Nation's Buddhists observe Waisak at Borobudur
Suherdjoko, Magelang, Central Java
Thousands of Buddhists from all over Indonesia and abroad visited the famed Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java on Thursday to celebrate Buddha's Day of Enlightenment, or Waisak.
Waisak celebrates the birth, the enlightenment and the death of Siddhartha Gautama, who became Buddha (the enlightened one).
This year's Waisak observance was 2,548th, according to the Buddhist calendar.
Buddhist priests opened the ceremony by carrying the sacred flame and water from the Mendut temple on a five-kilometer procession to the Borobudur temple.
On Wednesday, Buddhist priests took the sacred water from the Umbil Jumprit village in Temanggung, Central Java and a flame called the fire of nature from a natural source in the Central Java town of Grobogan.
They put the water and flame in the Mendut temple before taking them on the procession to the Borobudur temple ceremony on Thursday morning.
Among those who took part in the procession were chairwoman of the Indonesian Buddhist Association (Walubi) Siti Hartati Murdaya and chairman of the Walubi Central Java chapter David Hermanjaya.
Along their route, performers participated in the traditional Chinese dragon dance.
After the procession ended at around 9:30 a.m. ordinary Buddhists and priests began the Pradaksina ritual, in which they walk around the temple in a clockwise direction.
At 11 a.m., the moment when the Waisak Enlightenment supposedly occurred, devotees started to meditate along with the Buddhist priests.
After the meditation, Priest Bhante Wongsin Labhiko Mahatera said in his sermon that Buddhists had to live by Buddha's teachings, namely resisting vice and promoting good deeds.
Another priest Dutavira Mahastravira said that the country's future leaders must follow the footsteps of Buddha. "Future leaders must use their power to create prosperity, justice and harmony... Buddha was even willing to relinquish his throne for his people," he said.
Murdaya said that Buddhists should use their conscience in selecting a president on July 5.
"Use your conscience, as whomever you choose, he or she is the child of the nation," she said.
Indonesia will hold its first direct presidential election on July 5 with five candidates vying for the top spot.
They are Gen. (ret) Wiranto, incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri, People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais, Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and incumbent Vice President Hamzah Haz.
In the past, Walubi had been criticized by Buddhists for its close ties with the Soeharto political establishment. When Soeharto fell in 1998, other Buddhist organizations emerged and have held their own ceremonies.
Hasyim Muzadi, Megawati's running mate, stole the spotlight briefly during the celebration, when he made a sudden appearance and delivered a speech about promoting pluralism in the country.
"Indonesia is comprised of different races, cultures, customs and ways of thinking. We must turn this into the nation's strength instead of something that will fuel conflicts," he said.
Aside from Hasyim, also in attendance at the ceremony were secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Soejipto, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea, secretary-general of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) Dien Syamsudin and Central Java Governor Mardiyanto.