Vesak Day Ceremony in Thailand to Attract Thousands of Monks

[snoop1130]

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand is hosting a ceremony commemorating Vesak, or Visakha Bucha Day at the beginning of next month, with more than 3,500 monks from 50 countries set to participate in the two-day celebration.

 

The Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand has announced that the Vesak celebrations will be held on June 1-2, 2023. The 18th edition of the event will be jointly organized by Maha Chulalongkorn Raja Vidyalaya University, the Sangha Supreme Council, and the Thai government.

 

The event will commence on June 1, with the opening ceremony presided by the Supreme Patriarch Ariyavongsagatanana followed by seminars at Maha Chulalongkorn Raja Vidyalaya University in the afternoon. On June 2, Buddhist monks and devotees will gather at the United Nations headquarters on Ratchadamnoen Road for a ceremony led by the president of the Privy Council, Gen Surayud Chulanont. Attendees can take part in prayers at Phutthamonthon in Nakhon Pathom province as well.

 

Permanent Secretary for Interior Suttipong Juljarern stated that the Interior Ministry will notify governors across Thailand to raise the national flag along with the Buddhist flag in order to promote Vesak Day. He also encourages Thai Buddhists to participate in merit-making activities from June 1-7 and refrain from gambling during that period.

 

By Krajangwit Johjit

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230526151638041

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2023-05-26

 

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[dinsdale]

Some very, very rich and influecial people peddling what isn't a religion but believes in the supernatural. This, however, is just beautiful ....

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He also encourages Thai Buddhists to participate in merit-making activities from June 1-7 and refrain from gambling during that period.

Am I wrong but is gambling not illegal apart from the lottery and the well heeled at the horse races in BKK? To refrain from something means it's already occuring. Is "Permanent Secretary for Interior Suttipong Juljarern" saying Thai Buddhists only refrain from gambling during this period?

[Mr Dome]

10 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Some very, very rich and influecial people peddling what isn't a religion but believes in the supernatural. This, however, is just beautiful ....

Am I wrong but is gambling not illegal apart from the lottery and the well heeled at the horse races in BKK? To refrain from something means it's already occuring. Is "Permanent Secretary for Interior Suttipong Juljarern" saying Thai Buddhists only refrain from gambling during this period?

What a strange comment filled with ignorance, unfortunately.

Thailand is a Buddhist country, Buddhism doesn't need to be "peddled" here. You picked the one thing people were born into to make it sound like they were just copying someone rich & famous. Why?

 

Yes, Buddhism isn't a Religion, fully agreed because there's nothing to believe in and the Latin word for religion, meaning to reunite, doesn't apply here. Individual critical thinking was always encouraged by the Buddha.

 

As for your final comment, it doesn't sound like you know the country very well. 

[dinsdale]

27 minutes ago, Mr Dome said:

What a strange comment filled with ignorance, unfortunately.

Thailand is a Buddhist country, Buddhism doesn't need to be "peddled" here. You picked the one thing people were born into to make it sound like they were just copying someone rich & famous. Why?

 

Yes, Buddhism isn't a Religion, fully agreed because there's nothing to believe in and the Latin word for religion, meaning to reunite, doesn't apply here. Individual critical thinking was always encouraged by the Buddha.

 

As for your final comment, it doesn't sound like you know the country very well. 

All babies are born without religion. This is a fact. You also missed the point completely being that it is asked to refrain from gambling for this period in a country where gambling is illegal 24/7. Question. Does Nirvana exist and if it does how do you know?

[brianthainess]

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

with more than 3,500 monks from 50 countries set to participate in the two-day celebration.

Nice little free overseas jolly using donated money, will they use their private jets. maybe I should sign up so I too can get a free all expenses paid OS holiday, an off the shoulder frock would be quite fetching. 

[Mr Dome]

4 hours ago, dinsdale said:

All babies are born without religion. This is a fact. You also missed the point completely being that it is asked to refrain from gambling for this period in a country where gambling is illegal 24/7. Question. Does Nirvana exist and if it does how do you know?

You started with "isn't a religion", I agreed 100% and now you're back to "religion". 

