Total Moon Of Wagaung And Draw-A-Great deal-Festival
Wagaung (July/August) one particular (the 2nd) of the three months of the Buddhist lent – Waso (June/July), Wagaung (July/August) and Thawthalin (August/September) – is a thirty day period of sobriety, tranquil contemplation, meritorious deeds with e.g. ‘Soons’ (alms presented to pongyis), gown and food offerings and self-denial, in which the travelling of pongyis, searching, moving of the household and marriages are not permitted and numerous people go into religious retreat or fasten for a particular period of time. As a result, Wagaung la pyei htun pwe daw’, the Full-moon Festival of Wagaung is a purely religious affair for advantage-making. It is noticed as ‘Festival of Offering’ or ‘Draw-a-large amount Festival’.
I, for a single, have paid for the lunch of all of the ‘pongyis’ (monks) of the Pandita Yama Kyaung (monastery) in Yangon where by I in some cases go for meditation. All vital preparations will be manufactured by the administration of the monastery. You are cordially invited to accompany me and my family and some of my friends at 09:00 a.m. on the Total-Moon Working day Of Waso to the monastery the place we will have our lunch.
As the name ‘Draw-a-lot’ festival indicates, the drawing of a lot will decide on which pongyi will have his meal paid out by you, if you take component in the ‘draw-a-lot’, that is. This goes as follows. The identify of every member of the neighborhood Sangha (or Sangha of your township) is penned on a paper that is placed in a box or basket just after getting rolled up or folded collectively. Every participating home is selecting a agent who is drawing a lot from the box or basket. The pongyi whose name is on the paper will be elaborately fed the next day. Nonetheless, 1 of the a lot bears the title ‘Gautama Buddha’. This large amount is, in a method of speaking, the ‘jackpot’ and the fortunate man or woman who is drawing this great deal will have the honour to host the Buddha. All in all, the pageant is a peaceful and sober party serving for Buddhists predominantly the objective of accomplishing acts of ‘dhana’ (providing) to obtain merits.
But there are also other festivals that take position in Wagaung. Taungbyone, located an about 1-hour car or truck experience, some 30 miles/48 kilometre north of Mandalay, for occasion, is in August the venue of ‘Nat gadaws’ (wives or mediums of nats/guardian spirits) who hold there yearly a 7-working day ‘Nat Festival’ or ‘Nat pwe’.
If you transpire to be in Mandalay at the proper time this is an opportunity to get acquainted with a single or extra of the all-potent ‘nats’ a little something not to be skipped for the reason that it is not only intriguing and exiting but depending on from the place you are coming it is also probable to be the only chance to do this you will at any time be offered in your full lifetime. It will take you the full day.
Considering that it is no simple activity to observe down a nat gadaw (it took me rather a extended time to make buddies with two of them and go to nat pwes) for which purpose you must prepare this forward and hire a fantastic area good friend or guideline to make the arrangements. I assure that you will not regret this. It can effortlessly turn into one of the highlights of your holiday getaway in Burma. Nat worship constitutes the direct relationship with Burma’s earlier, heading considerably back again to pre-Buddhist moments.
People of the earlier arrive to life due to the fact nats were all true individuals at just one time or yet another who died somewhat tragically ahead of they became spirits. Stories of love, hope, contentment, disappointment and intrigue are the get of the working day in the realm of the nats. You might make the acquaintance with the spirit of 1 of the substantially revered nats, Min Kyaw Zwa, regarded as U Min Kyaw, the ‘Drunken nat’
There are numerous stories about who U Min Kyaw was. 1 of them is that U Min Kyaw was a king and brave warrior in the 12th century who was extremely susceptible to drinking, smoking cigarettes, gambling and womanising. But he was nonetheless incredibly significantly loved by his people today since he was also extremely generous. So, if you see a dancing nat gadaw drinking liquor from a bottle and throwing arms-complete of income into the joyful crowd, that is him, the ‘guardian spirit’ of all those who like to dwell daily life in the fast lane. If you make him satisfied (give him a bottle of his favourite beverage ) he might in return make you abundant.
But be very careful, U Min Kyaw is a rather rakish nat and it is attainable that you turn out to be possessed by his spirit. Who is aware? Celestials have their have mysterious approaches of displaying their gratitude and expressing their pleasure.
