Nation's Buddhists observe Waisak at Borobudur

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.