 

The simple fact is that our parents shape our spiritual beliefs until or if we choose to go a different way, that's all.

 

Don't know what your beef with Buddhism is ????????‍♂️

but I'm not on here to convince anyone. If you don't believe any of this, that's your prerogative. 

[Mr Dome]

3 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Nice little free overseas jolly using donated money, will they use their private jets. maybe I should sign up so I too can get a free all expenses paid OS holiday, an off the shoulder frock would be quite fetching. 

Are you asking us if you should ordain? ????

 

What's happening here is that the few bad apples are taken to represent the whole Sangha for some posters on here and that's not right, as it wouldn't be right with any topic. The majority of monks in the Theravada countries aren't engaged in anything scandalous or illegal.

[dinsdale]

36 minutes ago, Mr Dome said:

You started with "isn't a religion", I agreed 100% and now you're back to "religion". 

 

The simple fact is that our parents shape our spiritual beliefs until or if we choose to go a different way, that's all.

 

Don't know what your beef with Buddhism is ????????‍♂️

but I'm not on here to convince anyone. If you don't believe any of this, that's your prerogative. 

I have a "beef" as you say with all religions or anything else that believes in the supernatural. If you can't prove it exists it doesn't. I can't remember the big monk's name but he was basically auctioning off tickets to Nirvana. More you pay, better your chances.

ps. My mother didn't shape my religion. She gave me a choice when I was very young. "You can belive in this or not." I chose not to. Thanks Mum. I've grown up to be a rational, free thinker.

[dinsdale]

50 minutes ago, Mr Dome said:

Are you asking us if you should ordain? ????

 

What's happening here is that the few bad apples are taken to represent the whole Sangha for some posters on here and that's not right, as it wouldn't be right with any topic. The majority of monks in the Theravada countries aren't engaged in anything scandalous or illegal.

Yeh Right! I've bought dope from a monk. You obviously have no idea what goes on out of the view of the head monk AKA the boss with lots of money.

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by dinsdale

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, Mr Dome said:

The majority of monks in the Theravada countries aren't engaged in anything scandalous or illegal.

and yet have funds to travel. 

[Mr Dome]

6 hours ago, dinsdale said:

I have a "beef" as you say with all religions or anything else that believes in the supernatural. If you can't prove it exists it doesn't. I can't remember the big monk's name but he was basically auctioning off tickets to Nirvana. More you pay, better your chances.

ps. My mother didn't shape my religion. She gave me a choice when I was very young. "You can belive in this or not." I chose not to. Thanks Mum. I've grown up to be a rational, free thinker.

But do you visit Christian websites and attack them as well?

 

The Buddha & the Dharma have nothing to do with people perverting it though. You obviously can't buy a ticket to liberation or enlightenment but have to put in the work. Everyone with an interest in Buddhism knows this.

 

Yes, of course you have a choice. And others chose differently and that's cool too.

 

Vesak is the Buddha's birthday. What you're doing is the equivalent of a non-white person coming to a Christian country and getting their knickers in a twist because Christmas is being celebrated. Imagine the reactions to that ????

[Mr Dome]

6 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Yeh Right! I've bought dope from a monk. You obviously have no idea what goes on out of the view of the head monk AKA the boss with lots of money.

 

You must have been hard up for a source eh? ????

 

Still, that one "buying experience" doesn't mean they're generally the go to source now.

 

You keep bringing up anecdotes. Seems your mother failed you in the statistics & judgement departments ????

[Mr Dome]

6 hours ago, brianthainess said:

and yet have funds to travel. 

Traveling to where though? Of course, they have some funds or are provided with them if needed. That shouldn't surprise anyone. Very few dwelling in forests foraging for grasses & tree bark as their sustenance (also because not many forests left).

[brianthainess]

37 minutes ago, Mr Dome said:

Traveling to where though? Of course, they have some funds or are provided with them if needed. That shouldn't surprise anyone. Very few dwelling in forests foraging for grasses & tree bark as their sustenance (also because not many forests left).

