[vn-families] Celebrating path of Buddha

[Pham, Quoc Binh]

Cha`o qui' vi.,

Trong ba`i "Celebrating path of Buddha" co' mo^.t ma^~u tin ve^`
Tha^`y Gia'c DDa(?ng (Chu`a Pha'p Lua^n o+? Houston)\. Tha^`y ne^u le^n
mo^.t ca'i hie^'m ma` Pha^.t Gia'o co':

-----
"One thing that is interesting, is that Buddhists of all schools
are together," said the Ven. Giac Dang, a monk from Houston
who was in San Jose early for the celebration. "This is rare."

Dang is from the Theravada school, while his host, Nguyen,
is from the Mahayana school. "There are a lot of differences,
but when we come together, we celebrate Buddha."
-----

Cha`o

Pham Quoc Binh
http://vmdd.tech.mylinuxisp.com/buddhism/

----------------------------------------------------
Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_5965009

Celebrating path of Buddha

By L.A. Chung
Mercury News Columnist

Article Launched: 05/23/2007 01:33:32 AM PDT


A statue of the Goddess of Mercy adorns the courtyard at the
Chua An Lac Buddhist... ( Gary Reyes )

Events at celebration of Buddha

How does one go all out to
celebrate the Lord Buddha's birthday, American-style?

With a free, public party at the Santa Clara County fairgrounds
on Friday and Saturday. Throw in a parade, fireworks, dharma
lectures, singers, performances and a cornucopia of vegetarian
food, and you'll have a celebration that's spiritual and
inclusive for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike.

And that's precisely the point.

"More and more people are finding out about Buddhism and
meditation," said the Ven. Thich Nu Nguyen Thanh, the 67-year-old
abbess of the Chua An Lac Temple, tucked on a side street off
Alum Rock Road. "The spirit is higher and larger this year."

The diminutive abbess is the chief organizer for the two-day
event, called Vesak, which celebrates the Buddha's birth in
563 BC in India, his enlightenment and his death.

The most important celebration in the Buddhist calendar, the
Buddha's 2,631st birthday officially fell on this month's full
moon, May 2. But, as with many celebrations in this country,
the observance has been shifted to a weekend so more people
can participate.

Nguyen has invited 50 monks from around the United States
and Asia, including Sri Lanka, Laos, Tibet and Burma. She is
the treasurer of the United Buddhist Congress of the United
States, which is welcoming to San Jose's Vesak the three major
schools of Buddhism practiced today: Theravada, Mahayana and
Vajirayana. Buddhism attracts a wide range of adherents, from
immigrants who were born into a particular tradition to those,
both Asian and non-Asian, who converted from Christianity and
other religions.

"One thing that is interesting, is that Buddhists of all schools
are together," said the Ven. Giac Dang, a monk from Houston
who was in San Jose early for the celebration. "This is rare."

Dang is from the Theravada school, while his host, Nguyen,
is from the Mahayana school. "There are a lot of differences,
but when we come together, we celebrate Buddha."

During the two-day event, there will be re-enactments of scenes
from the Buddha's life. These trace his beginnings as a high-born
prince, his decision to renounce wife, child, and all earthly
luxury, his years of asceticism and enlightenment, the 45 years
teaching and traveling the Ganges plain, and ultimately to his
physical death and nirvana at age 80.

There will be a main altar, boasting three large Buddha statues
and a sacred relic. Dharma lectures will be bilingual, in English
and Vietnamese, and will include an update on the status of
the United Buddhist Church, which has been outlawed in Vietnam.

"We monks talk a lot about how to be at peace with yourself
and how to handle the stress of the modern world," Dang said.

For those who want to participate, but are a little hesitant
because they are unfamiliar with Buddhism, the abbess said that
bringing flowers and then offering up a prayer for the world
is a simple way to take part in the festivities.

Friday night features the lighting of Dharma lights in the
Eight Righteous Paths Pond. Most of the events, though, are
on Saturday, starting with a small parade from 10 a.m. to
noon from King and Senter roads to the fairgrounds. On both
days there will be lectures and exhibits of Vietnamese books,
arts and materials. And, there is a decidedly non-Buddhist
lineup of entertainment, including several singers and a bird
show. Fireworks are planned for 9:30p.m. Saturday.

Nguyen, who entered monastic life in Binh Dinh, Vietnam, in
1957 and was ordained in 1965, has spent most of her 67 years
on charity projects here and in Vietnam.

She has presided over the temple and nunnery in East San Jose
since 1988, when she moved from the Uu Dam Buddhist Temple in
Marina, near Monterey, to San Jose. The community first operated
out of a house, then in 1993 purchased a former church on East
San Fernando Street, slowly transforming it into the Chua An
Lac Temple.

Inside, the soaring beams of the church's former chapel and
its original pews are recognizable. Outside, it is adorned with
bright green roof tiles from Vietnam, and the iron fence carries
Buddhist motifs. Living simply, they cultivate a garden on the
grounds, provide a peaceful place for prayer and meditation,
and teach Vietnamese.

Last year, at Andrew Hill High School, 5,000 people were
expected for Vesak, but rain greeted them the morning of the
celebration. Surprisingly, they got 8,000, said Hoang Yen,
the coordinator of this year's event. This year, organizers
are preparing for 10,000 people at the fairgrounds and they
may get 20,000 over two days.

"We hope that word goes out to create more goodwill for the
world," Nguyen said.

And that, American-style or otherwise, is something worth
offering.


-------------------------------------------------------------
Contact L.A. Chung at lchung at mercurynews.com or (408)920-5280.