Đại lễ
Vesak Liên Hợp quốc 2008 sẽ diễn ra tại Việt Nam
Theo dự kiến, Đại lễ Vesak Liên Hợp quốc 2008 (Đại lễ kỷ niệm tam hợp
Đức Phật) sẽ diễn ra tại Việt Nam vào tháng 5/2008 với trên 70 nước tham
gia cùng hàng trăm đoàn đại biểu quốc tế Phật giáo.
Đây là
hoạt động văn hóa tôn giáo lớn mang tính quốc tế diễn ra tại Việt Nam.
Thành công của hoạt động này có sự đóng góp về ý thức trách nhiệm của
mỗi người dân vì sự đoàn kết hữu nghị và phát triển của đất nước.
Vesak -
tên gọi tháng thứ 4 của năm theo lịch Ấn Độ, người Ấn Độ có tín ngưỡng
Phật giáo xem tháng Vesak là tháng linh thiêng bởi vào ngày trăng tròn
của tháng này đã diễn ra 3 sự kiện trùng lặp gắn với thân thế sự nghiệp
đức Phật (Phật đản sinh, Phật thành Đạo, Phật nhập Niết bàn).
Đại lễ
Vesak là Đại lễ kỷ niệm tam hợp Đức Phật (ngày Phật đản sinh, ngày Phật
thành đạo và ngày Phật nhập diệt) diễn ra vào ngày trăng tròn tháng
Vesak tương đương với tháng 5 dương lịch. Từ xa xưa, Đại lễ Vesak đã
được tổ chức tại một số nước Phật giáo, từ Sri Lanka sau đó truyền sang
Thái Lan…
Năm
2001, Đại lễ Vesak được kỷ niệm lần đầu tiên tại trụ sở Liên Hợp quốc ở
New York (Mỹ) với sự tham gia của đại biểu đến từ 34 nước. Kể từ đó đến
nay Đại lễ Vesak đã được tổ chức nhiều năm liền ở ngoài trụ sở Liên Hợp
quốc.
Đại lễ
Vesak Liên hợp quốc có nhiều nội dung, bên cạnh nội dung sinh hoạt tôn
giáo, có Hội thảo về các chủ đề Phật giáo đối với đời sống xã hội, triển
lãm, biểu diễn văn hóa nghệ thuật dân gian của nước đăng cai; du lịch
thăm quan thắng cảnh, thắng tích Phật giáo. Thời gian và địa điểm tổ
chức Đại lễ Vesak do nước đăng cai quyết định.
Chủ đề
của Đại lễ là: "Phật giáo và xã hội công bằng, dân chủ, văn minh". Đại
lễ được khai mạc và bế mạc tại Trung tâm Hội nghị Quốc gia Mỹ Đình, Hà
Nội, các hoạt động triển lãm, văn hóa tổ chức tại Cung Văn hóa Hữu nghị
và Trung tâm Hội nghị Quốc gia Mỹ Đình, thăm quan thắng cảnh, chiêm bái
thắng tích Phật giáo tại Yên Tử, Hạ Long (Quảng Ninh), Tràng An, Bái
Đính (Ninh Bình).
Dự kiến
Đại lễ Vesak Liên Hợp quốc 2008 tại Việt Nam sẽ có trên 70 nước tham gia
với hàng trăm đoàn đại biểu quốc tế Phật giáo và nhiều khách mời là các
chính khách thân thiện đại diện Đại sứ quán các nước tại Việt Nam./.
The significance of Vesak lies with the Buddha and his universal
peace message to mankind.
As we recall the Buddha and his Enlightenment, we are immediately
reminded of the unique and most profound knowledge and insight which
arose in him on the night of his Enlightenment. This coincided with
three important events which took place, corresponding to the three
watches or periods of the night.
During the first watch of the night, when his mind was calm, clear
and purified, light arose in him, knowledge and insight arose. He saw
his previous lives, at first one, then two, three up to five, then
multiples of them .. . ten, twenty, thirty to fifty. Then 100, 1000 and
so on.... As he went on with his practice, during the second watch of
the night, he saw how beings die and are reborn, depending on their
Karma, how they disappear and reappear from one form to another, from
one plane of existence to another. Then during the final watch of the
night, he saw the arising and cessation of all phenomena, mental and
physical. He saw how things arose dependent on causes and conditions.
This led him to perceive the arising and cessation of suffering and all
forms of unsatisfactoriness paving the way for the eradication of all
taints of cravings. With the complete cessation of craving, his mind was
completely liberated. He attained to Full Enlightenment. The realisation
dawned in him together with all psychic powers.
This wisdom and light that flashed and radiated under the historic
Bodhi Tree at Buddha Gaya in the district of Bihar in Northern India,
more than 2500 years ago, is of great significance to human destiny. It
illuminated the way by which mankind could cross, from a world of
superstition, or hatred and fear, to a new world of light, of true love
and happiness.
The heart of the Teachings of the Buddha is contained in the
teachings of the Four Noble Truths, namely,
The Noble Truth of Dukkha or suffering The Origin or Cause of suffering The End or Cessation of suffering the Path which leads to the cessation of all sufferings
The First Noble Truth is the Truth of Dukkha which has been generally
translated as 'suffering'. But the term Dukkha, which represents the
Buddha's view of life and the world, has a deeper philosophical meaning.
