A number of monks conduct the Pindapata tradition on Jalan Malioboro in Yogyakarta on Tuesday (9/5). The tradition of collecting food from residents for the monks is part of a series of activities to celebrate Buddha\'s Day of Enlightenment.
Trisuci Waisak (Wesak) commemorates three holy events in the life of Buddha Gotama: birth, enlightenment and death.
The three events occurred on the same day and month, which are the full moon, the month of Wesak, in different years: his birth in 623 BC in Kapilavasthu, Nepal; enlightenment in 588 BC in Bodhgaya, India; and his death in 543 BC at age 80 in Kusinara, India.
Wesak Day, or Buddha\'s Day of Enlightenment, this year falls on May 11. All Buddhists across the world commemorate Wesak with prayer, meditation and learning about Buddha’s teachings and Buddhist social and cultural activities.
This year’s Wesak theme is “the Love of the Guardian of Diversity”. This theme is relevant in a bid to solve problems of disharmony in the family, society and nation today.
Not obstacles
Differences are unavoidable. The differences are not obstacles to living in brotherhood. Brotherhood is disturbed due to people who see differences as problems. The source of problems is personal interest, which is unwise and uncontrolled.
From here, there is greed for dominance because with arrogance they see themselves as the most correct and the others wrong. Thus, the others must be annihilated.
Then comes the exclusivism that does not accept difference and eventually engenders hatred and animosity against the different others. This makes people clash, insult each other and hurt each other. The consequences from all this is saddening. All are disadvantaged.
Mpu Tantular, a prominent Buddhist figure in the 14th century under King Rajasanagara (Hayam Wuruk) in Majapahit Kingdom, was a Javanese poet who respected difference. In his book Kakawin Sutasoma, there is a line that reads “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika”, or unity in diversity. The line was taken as the motto for the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
The loving mind, which is nurtured, will attract and win sympathy from others.
Buddha always saw the diversity of living beings in accordance to the different actions/deeds and the consequences of the deeds of each individual. He accepted the diversity of his students, who lived either as monks or as common people without seeing their backgrounds of origin, ethnicity or previous faith.
Buddha stated that those who come from a noble family, but behave poorly, have to face the results of their bad actions. In contrast, even those who come from unremarkable families but behave well, deserve respect from the people.
Passion
Love and passion are the hopes for prosperity and peace for all living beings without any barriers. Those who have loving souls will make friendships with others without seeing background or origin. They live as friends, not enemies.
The loving mind, which is nurtured, will attract and win sympathy from others.
Love must be developed as a way to overcome hatred. If hatred limits people, love frees people and unites them in difference. Love brings peace. Love smoothens the soul, develops brotherhood, unity and cooperation (gotong royong).
Love matches fondness and care, a great attitude that makes noble persons feel the suffering of living beings. Love is like a mother whose thoughts, words and actions are dedicated to her children.
Thus, we have to think, speak and act with hopes of reducing the suffering of others.
A wise attitude needs also to be developed so that we can consider the right and wrong side of a thought or circulated information and understand the right and wrong side of a proposed solution.
By doing so, we will not fall into misunderstanding, which leads to intolerant ideas within diversity. Because tolerance and appreciation of difference are needed to maintain diversity.
Let us Buddhists develop love and care within ourselves. Love, care and wisdom can maintain harmony and accept difference amid diversity so that tolerance and respect for others will prevail. This will eventually help maintain the unity of the nation and state.
Putting the interests of the nation and state ahead of individual or group interests means Buddhists are willing to sacrifice themselves for the interests of the nation and state based on love as the guardian of the diversity.
Indonesian unity was developed based on the principles of “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika”, by nurturing interaction among different ethnicities, social groups, religions and faiths. Everyone must prioritize unity and harmony.
Happy Wesak Day 2561/2017. May God Almighty always protect us. May all living beings live happily.
