Buddhist festival

Poignantly Sunday is the Buddhist festival of Pavarana, marking the end of a period of contemplative confinement in Burmese monasteries.

The festival originates from the story of monks who remained silent in order to keep unified during the rainy season when they had to live together in close confinement. The Buddha found out and called them foolish, instigating instead a ceremony of confession and openness.

Aung San Su Kyi, the opposition leader under house arrest, said of the festival...

"The Buddhist paravana ceremony at the end of the rainy season retreat was instituted by the Lord Buddha, who did not want human beings to live in silence [I quote] "like dumb animals". This ceremony, during which monks ask mutual forgiveness for any offence given during the retreat, can be said to be a council of truth and reconciliation. It might also be considered a forerunner of that most democratic of institutions, the parliament, a meeting of peoples gathered together to talk over their shared problems. All the world's great religions are dedicated to the generation of happiness and harmony. This demonstrates the fact that together with the combative instincts of man there co-exists a spiritual aspiration for mutual understanding and peace."

One monk who has broken out of Burma and spoken out says love may not be enough to ensure lasting revolution in the country.

Comments

[Simon R. Gladdish]

When I was studying theology at Cambridge, my favourite text was The Dhammapada. Less than a hundred pages long, it contains all the distilled wisdom of Buddhism. I found it life affirming, spiritually uplifting and, most importantly, intellectually satisfying. It begins: 'If a man speaks or acts with an impure mind, suffering follows him as the wheel of the cart follows the beast that draws the cart.' In other words, what goes around comes around, we get what we give and we reap what we sow. I gave a copy to my dad when he was dying which he found a tremendous comfort and described as 'spiritually unimpeachable'. A lifelong atheist, he died a quasi-Buddhist, without flinching a muscle. I must leave the last word to Juan Mascaro who translated The Dhammapada from the Pali for Penguin Classics:
'This gospel of light and love is amongst the greatest spiritual works of man. Each verse is like a small star and the whole has the radiance of eternity.'

[Yangkye]

Pavarana is one of the most significant of Buddhist festivals.Other Buddhist festivals include Asalha Day, Vesak,Kathina ceremony and Magh Puja.