Three friends – Ah Moe, Lar Lee and Kir Lee – were at their usual mamak stall at the corner. The usual evening bantering took a slightly more serious turn when Lar Lee raised the topic of approaching Vesak...
Lar Lee: Oh, how time flies! Vesak is approaching. Aloka Foundation is seeking volunteers for their stall outside the Buddhist Maha Vihara on Vesak eve and Vesak day.I want to participate in their all-night chanting at Aloka House on the eve and how am I going to volunteer my services at their stall on Vesak day?
Kir Lee: Aiyah, what’s the problem. You make it like a b-i-g problem! Simple. What is Vesak? The thrice-blessed day, right? So, what to do you in this thrice blessed day? Spend your time in practice lah! Why waste time doing unbeneficial things like selling things at the stall?
Reflect on the birth of the Buddha, which is the culmination of many virtues he had perfected from life to life. Didn’t Bhante (Mahinda) tell us that whilst remembering the birth of the Buddha, we must also recall how he perfected the virtues of generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, effort, patience, truthfulness, resolution, compassion, loving kindness and equamity...
Lar Lee: But, but...
Kir Lee: What but, but! Reflect on the Buddha and his Enlightenment. Didn’t you read Bhante’s article on the Significance of Vesak? Bhante reminded us the Buddha’s unique and most profound knowledge and insight which arose in him on the night of his enlightenment that led to Him showing us the way...
Lar Lee: I know, but being of service at the stall...
Kir Lee: Let me finish. Reflecting on his attainment of Parinibbana. Don’t you recall the Buddha’s last message. Bhante always recite it in Pali, vayadhamma... i can remember but it means Transient are all component things. Work out your deliverance with heedfulness. Ah, ah... shouldn’t we then spend Vesak in honour of the Buddha to strive on with diligence?
Lar Lee: I agree with you. But you don’t allow me to talk. Now have you finished? Can I talk now?
Ah Moe: Kir Lee, you have said so much. Let Lar Lee speak his mind.
Lar Lee: Thousands flock to the Buddhist Maha Vihara on the eve as well as on Vesak each year. They may be just ‘once-a-year Buddhist’, as what some of us might want to refer to them. But let us look at their intentions. Isn’t it in reverence...to pay homage...to seek blessing?
Shouldn’t we then rejoice with this demonstration of faith and devotion? Shouldn’t we be of service to them and pave the way for them to further strengthen their faith and confidence? You may view it differently but joss stick clearance, crowd control etc etc etc are noble and meritorious efforts – service for the happiness of the many.
Isn’t service listed by the Buddha as one of the ten meritorious deeds? Isn’t service a form of dana, which in turn is one of the ten paramis or perfections?
On top of that, what Aloka Foundation is doing at its stall has more spiritual significance than just selling of tickets for light offering. It is promoting the offering of lights at the Buddha’s holy places which will be Kushinara, Sravasti and Lumbini in conjunction with its Novitiate Programme at the end of this year. It is creating the opportunity for those who will not be going to these holy sites to at least offer lights.
By being a volunteer at the stall to promote this, we will be paving the way for others to connect with the Buddha, illuminating the darkness of our ignorance as a result of our delusions. Isn’t this a noble effort and exemplary service?
And my dear friend, aren’t all these practice. Practice is not just chanting and meditating. Please do not get me wrong. I am not belittling chanting and meditation practice on Vesak. I am weighing it against the practice of service, dana, metta, karuna, mudita, upekkha and many more virtues.
So Kir Lee don’t have this blinkered view.
Kir Lee: How can you say that of me!
Ah Moe: Hold it the two of you. I have been listening to both of you. You have put forward strong points in your view of how Vesak should be celebrated. I agree with both of you. There’s no right or wrong in what both of you have said. Is a zebra black with white stripes or white with black stripes? Is the cup half empty or half full?
What both you have put forth underlines that Vesak should be celebrated as an opportunity to draw inspiration and to reaffirm our commitment to the Buddha, as the fully enlightened teacher; the Dhamma, as the sublime teachings that has liberated many and has potential to liberate many more; and the Sangha, the noble disciples that have kept the dispensation of the Buddha still available today.
It is a day of devotion, a day of inspiration, a day of celebration of what the Buddha has prized us with a gift that excels all gifts.
I’ll be celebrating it by joining in the metta bhavana in Aloka House on the eve and stay for the first hour of the all-night chanting. On Vesak Day, I’ll volunteer to be of service at the Aloka Foundation stall and help in promoting the light offering.
I get to be devotional in practice and also inspirational in practice. And I suggest that both of you join me.
With open mouths, Both Lar Lee and Kir Lee looked at Ah Moe. The wisdom... lighting up the darkness instead of complaining of the darkness.
Lar Lee & Kir Lee: Wah Ah Moe, you terror lah!