But do not fret, should this occur he will immediately after a quick while go away your body once more and the worst case circumstance is that on the subsequent day you will have to struggle a serious hangover modest price for the superb working experience of possessing develop into a buddy of U Min Kyaw and having been possessed by his spirit.
Be that as it may perhaps, tomorrow is ‘Full-moon working day of Wagaung’ and at 08:30 I will occur to select you up in advance of we go to the monastery for the ceremonial meals presenting, a ceremony of the sort celebrated on this day all in excess of the nation what ever the item of donation may possibly be. Be sure to bear in thoughts that it is a dressy celebration. See you tomorrow early morning.
It is now Total-moon Day of Wagaung and we – you, my spouse, my maids, my driver and I – have arrived at the Pandita Yama Kyaung and we are lucky mainly because it is not raining as it normally is in this time of rainy time. We enter the monastery compound. Powering the gate, leaning from the wall of the gate keeper house stands a person-large blackboard with the name of present day donor on it it is my name, so everything is good.
We are welcomed by a youthful male from the administration business who leads us to a team of two pongyis. He introduces us as modern donors and on introduction they direct us into a reception area where we sit down. One of the monks stays for tiny converse with us though the other a person is leaving. Immediately after a short although he returns to tell us that the ‘Sayadaw’ (the venerable abbot of a Buddhist monastery) would like to see me and my spouse. So, we have to go away you for a brief time. But you do not need to get worried both equally my senior maid and the pongyi discuss English and you can chit-chat with them when you are ready. It is a superior opportunity for you to get first-hand information on Buddhist issues, the monastery, existence in the monastery, meditation, and so on, do not wait to check with them.
Me and my spouse adhere to the pongyi to the Sayadaw’s business office where by we are warmly welcomed by him. He has an air of dignity about him but in any other case he does not exhibit any whatsoever conduct of superiority a extremely likeable elder man with fairly a good command of English. We have a really enjoyable dialogue in the study course of which he exhibits legitimate fascination in my daily life in Burma, my dwelling place and my spiritual lifestyle. We leave him following a shorter though, re-be a part of you and then our group is led into the hall were being the offering ceremony will just take location.
The hall is somewhat austerely furnished with a row of five higher-backed simple chairs with elaborate wood carvings and three tables with wood carvings in entrance of them. The relaxation of the furnishing is built up of uncomplicated round, limited-legged picket tables as nicely as some uncomplicated side-boards put alongside the partitions. Every little thing is incredibly clear, neat and tidy, the ground is coated with straw mats and 1 aspect of the hall is more than virtually its entire lengths open to the court docket with a ramp-like, roofed walkway in front of it. There, really a significant number of tiny groups of red-robed pongyis are waiting around for the commencing of the ceremony. Regardless of the austerity the total scene is enveloped in a quite dignified and festive ambiance that is in its have way pretty touching. The Sayadaw, accompanied by four senior pongyis is now sitting on the quick chairs with the Sayadaw positioned in the centre and two senior monks positioned on either side of him.
All friends are requested to sit in the absolutely free place appropriate in front of the Sayadaw and his senior pongyis (as regular on the floor) my wife and I in the initial row, separated from the Sayadaw only by the tables although the pongyis are beginning to enter the corridor. All getting seated the food items is placed in bowls on the tables whilst a welcoming conservation amongst the Sayadaw and our group of guests commences. Then, just after some text of greeting spoken by the Sayadaw the formal portion of the ceremony starts with the ‘gadaut the’, indicating we are prostrating ourselves tree situations prior to the Sayadaw in reverence of him. This is adopted by the ‘saung kat hlu pu zaw the’, the ‘lifting of the table’ with meals on it by my spouse and me. We situation ourselves on both facet of the desk, bend down to grab the edge of the desk and in a synchronised motion elevate and reduce the desk three situations (every time symbolizing a single portion of the ‘Tiradna’, the 3 gems or jewels particularly, ‘Buddha’ (Enlightened 1), ‘Dharma'(in Sanskrit)/(in Pali)’Dhamma’ (Buddha’s teachings) and ‘Sangha’ (monkshood or buy of the monks or Buddhist monastic local community) even though the Sayadaw is declaring: “This food items is dedicated to the wisdom of and in gratitude to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.” Then the pongyis start to eat. When they are by and significant all set it is our change. The tradition to enable the pongyis eat initially is referred to as ‘Ah-hlu’.
