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