Vesak Reflections – By Mahinda Gunewardena
Source : Qld Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – May 2023
Vesak’, the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is a sacred day to millions of Buddhists around the world. It was on such a day some 2600 years ago that Prince Siddhartha was born. It was also on such a day some 35 years later that Ascetic Siddhartha attained Enlightenment as Gautama Buddha.
Gautama Buddha, spent the next 45 years showing the path to ending the un-ending cycle birth – decay – death (Samsara), a teaching, that today, continues to guide over 400 million people worldwide.
In Sri Lanka, Vesak is celebrated by religious ceremonies and decorative edifices constructed to depict the various milestones of Prince Siddhartha, Ascetic Siddhartha and Gautama Buddha.
It is said that Ascetic Siddhartha spent much time in solitude, deep in meditation reflecting upon the way out of the cycle of Samsara. In contrast, today, we see a world in which random and inconsequential information inundates us, via so called ‘smart’ devices. How then, do we avoid external distractions and be mindful? (Sathi). How do we find the solitude and time to reflect on ourselves, to look inwards and see truly who we are?
In a world which is increasingly driven by an insatiable thirst for wealth and sense pleasure, Gautama Buddha’s first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta provides us a middle path. A path that offers the opportunity to seek happiness (Sukha) that is independent of and un-attached to the material world. That path has at its heart the Four Noble Truths.
The instant and unconsidered communication via social media has created the perfect echo chamber of our own ignorance (Avijja). Alternatively, social media has given rise to diminished self-esteem driven by
comparison to perceived perfection of others, both outcomes entrenching the view of self (sakkāya diṭṭhi).
Thus, we are perhaps unwittingly being pulled away from the realisation of seeing the true nature of things.
Perhaps, on this Vesak day, we can contemplate setting up some guardrails, to protect ourselves from the inundation of wrong views and influences (Mithya Drushti), to give ourselves some time and space in which we can seek the Right View (Samma-Dhitthi) – the first step of the Noble Eightfold path.
Gautama Buddha, after over four decades of unsurpassed guidance away from the unsatisfactory nature of existence addressed the monks once more: (Mahaparinibbana-sutta) “Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you. All component things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting.
This message uttered in the month of May 543 BC on a full-moon day, known as “Vesak”.
Mahinda Gunewardena
