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Meditation Retreat

            Wat Promkunaram, Buddhist Temple of Arizona, is conducting a Vipassana (insight) meditation retreat May17-18, 2002, which is open and free to the public. The retreat will be held at the temple, which is at 17212 W. Maryland Avenue in Waddell, AZ (western Maricopa County)

            This is an excellent opportunity for experienced meditators to practice in a Buddhist temple and also for beginners to learn from actual monks how to practice the 2500-year old techniques taught by the Buddha.

Note: During the retreat in the temple, all participants are required to follow these rules:
1. Refrain from killing beings
2. Refrain from stealing what is not given.
3. Refrain from lying.
4. Refrain from sexual misconduct, and
5. Refrain from intoxicants.

            Participants are required to pre-register no later than May 5, either by calling the temple at 623-935-2276, via emailing <watprom@iirt.net>, or registering at Wat Prominent's website [www.watprom.iirt.net]. Meals will be provided, however participants are required to have a sleeping bag or blanket, and they may set up a small tent within the temple.

Retreat Details

            Wat Promkunaram will be organizing a 2-day short retreat ,Visakhapuja Day of May17-18, 2002. There is no charge for this retreat and all meals will be provided. Please be sure to read all enclosed information and be willing to follow all rules and guidelines before registering.

Retreat Overview

            The monks will teach various Buddhist ideas and methods of meditation. The retreat will also cover a unique Buddhist meditation--insight meditation and how it can benefit us all in our daily life.

Meals

Only breakfast and lunch will be encouraged during the second day of the course to allow maximum time to be spent on practicing. However, if a participant wishes to have dinner, a small meal will be provided.

Overnight Accommodations

            Participants are required to bring at least a blanket or sleeping bag. Since the temple can provide only limited blankets ( which must be reserved during registration). Participants are also welcome to set up a small tent within the temple. The temple will not provide personal toiletries and accessories.

Rules And Regulations

During the retreat in the temple, all participants are required at follow the following rules;

               1. Refrain from killing beings.

               2. Refrain from stealing what is not given.

               3. Refrain from lying.

               4. Refrain from sexual misconduct, and

               5. Refrain from intoxicants.

Participants are also encouraged to follow the three extra rules as follow:

               1. Refrain from untimely meal.

               2. Refrain from using makeup, colognes, or perfumes, and

               3. Refrain from sleeping on a high and luxurious bed.

Registration

            Advanced reservation is compulsory, as food for all participants must be taken into account to prevent waste. Please be sure to register by the May5. All inquiries after the date will be considered based on the anticipated size of participation. Reservations can be made by phone, e-mail, or mailing the form attached to the temple. After you make reservation, if you are unable to attend the course for any reason, please contact us as soon as possible. If  you need more information:

 CALL (623) 935-2276, FAX (623)935-1174, 0R E-MAIL<WATPROM@IIRT.NET>

Schedule Of Retreat

Friday, May 17, 2002

          05.00-08.00 p.m.         Register, advice meditation in brief and set up location.

Saturday, May 18, 2002

          05.00-06-00 a.m.   Guided and walking meditation

          06.00-07.00 a.m.   Sitting meditation and Morning chanting

          07.00-08.00 a.m.   Breakfast

          08.00-11.00 a.m.   Walking Meditation and Sitting Meditation

          11.00-12.00 a.m.    Lunch

          12.00-01.00 p.m.   Relax and private time

          01.00-02.00 p.m.   Walking Meditation

          02.00-03.00 p.m.   Sitting Meditation

          03.00-04.00 p.m.   Break

          04.00-05.00 p.m.   Walking and Sitting Meditation

          05.00-06.00 p.m.   Evening Chanting

          06.00-06.30 p.m.   Break

          06.30-07.00 p.m.   Walking and Sitting Meditation

          07.00-09.00 p.m.   Group  discussion

          09.00 p.m.            The end of retreat

VISAKHAPUJA DAY

          Visakhapuja (Vesak) means the worship of the Buddha on the full moon day of the sixth lunar month. It usually falls in May. In the case of a year with Adhikamasa (A year with an extra eighth lunar period) the Visakhapuja Day falls on the full moon day of the seventh lunar month.

          Visakhapuja is one of the most important days in Buddhism because of three important incidents, i.e. the birth, the enlightenment, and the passing away of the Buddha. These three incidents miraculously fall on the same month and date. Each year on the Vesak full moon, throughout the world, Buddhist monks and laymen gather together to perform the worship in a very special way and to recollect the wisdom, purity, and compassion of the Buddha.

The Buddha was a king by birth, His clan name was Gotama. He was born in the Sakya kingdom, eighty years before the Buddhist Era, at Lumbini Park ( now called Rummindei, in Nepal) in the Middle Country (Madhyama Pradesa, located between Kapilavastu, capital of the Sakya Kingdom, and Devadaha, capital of the Koliya Kingdom, on Friday, the Vesak full moon in the year of the dog.
 