There is a significant variety of dishes served for us. Nothing at all is lacking: ‘thamin’ (boiled rice), ‘we tha hin’ (pork curry), ‘chet tha hin’ (rooster curry), amay tha hin’ (beef curry) mixed with ‘alu’ (potatoes), ‘hin thee hin youwet’ (vegetable) these kinds of as ‘molang oo ni’ (carrots) and ‘ban gobi’ (cauliflower), ‘hkau hswe djo’ (fried noodle with vegetable and meat), ‘hin jou’ (hot soup), ‘kauk hnyin boung’ (sweet created from glutinous rice and coconut), ‘thit thee’ (fruits) this kind of as ‘pan thee’ (apple) and ‘hnget pyaw thee’ (banana). As drinks served are ‘yay’ (consuming water), ‘kaphee’ (coffee), ‘laphat yay jan’ (simple green tea) and ‘laphat yay’ (green tea with milk and sugar). You see, it truly is a copious and pretty tasty lunch.
After lunch the ceremony steady with the Sayadaw’s blessing of the donor(s) and the ‘yay set cha the’ (drinking water dripping ceremony). Whilst my wife and I am incredibly little by little dripping water from a silver can into modest silver beaker the Sayadaw is blessing us by saying on behalf of Gautama Buddha that good things shall transpire to us in our present and upcoming lives on our way to ‘nibbana’ (a state of neither being nor non-being which to attain is the supreme goal of Buddhism). Also, our absent kin as properly as our ancestors are provided in that they are invited and requested to profit from our meritorious deed by sharing its rewards.
Following follows a repetition of the ‘gadaut the’ and we pay out once more respect to the Sayadaw by prostrating ourselves a few instances prior to him.
At this level I deem it required to say a handful of phrases of each rationalization and guidance to you. To prostrate ourselves in advance of an additional human being is a variety of deference or way of showing respect not regular in our culture and anything that to do does not arrive quick to us. It is beneath our dignity to do this. We feel it preposterous and are irritated if we are questioned or envisioned to do this. And your place of check out is appropriate as very long as measured by ‘western’ benchmarks. Nevertheless, you are incorrect when searching at it against the backdrop of Burmese tradition and Buddhist philosophy or ‘Sasana’ (faith).
The reverent posture of prostration has nothing at all to do with servility. It is a voluntary act of paying regard and honour to who regard and honour is owing. In the eyes of Burmese people today and/or Buddhists you do by no means make a fool of on your own when prostrating oneself right before a Sayadaw. On the opposite, carrying out so will generate you their regard. So, I counsel that you are pursuing community customs in situation you are attending a Buddhist ceremony and e.g. prostrate your self prior to a Sayadaw even if this can make you come to feel uneasy. They will value your conduct hugely and – feel me – after the to start with a single or two occasions you have carried out it you will be no cost of any reservations. And, by the by, do you not count on foreigners to modify themselves to your customs when they are in your household state? So, why implement double standards? Of training course, folks right here know that you are a foreigner, so will not come to feel offended when you are not following my tips. Also, they will not check with you to change to regional customs. However, to do it – to comply with my tips, that is – is as I see it just the suitable way of behaviour that does not price you anything at all, does not do you any harm and will receive you lots of regard of the Burmese persons. It is not about how productive you are in accomplishing this it is the fantastic will and work that will be honoured.
The ceremony is concluded with the ‘Buddha saathanan sirantatetahtu’. This indicates that all persons current (delivered they have ample command on Pali language/Burmese respectively) recite in prayer-like manner the typical words to the impact that it is hoped that the knowledge of the Buddha and the dharma will final eternally and conclude by chanting: “Thadu, thadu, thadu”, ‘well accomplished, well carried out, effectively accomplished”.
The Sayadaw leaves accompanied by his senior pongyis the area and we go to fulfill some friends of mine they converse English and have invited us. There you will see and hear about a typical Burmese residence and each day existence, anything a couple vacationers will at any time have the probability to practical experience. After an early evening meal at about 05:00 pm we will return household.
Now it is just about 06:00 pm and we go residence. Did you love our whole-moon working day of Wagaung food stuff supplying? I hope you did and that you are also satisfied with the additional awareness you may well have obtained. I hope I will see you once more. Bye for now and have a good time.