Vesak commemorates the themagula, the three most significant life-moments
of Siddhartha Gauthama, namely the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana or the ascendance to the
supreme bliss of Nirvana. Thus, if Vesak
is about the Buddha, then it makes sense to reflect on the life and teachings
of the All-Knowing One. The dhamma, encapsulated in both the sutras as well as the commentaries, from
the deeply philosophical Visuddimagga
of Ven. Buddhaghosa to the more lyrical reflection/advocacy of the Loveda Sangharava, is replete with
recommendations for wholesome life-practice as well as enumeration of things
that could distract and compromise the same.
The Buddhavacana or the Word of the Buddha (Dhamma), then, is hardly
recognizable in Vesak, in the glitter that is its present day commercialized
articulation, except as manifestation of its breach. This is of course not to say that all
Buddhists have given up on the Dhamma.
The hype is about that which has greater visibility, for example the pandols.
The visible (and the visibly large) naturally attract and make for coverage
and commentary. But just ask the BBS’s
visibility and the coverage/commentary it attracts does not indicate that it
represents all Buddhists in any way, the spectacle and spectator-appeal of
certain elements of Vesak, does not mean that this is what all Buddhists do on
Vesak.
The temples are also full of
those who observe sil. Many hang lanterns, but even they would not
fail to light a clay lamp at home and offer flowers at the temple and before a
Buddha statue or image at home. Not
because the BBS says ‘this is the way!’
but just that they have a different understanding of doctrine and
articulation of understanding.
What is objectionable in the
BBS’s Vesak ‘manifesto’ is its quite un-Buddhist response to a vulgarized
celebration (different from ‘commemoration’ of course) of Vesak. There is no ‘crime and punishment’ in
Buddhism. There is no confession and
expiation. The Buddha recommends a
certain approach to life, elaborates on what is beneficial and wholesome and
warns against acts that can be detrimental to the comprehension of truth,
ultimate emancipation and even a peaceful journey through life. It is up to the individual to choose with
cautionary caveats about consequences.
No mention of canes and caning.
It is commendable that the BBS
objects to the ‘glitter’ (from a Buddhist reading), which is but a mimicking of
and even a we-can-do-better response to other ‘glittering’ of other faiths or
rather the followers of other faiths (much of what is associated with Christmas
is incongruent with the life and word of Jesus, for example). The BBS’s response, however, is not only
inconsistent with Buddhism but amounts to a threat that infringes on freedoms
enshrined in the constitution. The
threat is in the public domain. What say
the Police and the Attorney General?
The BBS has demonstrated that
they have strayed a fair distance from the Sathara
Brahma Viharana (metta, muditha,
karuna and upekkha – compassion, rejoicing in others’ joys, kindness and
equanimity); there’s none of these in
the ‘caning threat’. This alone scripts
‘failure’ into its project(s), but the state and the law cannot wait on such
eventualities.
As far Vesak, we can but hope
that it inspires Buddhists to seek refuge and answer, modes of being and
choices of engagement in all things in the Word of the Buddha, enshrined in the
vast archive that is the Dhamma and
obtainable in even a random line.
The Nation chose the
following with metta:
Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhi-tatta, may all beings be happy.
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