[vn-families] Port Arthur, TX: Buu Mon hosts official Vesak celebration

[Pham, Quoc Binh]

Source: http://www.panews.com/local/local_story_151183721.html

Published May 31, 2007 06:37 pm - Its not often one gets the
chance to see 100-year-old trees that can fit on a desktop,
shaolin monks display their prowess in martial arts and enough
bamboo to stuff a dozen full grown pandas. This weekend, however,
the Buu Mon Buddhist Temple is giving locals the opportunity
to see them all in one location.

The temple, 2701 Procter St., in Port Arthur will host its
9th annual Lotus Tour at 9:30 a.m., Saturday and Sunday, for
Buddhas 2551 birthday celebration, called Vesak.

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Buu Mon hosts official Vesak celebration
Justin Sanchez
The Port Arthur News

Its not often one gets the chance to see 100-year-old trees
that can fit on a desktop, shaolin monks display their prowess
in martial arts and enough bamboo to stuff a dozen full grown
pandas. This weekend, however, the Buu Mon Buddhist Temple is
giving locals the opportunity to see them all in one location.

The temple, 2701 Procter St., in Port Arthur will host its
9th annual Lotus Tour at 9:30 a.m., Saturday and Sunday, for
Buddhas 2551 birthday celebration, called Vesak.

"Vesak looks at the birth, life and death of the Buddha," The
Rev. Kassapa said. "It celebrates all three events on one day
and people get together with food, flowers and offerings."

One early event gives attendees the opportunity to participate
in an open panel with three Buddhist monks.

"On Saturday at 10 a.m. there will be a round table discussion in
the main hall," Kassapa said. "Were going to have a discussion
to talk about Buddhism from a western point of view."

He said people will be able to participate in the discussion
and ask any questions they have about the faith.

The main event for the Buddhist community will begin at 1:30
p.m. Sunday, when the celebration of Vesak begins.

"There will be around 150 monks for the actual Vesak celebration
for a combination of chanting and prayer," Kassapa said. "If
youve ever heard 150 people chant at one time, its really
pretty neat."

Celebrating Vesak for Buddhists is comparable to celebrating
Christmas in western culture, he added.

The tour will offer many traditional Buddhist activities,
including martial art performances by shaolin masters, folk
dancing and singing, and plenty of food varieties.

Kassapa said there will also be bonsai trees more than 100
years old on display at the tour.

Those who do not practice Buddhism are invited as well,
regardless of religion.

"Everybody is always welcome," he said. "We try to make you
feel at home."

Kassapa said they are willing to speak with anyone interested
in learning about aspects of Buddhism.

"We just talk and answer questions honestly and truthfully," he
said. "If youre really honest with people and really passionate
about what you believe in, they can accept it or not accept it,
but at least they wont feel threatened."

Kassapa said people of all backgrounds will love their gardens,
mostly because they feature the lotus flower, which only grows
in about five states during a few months of the year.

"The lotus only bloom for a couple of months and thats it,"
he said. "Theyre really beautiful."

Around 3,000 people are expected to attend this year from
places as far as Australia. If the turnout is as expected,
it will be the largest the temple has ever seen. The Buu Mon
Buddhist Temple was selected as the official celebration site
for Vesak, helping boost the predicted number of attendees.

"There is a Buddhist congress and every year they choose a temple
to be their site and this year they chose this one," Kassapa
said. "Thats why there will be so many monks and people here."

The congress looks at around 400 temples across all 50 states of
the U.S. each year to determine where its official site will be.

"Its a big honor for the temple," he said.

For more information on the Lotus tour, call 982-9319, or visit
their website at buumon.org.