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Thursday, February 23, 2012

Honoring the Buddha’s Parinirvana this Sunday, February 26th


11th century Japanese illustration of Parinirvana
This Sunday at Windhorse we’ll hold our first Parinirvana ceremony, commemorating the death of Shakyamuni Buddha.  While the traditional date for this celebration is February 15th, and in some places February 8th, here at Windhorse we're having it at our first opportunity after last week’s sesshin.

Parinirvana Day gives us a chance to look into the deeply moving (and at times surprising) story of Shakyamuni's passing as well as the verbal teachings that he gave during these last weeks and hours of his life. The story itself comes in different versions, but all of them bring to our awareness the fact of our own mortality and that of everyone we love and care about (a fact from which we so gladly escape). In Asian countries it is traditional, on this day, to remember relatives and friends who have passed. 

We’ll hold to our basic Sunday morning schedule, with zazen, kinhin, chanting and a teisho focusing on this crucial last chapter of the Buddha’s life. People will also have the chance to make incense offerings before the beautiful painting depicting this event and chant the Mantram of Shakyamuni Buddha: Om Muni Muni Maha Muni Shakyamuni, Svaha! Afterward, of course, we’ll have our usual potluck lunch, sharing whatever food offerings people may bring. If you can bring something, great -- if not, come anyway! 

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