reading, so I may have a few questions...
When one goes into a Catholic church for the meditation and/or candle lighting, do you simply make a respectful bow or nod? When I've been to a Catholic wedding or funeral I did a bow. I consider Jesus something of a bodhisattva, but not God or a god; I didn't feel quite right genuflecting.
Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
- Jainarayan
- Posts: 304
- Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 2:23 am
- Location: New Jersey, USA
Re: How does one celebrate the numerous Bodhisattva Birthday
Great, thanks.kirtu wrote:I just light a candle and put my hands together in silent prayer/offering and usually also recite mantra subverbally.Jainarayan wrote:I'm just catching up on reading, so I may have a few questions...
When one goes into a Catholic church for the meditation and/or candle lighting, do you simply make a respectful bow or nod? When I've been to a Catholic wedding or funeral I did a bow. I consider Jesus something of a bodhisattva, but not God or a god; I didn't feel quite right genuflecting.
Kirt
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya