OFFERING OF WASO HOLY ROBES

OFFERING OF WASO HOLY ROBES

THE HOLY MONTH OF WASO

by:Hpone Thant

The rains had arrived in our land. The lakes and the ponds are full and the mighty Ayeyarwady River rushes down towards the delta with renewed force. The farmers are wholly engaged in their paddy fields, heedless of the lashing torrents that come down from the dark rain clouds above, Thunder booms and lightnings flashes. It is the wettest time of the year in Myanmar.

But the Myanmar month of Waso(corresponding to the Christian calender month of July) is one of the holiest of all in the Myanmar Buddhist calender. Four Great Happenings of Lord Gautama Buddha are said to have occurred during the Fullmoon Day of Waso, namely:

(1) Lord Buddha was conceived at midnight on this Fullmoon Day inside the womb of Queen Thiri Maha Devi, of Kappilavatsu.

(2)Prince Siddartha saw the Four Great Omens, namely an old person, infirm person, a dead body and a Yahan(monk). He immediately realized that he should renounced all his worldly attachments and become a monk if He is to escape from this endless circle of getting old, getting infirm and finally death.The only escape is to become a monk and find Salvation in attaining Nirvana.Thus on this Fullmoon Day of Waso He renounced all his worldly attachments to seek Nirvana

(3)Lord Gautama Buddha gave his First Sermon, The Dhamma Setkya Sermon, to the five disciples on the evening of this Fullmoon Day.

(4)He showed his omniscient powers to a group of heretics on this Fullmoon Day.

And the Fullmoon Day of Waso also marks the beginning of the Buddhist Lent, lasting until the rains cease in Thadingyut(October). According to the customs the monks are confined to their monasteries during this period.They may not leave their monasteries for overnight visits. Lord Buddha had imposed this restriction to prevent the monks disturbing the works of the farmers during this busy period and to spare unnecessary damage to the crops in the paddy fields.

However, the monks are still needed to go about their daily rounds for alms during this period and it became evident that they would need change of robes that had become wet or soiled. Lay persons are permitted to offer to the monks Waso Thingan (Waso Holy Robes) to the monks in order that they may have dry robes to change into after coming back from their daily alms rounds. And this offering of Holy Robes to the monks on the Fullmoon Day of Waso had become established as the Waso Holy Robes Offering Ceremony. Devotees would gather at the monasteries and observe the 10 Holy Commandments, listen to the sermons, offer the new robes to the monks and generally begin observation of the Buddhist Lent.

This auspicious commemoration of the Waso Fullmoon Day is not only observed in Myanmar but by all Buddhists, wherever they may be.

Photos: Harry Hpone Thant

THE HOLY MONTH OF KASON

"The land dries up in Tagu but all is parched in Kason". That is the saying in Myanmar as the sun scorch the countryside with its blazing heat. The village ponds are dry and the rivers are low. But soon there will be a light sprinkling of rains. Not the heavy downpours of the monsoonal months but enough to let the mango buds make their appearance. They are the mango showers, alerting the farmers to get ready for the new planting season and giving the cityfolks the promise of the taste of the sweet tasting exotic mango fruits.

But the Myanmar month of Kason ( May) is also one of the most important months in Myanmar Buddhist chronology.

It is associated with the FOUR GREAT HAPPENINGS in Lord Gautama Buddha's Life.

The first is that He received the prophesy that He will become Lord Buddha in his future life.

The second is that He was born on the Fullmoon Day of Kason

The third is that He attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi tree(Ficus religiosa) on this day.

The fourth is that He "entered Nirvana (died)" on this day.

And in all the Buddhist countries of South East Asia this month is regarded as one of the most auspicious month in the Buddhist calendar.

In Myanmar this Fullmoon Day of Kason(May) is celebrated all over the country. The most common celebration is to water the Bodhi tree inside the precincts of pagodas and monasteries. As we believe that Lord Gautama Buddha attained his Enlightenment under the Bodhi tree people regard these trees as symbolic icons of worship. They gather in procession and bring water to be poured on the roots so that the tree should survive the hot summer heat.

The grand celebration of the Kason Holy Day is elaborately celebrated at the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. The Pagoda Trustees organizes an official ceremony at the main Bodhi tree on the South East corner of the pagoda's platform. Youths dressed as mythical Celestial Beings, some in the costumes of Sakra, the King of the Celestials, others as Brahmas(other inhabitants of the Celestial Abode), garudas(mythical birds) and dragons lead the procession of devotees. The devotees, all dressed in sombre dark brown sarongs and white shirts and blouses, each with a pot of cooling water in their hands approach the Bodhi tree and pour water on it. This procession, which will consist of members of the various charitable and voluntary religious associations associated with the Shwedagon Pagoda, then circle the platform chanting Buddhist mantra and prayers and then will congregate back at the Chan Tha Gyi Tazaung (the big pavilion on the north-west corner of the pagoda) where the venerable member-monks of the pagoda's advisory group are offered "soon", or lunch. The ceremony will end with the sounds of "Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu, a joyous exaltation by all the assembled guests to let all creatures in the universe to hear and rejoice in this holy act.

Photos :Sonny Nyein