Qing Ming: The Day of Showing Gratitude to Departed Relatives and Friends

Transcription

1 TI-SARANA BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION 90, DUKU ROAD, SINGAPORE TEL: Fax: Website: NEWSLETTER ISSUE MAR/APR 2009 Qing Ming - an article written by Bhante Dr. P. Gnanarama Qing Ming Memorial Service - 29 th Mar to 4 th Apr page 1 & 2 Lunar New Year Blessing Service Activities of the Sunday Dhamma Classes - page 3 Metta Youth Centre - appeal for volunteers to plan a Conversational English programme - page 4 Pagoda Lamps of Blessings 12 Days Silk Road Tour - page 5 Coming Events to Celebrate the 32 nd Anniversary of TBA - page 6 Qing Ming: The Day of Showing Gratitude to Departed Relatives and Friends One morning the Buddha addressed the monks and asked them whether they heard a jackal howling in the night towards the dawn. When the monks replied they heard the howling, the Buddha explained that it would have been an old jackal afflicted by mange, the disease caused by mites resulting in severe itching and hair loss. There would be more thankfulness, more gratefulness in that jackal for any help given to it for the alleviation of its pain than a certain man among us who had pledged to be a monk in the dispensation. Continuing the Buddha said to the monks further: There are these two persons in the world: One who is first to do a favour and the other is grateful for what is done. These two persons are hard to find. The former wishes to do a good deed as a duty and the latter thinks he ought to repay the good done to him. Therefore monks, thus must you train yourselves. We will be thankful and grateful for what is done; not even the least thing that is done for us shall be lost. According to the commentary the person referred to as the person who had pledged to be a monk in the dispensation is none other than Devadatta, who attempted to take the life of the Buddha several times. In illustration of the gratefulness of a certain jackal, the commentary also relates a story about a jackal, who was released from the entwined coil of a python by a farmer. The python then releasing the jackal entwined the farmer. The jackal helped the farmer in turn to get released from the grip of the python who was about to devour him. The Buddha draws our attention to the fact of performing our duty at the due time and the importance of the appreciation of the good done to us by performing the acts of gratitude in return. In the Sigalovada Sutta it is stated that a child has to look after his aged parents with the thought that once supported by them I will now be their support. And when they are dead and gone, he shows his gratitude dutifully from time to time with the conviction I will transfer merits to them in due time. The Tirokudda.. Sutta states how the departed ones appreciate the good done to them by showering blessing in return on the living: He gave me, he worked for me, he was my kin, friend and intimate. Thinking thus, one makes offerings on behalf of the departed ones. In return, the departed ones thus remembered and satisfied will wish eagerly for the well-being of their living relatives out of gratitude. (Continued on page 2)

2 (continued from page 1) Ancestor worship and Qing Ming The traditional day of showing our gratitude to departed relatives and friends is customarily called Qing Ming or Qing Ming Jie. The day is popularly known in different ways as Clear Brightness Festival or Chinese Memorial Day or Festival of Tending Graves or Tomb Sweeping Day or All Souls Day (not to be confused with the All Souls Day of the Roman Catholics). Now the day has come to our doorstep. This particular Memorial Day having originated in China in the remote past is marked with a fascinating history. The emperor Xuangsong of Tang dynasty has given a facelift to Qing Ming in 732 in order to stop the elaborate ancestor worshipping ceremonies performed on numerous days of the year. In order to minimize the expenses incurred in the name of ancestor worship, the emperor is said to have fixed a particular day for the festivities. He declared that respect to ancestors could be paid at ancestors graves only on Qing Ming. The day of Qing Ming has been integrated into Chinese culture by way of the Qing Ming Tea Culture, Qing Ming Painting, Qing Literature etc. On that day, young and old pray before the ancestral graves, sweep the tombs, offer food to them together with tea, wine, chopsticks and paper accessories. Showing Gratitude to the Departed is a Buddhist Virtue Showing gratitude when the person is living as well as when he/she is dead is a virtue praised by the Buddha. After Enlightenment, the Buddha exemplified gratefulness by focusing his attention for seven days with unblinking eyes at the Bodhi-tree under the shade of which he attained Enlightenment. Buddhists can celebrate Qing Ming by performing meritorious deeds in memory of the departed ones and dedicating merits to them for their well being. It is mentioned in the above quoted Tirokudda.. Sutta that the departed ones who have been born in pathetic and woeful states always look to the living relatives and friends for their sympathy. The Buddhist scriptures record that King Bimbisara performed acts of merits on the Buddha s advice and transferred merits to his ancestors, thus enabling them to get released from woeful states where they had been suffering. In the present context, since transferring of merits to the departed is done out of gratefulness, it is a virtue praised by the Buddha. The Buddhists can make their departed ones happy by dedicating merits to them on the day of Qing Ming. May all beings be well and happy! Ven. Dr. P. Gnanarama Maha Thero Qing Ming Memorial Service - 29 th March to 4 th April 2009 The Qing Ming Memorial Service will be held after the 7.30pm Buddha Puja on weekdays and after the 6.30pm Buddha Puja on weekends. Gifts of essential requisites will be offered to the Venerables before the recitation of the Tirokudda.. Sutta followed by dedication of merits to the departed ones. Members and devotees can participate in the dedication of merits to the departed loved ones by making a donation to Ti-Sarana Buddhist Association in their memory. Donations collected are used for Dhamma propagation and welfare of the Venerables. Names of the donors and their departed loved ones will be read out before the commencement of the memorial service. Enclosed with this newsletter is the registration form for Qing Ming Memorial Service. Please complete the form and send it to the Honorary Treasurer by 22 nd March 2009.