Traveling to Thailand from  50 ! countries, of course it doesn't ''surprise'' me, but using ''donations i.e. money to take these international trips is just not Buddhism to me. 

That's just my opinion as I'm not a fan of religion,= money, control. yeh yeh its not a religion its a way of life which is even worse IMO.

[dinsdale]

3 hours ago, Mr Dome said:

But do you visit Christian websites and attack them as well?

 

The Buddha & the Dharma have nothing to do with people perverting it though. You obviously can't buy a ticket to liberation or enlightenment but have to put in the work. Everyone with an interest in Buddhism knows this.

 

Yes, of course you have a choice. And others chose differently and that's cool too.

 

Vesak is the Buddha's birthday. What you're doing is the equivalent of a non-white person coming to a Christian country and getting their knickers in a twist because Christmas is being celebrated. Imagine the reactions to that ????

Silly comment. You have a right to your beliefs as much as I have a right to mine. Mine just happens to be a total non-belief in the supernatural and a belief in evidence backed reality.

[dinsdale]

3 hours ago, Mr Dome said:

You must have been hard up for a source eh? ????

 

Still, that one "buying experience" doesn't mean they're generally the go to source now.

 

You keep bringing up anecdotes. Seems your mother failed you in the statistics & judgement departments ????

What makes you think it was one?

[Mr Dome]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Traveling to Thailand from  50 ! countries, of course it doesn't ''surprise'' me, but using ''donations i.e. money to take these international trips is just not Buddhism to me. 

That's just my opinion as I'm not a fan of religion,= money, control. yeh yeh its not a religion its a way of life which is even worse IMO.

You really need to clarify your comments better. I suspect you are again talking about that super bad ????. I, however, clearly wasn't. 

 

There's about 300,000 monks in Thailand these days. What some of you have really been criticizing is that people are human and break rules, laws & vows - everyone does it, of course, some really take the cake like the one you keep coming back to, who apparently represents the state of Thai Buddhism for you. It's like claiming all Caucasian visitors & expats in Thailands are probably pedophiles.

 

To come back to the comment about gambling, the OP hasn't yet grasped that Buddhism isn't trying to micromanage your life, the way some other religious sub-sects do. There is no lay people precept prohibiting gambling. Hence, the advice/request (because that person knows what folks like & they're just being realistic). It's all up to you. And my favorite part: the Buddha stayed out of people's bedrooms, as someone once put it. Isn't that the way it should be?

[Mr Dome]

11 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Silly comment. You have a right to your beliefs as much as I have a right to mine. Mine just happens to be a total non-belief in the supernatural and a belief in evidence backed reality.

As for "You have a right ..." - I've been saying exactly that. 

 

Buddhism IS all about "evidence backed reality". You're misled by examples of people misrepresenting it.

 

Also, slowly decreasing negative emotions & bad habits & increasing calmness isn't "supernatural". This is just a misunderstanding & forming of a wrong concept on your part.

 

Peace

 

[Mr Dome]

14 hours ago, dinsdale said:

What makes you think it was one?

That raises some questions.

 

Was it several purchases from the same person or from several person's?

 

Were they wearing robes / not fake monks / did you know they were monks at that time?

 

I think everyone knows that monks & nuns have taken vows, with the one about 'no intoxicating substances' being a biggie. So, if you knew he/they was a monk did you not hesitate to do your part to seal their severe vow violation by going through with the transaction?

 

Anyway, part of the problem is probably that we tend to put robe wearers on a pedestal and then may they disappoint us. 

Unless you know him/her well, even if they are supposedly high ranking/famous/etc. it's best not to do that. Be respectful but don't be too trusting.

[isaanistical]

What no-one here seems to notice is that the UN jobbie is June 1-2, while the Thailand jobbie is June 3, a Saturday, with a compensatory public holiday on Monday 5.

The only important point here is

 -- which of these days in the no-drinking day?

Because Visakha Bucha is definitely one of the no-booze days, just will it be 3, 4 or 5????

[dinsdale]

1 hour ago, Mr Dome said:

That raises some questions.

 

Was it several purchases from the same person or from several person's?

 

Were they wearing robes / not fake monks / did you know they were monks at that time?

