Celebrating Vesak at Yokoji
May 26, 2013 by David Blackwell
Today we celebrated Vesak, the commemoration of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. Renka and Enguetsu rose early to create a wonderful floral bower for the Buddha, depicted as a child pointing to Heaven and Earth and declaring "Below the Heavens and above the Earth, I alone am the world-honored one!"
During the ceremony, service participants ladled sweet tea over the Buddha child and the children present added more flowers. It was a joyful event with a palpable sense of celebration in the Buddha Hall.
Thank you to all those who worked so hard in preparation.
As the officiant, I composed and read the following poem:
The standard for all ages,
Gotama of the sun race practices with us still.
A life of comfort cast aside,
His great achievement is our great achievement.
Awakening countless beings,
A legacy written in the clear blue sky.
Shakyamuni Buddha, please accept these poor words:
The trail once blazed,
Winds ever on
Distant peaks stand merged
In summer's haze.
Jokai
Comments
26 May 2013 18:32:35
nice flowers. like the poem.
27 May 2013 08:26:58
Beautiful words Jokai
10 Oct 2013 09:37:19
Master’s trail was blazed
Through eternal haze
Distant peak’s submerged
Beneath where you laze.