BIRTH

             Prince Siddhattha (the Buddha’s personal name) was the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Sirimahämäyã. On his birthday, Queen Sirimahãm who was pregnant, wanted to pay a visit to Devadaha which was her native country.

             In the morning of the Vesak full moon, the Queen left Kapilavastu on a visit to Devadaha. Approaching a lovely park of Sal trees called Lumbini, located between the two capitals but nearer to Devadaha, the Queen wanted to visit the park and when she arrived at a Sal tree she started contractions and gave birth to a son there. When the Kings of Kapilavastu and Devadaha learned of this, they were very happy and arranged a procession back to Kapilavastu.

             Prince Siddhattha was brought up in the midst of luxury, led the happy life of a privileged youth and married at the age of 16 to Princess Yasodhara or Bimba who bore him a son, Rahula.
 

             He discontented and took on the life of a wandering ascetic at the bank of the Anoma river. He was then 29.
 

             He studied the mystic practices of the foremost Brahmin ascetics and realized that such practices were not the way to enlightenment. He went on his own way applying the reflective thought of conscious meditation to a rational simple life of moderation.

 ENLIGHTENMENT

At the age of 35, he attained Enlightenment at Uruvelasenanigama  subdistrict, Magadha State (nowadays, located in the area of Buddha Gaya, Bihar State, India) on Wednesday, the Vesak full moon of May, the year of the cock, forty five years before the Buddhist Era.
            The Dharma discovered by the Buddha was Ariyasacca or the Four Noble Truths, namely:
          1. The Noble Truth of Suffering
          2. The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering
          3. The Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering
          4. The Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Extinction of Suffering

These four are called the Noble Truths.
 

            After having attained Enlightenment, the Buddha wandered from place to place teaching his discoveries to people who are accessible to instruction, helping large numbers of them achieve various levels of spiritual attainment. He sent his followers to spread Buddhism in capitals, cities, and upcountry, until Buddhism was firmly established and widely spread.

 PARINIBBANA(Death)
 

           The Buddha passed away on Tuesday, the Vesak full moon in the year of the small snake under the two Sal trees in the Sala Grove of the Mallas in Kusinara, capital of the Malla State (nowadays located in Kusinagara of Uttarapradesa India) at the age of eighty.
           The performance of the rituals on Visakhapuja Day had been continuously observed in Jambudipa or India, the motherland of Buddhism, for a long time before Buddhism spread to Thailand and Sri Lanka. There, the Visakha worship has been continually observed to the present day.
 

In Thailand Visakhapuja observance began during the Sukhothai period because of the close religious relations between Thailand and Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan monks came to propagate Buddhism in Thailand and were highly respected. Thai monks also went to study in Sri Lanka. It is believed that in Thailand the Visakhapuja observances started during the Sukhothai period and it had been introduced by monks.

            In the book of the Royal Twelve-Month Rituals, written by King Rama V, the Visakhapuju observance was said to have been revived in the Ratanakosin period in the year of the ox, B.E. 2360, in the reign of King Rama II. Under the advice of Somdejphrasangharaja Mee (the Supreme Patriarch) the King revived the Visakha celebration.

            His Majesty King Prabuddhaleudlanaphalai (Rama II) declared the commemoration of the Visitkhapiijã through a Royal Decree. The King, himself observing the eight precepts, enjoined obstention from killing and the consumption of alcohol for three days. There were bright lights, flowers, joss sticks and candles, offerings as well as fireworks to celebrate the Visakhapuja for three days. In addition, people made a triple circumambulation around the Uposatha hall or a place of worship and listened to sermons. They also made merit, offered food to the monks, donated things to the poor, released animals and decorated lights in their houses. These rituals have been observed ever since on the Vesak full moon day.

Activities to be observed on the Visakhapuja Day

1. Offering food to the monks and novices.

2. Going to temples for special observances and listening to Dharma preaching.

3. Keeping the Five or Eight Precepts, including abstinence from alcoholic drinks and all kinds of immoral acts.

4. The Practice of meditation and mental discipline.

5. The Practice of renunciation for a number of days at the temple, wearing white robes.

6. Attending the triple circumambulation ceremony and other Buddhist activities.

7. Organizing exhibition of the history of the Visakhapuja Day.

8. Hoisting the flag on houses, temples and government offices.

The most important are making merit, giving donations, keeping the precepts and practicing meditation.

 Visakhapuja (Vesak) is an International Day of the United Nations

               In 1999, the United Nations as the World Organization performing various activities accepted by the worldwide population has unanimously resolved to declare the Visakhapuja Day (Vesak Day) as an International Day on December 15, 1999. This brings lots of joy to worldwide Buddhists including Thais and the Thai Government. Regarding this, the public sector, Sangha and people have unanimously held the Buddhist Promotion Week in the Vesak festival throughout the country.