 

I think everyone knows that monks & nuns have taken vows, with the one about 'no intoxicating substances' being a biggie. So, if you knew he/they was a monk did you not hesitate to do your part to seal their severe vow violation by going through with the transaction?

 

Anyway, part of the problem is probably that we tend to put robe wearers on a pedestal and then may they disappoint us. 

Unless you know him/her well, even if they are supposedly high ranking/famous/etc. it's best not to do that. Be respectful but don't be too trusting.

Basically none of your business.

[dinsdale]

4 hours ago, Mr Dome said:

As for "You have a right ..." - I've been saying exactly that. 

 

Buddhism IS all about "evidence backed reality". You're misled by examples of people misrepresenting it.

 

Also, slowly decreasing negative emotions & bad habits & increasing calmness isn't "supernatural". This is just a misunderstanding & forming of a wrong concept on your part.

 

Peace

 

Can you please supply evidence, as you state, of reincarnation and for that matter Nirvana? Not from a book or teachings from Buddha but real concrete evidence. I bet you can't.

Edited May 28, 2023 by dinsdale

[dinsdale]

16 hours ago, Mr Dome said:

There's about 300,000 monks in Thailand these days.

How many of them have gone into monkhood to avoid a jail sentence? How many are boys that have to go same as conscription?

Edited May 28, 2023 by dinsdale

[dinsdale]

1 hour ago, isaanistical said:

What no-one here seems to notice is that the UN jobbie is June 1-2, while the Thailand jobbie is June 3, a Saturday, with a compensatory public holiday on Monday 5.

The only important point here is

 -- which of these days in the no-drinking day?

Because Visakha Bucha is definitely one of the no-booze days, just will it be 3, 4 or 5????

Thinking that myself. Just the one day I reckon where all good Buddhists will stock up the day before.

[dinsdale]

5 hours ago, Mr Dome said:

As for "You have a right ..." - I've been saying exactly that. 

 

Buddhism IS all about "evidence backed reality". You're misled by examples of people misrepresenting it.

 

Also, slowly decreasing negative emotions & bad habits & increasing calmness isn't "supernatural". This is just a misunderstanding & forming of a wrong concept on your part.

 

Peace

 

Is reincarnation supernatural? Where is Nirvana.?

[dinsdale]

19 hours ago, Mr Dome said:

But do you visit Christian websites and attack them as well?

 

The Buddha & the Dharma have nothing to do with people perverting it though. You obviously can't buy a ticket to liberation or enlightenment but have to put in the work. Everyone with an interest in Buddhism knows this.

 

Yes, of course you have a choice. And others chose differently and that's cool too.

 

Vesak is the Buddha's birthday. What you're doing is the equivalent of a non-white person coming to a Christian country and getting their knickers in a twist because Christmas is being celebrated. Imagine the reactions to that ????

Don't believe in Christmas in the religious sense.

[Joe Farang]

43 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Can you please supply evidence, as you state, of reincarnation and for that matter Nirvana? Not from a book or teachings from Buddha but real concrete evidence. I bet you can't.

Can you scientifically prove that reincarnation cannot occur.

Can you scientifically provr what happens to life energy

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-the-universe-leaking-energy/

 

[KannikaP]

5 hours ago, Mr Dome said:

Buddhism IS all about "evidence backed reality". You're misled by examples of people misrepresenting it.

You are correct. Fewer accident victims die if they have many amulet.  555

[dinsdale]

13 minutes ago, Joe Farang said:

Can you scientifically prove that reincarnation cannot occur.

Can you scientifically provr what happens to life energy

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-the-universe-leaking-energy/

 

Perogitive of proof is not on my side. Show me actual proof and I might change my mind. As for life energy that goes when we do. Our life has finished and so has our body. That's it. Any toughts of something happening after is in the realm of the supernatural and is in no way provable.

Edited May 28, 2023 by dinsdale

[dinsdale]

9 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

You are correct. Fewer accident victims die if they have many amulet.  555

Saw a homeless person the other day with so many amulets I was amazed he could stand up straight. They obviously work.