3 Lunar New Year Blessing Service Bro Mahinda inviting Bhantes to commence the Lunar New Year Blessing Service on 25 Jan 2009 Blessing by Bhante Ratanasiri Bhantes tying blessed thread for devotees Activities of the Sunday Dhamma Classes Manjula, Hui Ting and Charita listening attentively as Bhante Gnanarama delivers his congratulatory messages to them Bhante blesses the 3 students On 18 th January 2009, Bhante Gnanarama, in the presence of Bhante Ananda, teachers and students of the Sunday Dhamma Classes, commended three students; Manjula Song, Ke Hui Ting and Charita Goh for doing well in their 2008 O Level Examinations. Our heartiest congratulations to them! Well Done! Birthday Celebrations Students of the Sunday Dhamma Classes whose birthdays fall in January and February 2009 got to celebrate their birthdays after the Morning Puja. Their happy faces and squeaks of delight at the sight of the lovely birthday cake further brightened up the Shrine Hall. Cake cutting by students whose birthdays fall in January 2009 Students whose birthdays fall in February 2009 Queuing up for Bhante Ananda to tie blessed threads around their wrists

4 The Gift of Dhamma excels all other gifts The story of Anathapindika s love and greatest gift to his son, Kala Whenever the Buddha and his monks came to Anathapindika s house, his son Kala always kept away. The father tried to entice the son to learn the Dhamma with the promise of a hundred pieces of gold. Kala went to the monastery, without listening to any religious discourses and demanded to have the gold. Anathapindika was determined to get his son to learn the Dhamma. He gave him another task My son, if you learn at least a stanza from the Teachings of the Buddha, I will give you one thousand pieces of gold on your return. So Kala went to the monastery again. The Buddha gave him a short stanza to learn by heart. At the same time he willed that the youth should not be able to memorize it. Kala had to repeat the stanza many times. In the process he was able to perceive the full meaning of the Dhamma embedded in the stanza and attained sotapatti (1st stage of sainthood). Early next morning, Kala followed the Buddha and the monks to his own house. His father offered rice gruel to the Buddha and the monks as well as to his son. Then Anathapindika brought the one thousand pieces of gold for his son, Kala but surprisingly he refused to accept it. Anathapindika said to the Buddha, Venerable, the conduct of my son today pleases me. The Buddha replied, Today, in attaining the fruit of conversion (1st stage of sainthood), your son has attained that which surpasses the attainment of a universal monarch, the attainment of the world of the deities, the attainment of the world of Brahma. Above extract from the Dhammapada, Verse 178, was contributed by Sis Subha Teo COME WITH YOUR CHILDREN TO TI-SARANA TO LEARN THE DHAMMA Sunday Dhamma Classes start with Morning Puja at am after which the students disperse to their respective classes. Vegetarian lunch is served at pm. Metta Youth Centre (MYC) 4 th Feb 2009 was Sri Lanka s 61 st Independence Day. The children at MYC commemorated their Independence Day by going to the temple to offer prayers for peace, harmony and progress not just for themselves but for their country as well. TBA is planning a Conversational English programme for the residents of MYC, Matara, Sri Lanka in June Those who are interested in planning and developing the programme are invited to contact Ms Kala at or kalakarkal@hotmail.com. MYC children walking to the temple for prayers

