Buddhists celebrate 'Waisak' at Borobudur<\/p>\n
P.J. Leo, The Jakarta Post, Borobudur, Central Java<\/p>\n
The annual celebration of Trisuci Waisak -- the holy day for
\nBuddhists marking three great occasions: the birthday of
\nSiddharta Gautama, His Enlightenment as Buddha and His demise --
\ntook place at Borobudur temple, Central Java, last Sunday.<\/p>\n
Thousands of Buddhists joined the celebration, even without
\nthe presence of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who had
\npromised to attend.<\/p>\n
The ceremony began on Friday, May 24 when Buddhist priests
\ntook water from the spring at Umbul Jumprit in the small town of
\nTemanggung. The water was then brought to the Mendut temple.<\/p>\n
The next day, Buddhists joined in lighting a torch from Mrapen
\neternal flame in Purwodadi, east of Semarang. The flaming torch
\nwas also brought to the Mendut temple.<\/p>\n
Many Buddhists from all over Indonesia flocked the square at
\nMendut temple early on Sunday to pray before marching to
\nBorobudur temple.<\/p>\n
The parade, which was greeted warmly by locals despite the
\nsweltering heat and unrelenting sunlight, was also colored with
\nReog (East Java's traditional lion dance), Barongsay (Chinese
\nlion dance) and Liong (Chinese dragon dance).<\/p>\n
At the Borobudur temple, the procession began at exactly 6:51
\np.m. signaled by the beating of gongs and the turning off of all
\nthe lights in the yard of the temple. It was followed by
\nmeditation from local and foreign priests who came from Thailand,
\nMalaysia, Singapore, the United States, Hong Kong, China, Poland,
\nCanada and the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
Priests from eight Buddhist councils in Indonesia -- the
\nIndonesian Mahayana Buddhist Council, the Indonesian Maitreya
\nBuddhist Priests Council, the Indonesian Buddhist Council of
\nIndonesian Tantrayana Satya Buddha, the All-Indonesia Council of
\nPriests Pursuing the Three-Virtues, Pandita Sabha Buddha Dharma
\nIndonesia, Parisadha Buddha Dharma Nichiren Syosu Indonesia, the
\nIndonesian Buddhist Council of Tatrayana Zhen Fo Zong Kasogatan
\nand the Council of Indonesian Theravada Buddhists -- led the Puja
\nBakti prayers.<\/p>\n
With the theme, \"Buddhists aim to purify the heart and thought
\nfor peace\", the goal was as cool as the night wind that swept
\nthrough Borobudur temple that evening.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/buddhists-celebrate-waisak-at-borobudur-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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