2008 Vesak Day

This year's Vesak Day will once again be held at the open-air Music Hall of SM Mall of Asia.

Guests at the opening ceremony on April 18 (10:30AM) will include of prominent personalities from the religious community. They will be representing the Catholic, Hindu, Islamic and other faiths.

BACKGROUND

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 and actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment (Nirvana), and passing (Parinirvana) of Gautama Buddha.

On Vesak Day, Buddhists all over the world commemorate events of significance to Buddhists of all traditions: The birth, enlightenment and the passing away of Gautama Buddha. As Buddhism spread from India it was assimilated into many foreign cultures, and consequently Vesak is celebrated in many different ways all over the world.

(souce: Wikipedia)

Come and Join the Celebration ...

... Bathe the Buddha to receive blessings all year round.
... Make your wishes come true at the Wishing Bodhi Tree.
... Drop your kids at the Children’s Activity Center.
... Have your photo taken for a personalized souvenir.
... Stimulate your mind at the reading area.
... Watch the original all-Filipino production Siddhartha: A Musical Journey to Enlightenment.
... Enjoy the variety show on closing night.

For those who are interested in the religious aspect of the festival, the opening ceremony will include an Offering Ceremony where traditional objects like flowers, candles and fruits will be offered and blessed. Sutra Chanting accompanied by Buddhist musical instruments will be the highlight of the ceremony.

Visitors are encouraged to participate in the simple Buddha Bathing procedure where the participant ladles water on the statue of the infant Buddha in the following manner:

Bathe the right shoulder: “I vow to do good deeds.”
Bathe the left shoulder: “I vow to speak good words.”
Bathe the back: “I vow to have a good heart.”

The two-day event is open to the public, and admission is free.

Dharma Lecture in English

Venerable Master Miao Jing arrived this morning from Taiwan for a series dharma lectures she will be delivering in English. This is her second trip to Manila this year. In February, she was part of Venerable Master Miao Guang's team from Fo Guang University who came to the Philippines to promote Fo Guang University's Buddhist Studies Program. The five-member team traveled from Manila to Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo to deliver dharma lectures as well as introduce Fo Guang University's Buddhist Studies Program.

Her first lecture in Manila will be conducted at 7:30PM tonight at the IBPS Main Hall. The topic is "Conditionality: The Law of Cause and Effect."

Click here to read more about this topic.

Emperor Liang Jeweled Repentance Service

On March 12 to 16, IBPS Manila conducted the The Emperor Liang Jeweled Repentance Service as a fund raising activity for the construction of the new IBPS building in Malate, Manila. The service was headed by Venerable Master Huei-In and 16 other dharma masters who flew in from Fo Guang Shan Taiwan on March 11.

Attended by hundreds of devotees and held at the main hall of the still-ongoing construction site of the new IBPS building, the service began with a blessing and cleansing ceremony on March 12.

Historically, Emperor Liang Wudi initiated this ceremony approximately 1500 years ago. His wife, Chi Hui, died at age of thirty after leading a life marked by jealousy and anger. After death, she was reincarnated as a large snake and came to recognize that she needed prayers from the sangha to expiate her sins and release her soul from the lower realms. This came to the emperor’s attention through troubled dreams of his beloved wife. Through great generosity, Emperor Liang requested Ch'an Master Bao Zhi and other high monastics to write ten chapters of the repentance. As a result of performing this ceremony, his wife's soul was indeed released from its suffering.

At IBPS Manila, the ten chapters were divided into daily services from March 13 to 16. It was concluded on the last day with a massive offering of food, which was blessed and dedicated to all beings who dwell in the lower realms.

On March 17, the 17 dharma masters from Taiwan were flown to Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo to visit the other IBPS branches in the Philippines.

如常法師蒞菲巡迴佛學講座: 圖說釋迦傳的故事深獲好評

佛光緣美術館總部執行長及世界佛教美術圖說大辭典主編、現任大仁科技大學講師如常法師，應菲律賓佛光山暨國際佛光會菲律賓協會之邀，特別撥空於1月16日蒞臨菲律賓，立即馬不停蹄地巡迴於描戈律、怡朗、宿務及馬尼拉各島作四場的佛學講座，講述《圖說釋迦傳的故事》，所到之處皆受到當地信眾熱烈的歡迎並深獲好評。

1月20日下午二時，假馬尼拉佛光山三寶殿舉行第四場佛學講座，此場講座由馬尼拉佛光山暨國際佛光會菲律賓協會主辦，香江分會與巴石分會聯合承辦。當天下午聽聞者十分踴躍，整個三寶殿座無虛席，約有百餘人聞法受益。