5 Pagoda Lamps of Blessings Five Venerables conducted the Inauguration of the Pagoda Lamps of Blessing Service on 3 rd Feb The blessing service was well attended by members and devotees who took home bags of blessed items including oranges, thread, rice and bottled water. Those who wish to place their names on the Pagoda Lamps of Blessing to receive blessings throughout the year can do so by sending their donation of $40 by cheque made payable to Ti-Sarana Buddhist Association. Your annual contribution of $40 is used for Dhamma propagation as well as the welfare of the Venerables. Bro Lee and Bro Hemasiri arrange the offerings during Buddha Puja Every Tuesday, after the evening Buddha Puja, Parittas and Suttas from the Great Book of Protection are recited to invoke good health, joy, peace and prosperity for those members and devotees whose names are listed on the niches of the Pagoda Lamps of Blessings. Bhantes reciting Suttas & Parittas Bhante Gnanarama blessing members and devotees 12 Days Silk Road Tour Ti-Sarana is assisting some students of Buddhist & Pali College, Singapore who are organizing a 12 Days Silk Road Tour. The tour will depart on 6 June 2009 is at 0015 hours via an Air China flight from Changi Airport to Xian via Beijing. Ven. Dr. Gnanarama Maha Thero will be accompanying the participants of this tour. The itinerary includes visits to see the Terracotta Warriors, Big Goose Pagoda, Famen Temple, Mount Maiji, White Pagoda Mountain, Yellow River Bridge, Yellow River Mother Sculpture in Lanzhou. There will be a train ride to Jiayuguan to enjoy the sights of Jiayuguan Fort and Hanging Great Wall. Of course the trip will cover the Yulin Grottoes, Minsha Mountains, Crescent Moon Spring and not to mention visits to Nanshan Sheep Farm and the Grand Bazaar in Turpan. There will be a tram and boat ride in Urumqi before flying back to Singapore via Chengdu. Estimated fare is $2,500 to $3,000 per person on a twin sharing basis (min. 25 adults). For more information/registration, please contact the following TBA members: Padma , Arlene or Ivan Closing date for registration: 31 st March 2009

6 Coming Events to Celebrate the 32 nd Anniversary of TBA Free General Eye Screening 22 nd Mar 2009 (Sun) To mark the 32 nd Anniversary of our Association, we have arranged with the Singapore Women s Association, a non-governmental and non-profit organization to provide free general eye screening for members, devotees and the residents living in the vicinity of TBA. This eye screening is only for those people aged 40 years and above and who are presently not under the care of any eye doctor. Each participant will go through 10 to 15 minutes of eye screening to check their Visual Acuity, Auto-Refract, Non-touch Tonometer and Slip-lamp machine for cataract or other related eye problems. If necessary, referrals will be given for further assessment or treatment. The eye screening will be conducted between 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm. Attached is the registration form. Please register by 15 th March 2009 to facilitate preparations for the eye screening. Sanghika Dana 26 th Mar 2009 (Thurs) On 26 th March 2009 (Thurs) the actual anniversary date, a Sanghika Dana will be held at am, after the Morning Buddha Puja Service to commemorate the 32 nd Anniversary of TBA. Venerables from other Buddhist temples and organizations who have assisted and guided us will be invited to the Sanghika Dana. Members and devotees are encouraged to be present to thank the Venerables for their unwavering support and guidance throughout the years. The Programme on 26 th March 2009 (Thurs) is as follows: Morning am Preparation for Sanghika Dana am Arrival of invited Venerables am Buddha Puja and recitation of Suttas by Venerables am Blessings for members and devotees am Sanghika Dana for the Venerables am Vegetarian lunch for members and devotees Evening 7.30 pm Buddha Puja 8.15 pm Re-affirmation of Dhamma Work 8.30 pm Cake Cutting by Venerables 8.35 pm Gilanapaccaya for the Venerables 8.40 pm Light refreshment for members and devotees Design & Printed by Future Print Pte Ltd future@pacific.net.sg