THE VESAK OF OUR LIFE

THE VESAK OF OUR LIFE

As Vesak Day approaches, I want to joyfully reflect on the dedication a very small but remarkable group of local Buddhists whom I have known for some years now. The reasons for our friendship are very simple. We are local Buddhists who do not depend on foreign missionaries (we respect them and want them to be good monastics). We are inspired by good local monks and local Dharma teachers who share the same vision: we all aspire to become streamwinners in this life.

During one of my sutta talks with this group of Sotāpanna aspirants, I asked how of those assembled (more than 20 of them) actually aspire to streamwinning in this life itself: they ALL put up their hands enthusiastically! Sadhu! May the sāsana prosper in our lands!

This wonderful community of “streamers” (short form for sotāpanna aspirants) grew naturally after over 20 years of learning the Dharma and suttas. All of us have been to the largest foreign mission temples here. We faithfully learned Buddhism, but we are only taught to “transfer” merits, donate for buildings and send millions to the home countries of these missionaries. We raise funds for monks to pursue university careers and build their own comfortable home viharas here and overseas. 

All this time, sadly, we were not really taught the suttas and the true purpose of the Buddha’s teachings. 

That is, until local monks and lay Dharma teachers dedicated with love for the suttas, discovered that we can be streamwinners in this life itself (See Saṁyutta chapter 25, S 25.1-10 @ SD 16.7). We are so happy at this discovery that we simply gravitated together like devas to the Bodhi tree with the radiant Buddha sitting under it, and feel so close to the Buddha and awakening.

Doing dana alone may only make us reborn as loving pets of others because we do not keep the precepts and lack wisdom (see the Saddha Jānussoṇi Sutta, A 10.177 @ SD 2.6a). 

Practising wholesome dana (such as not giving money to monastics), keeping the precepts (and encouraging monastics to keep their rules, too) and learning the suttas (and sharing it) helps us cultivate the mind in calm and insight – all this helps our aspiration to become streamers in this life. This is guaranteed! See the Anicca Cakkhu Sutta (S 25.1), SD 16.7.

We only need to constantly and wholesomely reflect on IMPERMANENCE. Everything that exist is impermanent; our possessions are impermanent; our loved ones are impermanent; we are impermanent. 

Even this breath – coming in, going out – is impermanent. Reflect in this way, says the Anicca Cakkhu Sutta, then, we will surely attain streamwinning in this life itself. Sadhu!

Vesak is a day of giving, a precept (uposatha) day, the day to remember the Buddha, his awakening and his passing away (impermanence). Make Vesak the most important and historical day.

Transform our life this very day: aspire to STREAMWINNING. Then, see how clear and simple the Dharma is, and how easy meditation becomes because our heart is in the right place and our eyes looking in the right direction – to the Buddha’s path of awakening.

Make this the Vesak of our life: 

Join us in renewing our aspiration to STREAMWINNING in this life itself.

Saddha Jāṇussoṇi Sutta (A 10.177):

http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2.6a-Saddha-Janussoni-S-a10.177-piya.pdf. 

Anicca Cakkhu Sutta (S 25.1):

http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/16.7-Anicca-Cakkhu-S-s25.1-piya.pdf

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1 May 2023