如常法師以其深厚的佛學造詣及對宗教藝術的博學多聞，透過電腦新科技PowerPoint的輔助，將她從世界各國博物館收集而來的珍藏圖片一一作詳細的解說。從「佛陀腳底的千輻輪、扁平足等瑞相說起；如何辨識佛像；如何辨識佛陀的結手印-施無畏印、允願印、禪定印、降魔印、說法印；佛傳故事從何部經典而來；到佛傳故事之八相成道-降兜率相、托胎相、降生相、出家相、降魔相、成道相、說法相、涅槃相…等等」，透過圖片將釋迦牟尼佛一生輝煌的故事講述得淋漓盡致，字字珠璣，讓大眾聽得津津有味，對佛教教主有更深入的認識，人人皆感法喜充滿、受益良多。

菲律賓佛光山總住持永昭法師勉勵大眾：看到佛陀一生都是在宣揚佛法，普渡眾生，當下我們更要發心發願來弘揚佛法，讓正法永存。希望在天主教國家，經由一次次的聽聞佛法，大家都能「 自覺與行佛，化世與益人」，讓菲律賓國家更安定、社會更祥和、人心更淨化，並祝福大家在新的一年眾緣和諧、子德芬芳！這是一場圓滿成功的佛法饗宴。

Dharma Day 臘八粥

On the 8th day of the last month in the lunar calendar, we celebrate “Dharma Day.” This is the day when Gautama Buddha attained Buddhahood while meditating under the Bodhi tree. This year's Dharma Day fell on the 15th of January.

During the six-year period wherein Gautama Siddhartha was searching for the answers and solutions to the many problems and sufferings of human beings, he tried many methods to gain wisdom. One of the methods was “takas”, the practice of self-mortification to gain wisdom, wherein he lived on a grain of rice a day. However, this practice caused him to lose his health and become very weak.

One day, he realized that holiness can never be attained through fasting only or the pursuit of materialistic satisfactions. The most appropriate was to take the “middle path,” the practice of moderation in any undertaking. At this moment, Gautama Siddhartha stood up and went to a clear stream to take a bath. Due to his failing health, he was too weak and could hardly reach the shore. He eventually fainted at the riverbank.

He was discovered by the shepherd girl Sujata, who offered him milk-rice which nourished him back to health. With his strength back, Siddhartha walked to the place called Gaya and meditated under the Bodhi tree. Meditating in perfect happiness and peace of mind for 49 days, he observed the great bright night star and the transformation of the sky that took place. Thus, he finally realized the truth in the existence of everything in the universe – Dependent Origination. The 49th day happened to be the 8th day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar, the day Siddhartha attained Buddhahood and became the Buddha. For Buddhists all over the world, this is referred to as “Dharma Day.”

Though porridge might be considered a simple food, Buddhists regard serving it as embodying hope to serve food for both the physical body and spiritual mind. A quote from the sutra stated, “Having received the Dharma, contentment is fulfilled.”

Through this celebration of Dharma Day, when porridge is being served, we pray and hope that more people will come to partake of this palatable food and at the same time receive and learn the noble teaching of the Buddha’s Dharma.

Link: Dharma Day Celebration

亞洲週刊 article about 星雲大師

Click on the image above to read the article.

如常法師佛學講座

現任台灣大仁科技大學講師如常法師將應國際佛光會菲律賓協會之邀蒞菲分別於宿務 怡朗 描戈律 及 馬尼拉作環島佛學講座。
如常法師畢業於佛光大學藝術學研究所； 擁有碩士學位。 現任大仁科技大學講師； 佛光緣美術館總部執行長 及 世界佛教美術圖說大辭典主編； 曾主編「千載一時一時千載」恭迎佛指舍利來台特刊；「覺有情」星雲大師墨跡圖錄； 「雲水三千」星雲大師弘法五十週年影像等。 掌管佛光山海內外9個美術館。 擅長舉辦大型的佛教文化藝術活動。 法師對宗教藝術博學多聞。 這次應邀來菲律賓作環島說法。 講述-圖說釋迦傳的故事。 實是菲島信眾的一大福報。

如常法師將於1月16日抵達菲律賓作環島佛學講座。
講座行程如下:

描戈律圓通寺 1/17 (星期四) 晚上 7:30pm
怡朗佛光緣 1/18 (星期五) 晚上 7:30pm
宿務慈恩寺 1/19 (星期六) 晚上 7:30pm

馬尼拉講座將於2008年1月20日(星期日)下午2:00pm在馬尼拉佛光山三寶殿舉辦。 由香江分會與巴石分會聯合承辦。

敬邀各界善士蒞臨聽經聞法。 共沾法喜。 歡迎來電查詢 – 馬尼拉佛光山 (5234909； 5253680)。 王彬佛光緣 (2415797； 2425658)