Birth, old age, sickness and death are universal. All beings are subject
to this unsatisfactoriness. Separation from beloved ones and pleasant
conditions, association with unpleasant persons and conditions, and not
getting what one desires - these are also sources of suffering and
unsatisfactoriness. The Buddha summarises Dukkha in what is known as the
Five Grasping Aggregates.
Herein, lies the deeper philosophical meaning of Dukkha for it
encompasses the whole state of being or existence.
Our life or the whole process of living is seen as a flux of energy
comprising of the Five aggregates, namely the Aggregate of Form or the
Physical process, Feeling, Perception, Mental Formation, and
Consciousness. These are usually classified as mental and physical
processes, which are constantly in a state of flux or change.
When we train our minds to observe the functioning of mental and
physical processes we will realise the true nature of our lives. We will
see how it is subject to change and unsatisfactoriness. And as such,
there is no real substance or entity or Self which we can cling to as
'I', 'my' or 'mine'.
When we become aware of the unsatisfactory nature of life, we would
naturally want to get out from such a state. It is at this point that we
begin to seriously question ourselves about the meaning and purpose of
life. This will lead us to seek the Truth with regards to the true
nature of existence and the knowledge to overcome unsatisfactoriness.
From the Buddhist point of view, therefore, the purpose of life is to
put an end to suffering and all other forms of unsatisfactoriness - to
realise peace and real happiness. Such is the significance of the
understanding and the realisation of the First Noble Truth.
The Second Noble Truth explains the Origin or Cause of suffering.
Tanha or craving is the universal cause of suffering. It includes not
only desire for sensual pleasures, wealth and power, but also attachment
to ideas', views, opinions, concepts, and beliefs. It is the lust for
flesh, the lust for continued existence (or eternalism) in the sensual
realms of existence, as well as the realms of form and the formless
realms. And there is also the lust and craving for non-existence (or
nihilism). These are all different Forms of selfishness, desiring things
for oneself, even at the expense of others.
Not realizing the true nature of one's Self, one clings to things
which are impermanent, changeable and perishable. The failure to satisfy
one's desires through these things; causes disappointment and suffering.
Craving is a powerful mental force present in all of us. It is the
root cause of our sufferings. It is this craving which binds us in
Samsara - the repeated cycle of birth and` death.
The Third Noble Truth points to the cessation of suffering. Where
there is no craving, there is no becoming, no rebirth. Where there is no
rebirth, there is no decay. no, old age, no death, hence no suffering.
That is how suffering is ended, once and for all.
The Fourth Noble Truth explains the Path or the Way which leads to
the cessation of suffering. It is called the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Noble Eightfold path avoids the extremes of self-indulgence on
one hand and self-torture on the other. It consists of Right
Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right
Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.
These path factors may be summarised into 3 stages of training,
involving morality, mental culture and wisdom.
Morality or good conduct is the avoidance of evil or unwholesome
actions -- actions which are tainted by greed, hatred and delusion; and
the performance of the good or wholesome actions, - actions which are
free from greed, hatred and delusion, but motivated by liberality,
loving-kindness and wisdom.
The function of good conduct or moral restraint is to free one's mind
from remorse (or guilty conscience). The mind that is free from remorse
(or guilt) is naturally calm and tranquil, and ready for concentration
with awareness.
The concentrated and cultured mind is a contemplative and analytical
mind. It is capable of seeing cause and effect, and the true nature of
existence, thus paving the way for wisdom and insight.
Wisdom in the Buddhist context, is the realisation of the fundamental
truths of life, basically the Four Noble Truths. The understanding of
the Four Noble Truths provide us with a proper sense of purpose and
direction in life. They form the basis of problem-solving.
The message of the Buddha stands today as unaffected by time and the
expansion of knowledge as when they were first enunciated.
No matter to what lengths increased scientific knowledge can extend
man's mental horizon, there is room for the acceptance and assimilation
for further discovery within -the framework of the teachings of the
Buddha.
The teaching of the Buddha is open to all to see and judge for
themselves. The universality of the teachings of the Buddha has led one
of the world's greatest scientists, Albert Einstein to declare that 'if
there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs, it
would be Buddhism'
The teaching of the Buddha became a great civilising force wherever
it went. It appeals to reason and freedom of thought, recognising the
dignity and potentiality of the human mind. It calls for equality,
fraternity and understanding, exhorting its followers to avoid evil, to
do good and to purify their minds.
Realising the transient nature of life and all worldly phenomena, the
Buddha has advised us to work out our deliverance with heedfulness, as
'heedfulness is the path to the deathless'.
His clear and profound teachings on the cultivation of heedfulness
otherwise known as Satipatthana or the Four Foundations of Mindfulness,
is the path for the purification of beings - for the overcoming of
sorrows and lamentation, for the destruction of all mental and physical
sufferings, for the attainment of insight and knowledge and for the
realisation of Nibbana. This has been verified by his disciples. It is
therefore a path, a technique which may be verified by all irrespective
of caste, colour or creed.
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