Thinking about the day of Buddha's birth

Buddhists cherish and remember Buddha's birthday to reflect on their own hearts, transform their minds and bodies, and strive diligently in their practice, bringing benefit to themselves and others.

Amidst the scorching April heat, the weather felt stifling, the plants withered and lifeless. Suddenly! A rain shower poured down across the land, refreshing the trees and bringing renewed joy to the people's spirits. And so! Another Buddha's Birthday has arrived, bringing boundless joy to the followers of Buddhism. Let us together commemorate the birth of our compassionate Father, Shakyamuni Buddha.

Over 26 centuries have passed, marked by periods of prosperity and decline, but for followers of Buddhism, the full moon of April holds an extremely sacred and significant meaning, marking a great turning point, a rare event in human history: the day Prince Siddhartha appeared in this world.

His manifestation was like the sun dispelling the darkness of night, driving away human suffering and eradicating oppression and injustice in Indian society. He appeared in the world with the vow of a Bodhisattva to "relieve suffering and bring joy." Remarkably, he was also an ordinary human being, but through diligent practice, he became an enlightened being in the world, as the great poet Tagore remarked: "The history of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha is the history of a man who, through diligent practice, became a perfect human being, a saint in the world – the greatest man born into this world." The Buddha's noble character is expressed through his spirit of equal compassion and love for all beings. He believed that "There are no classes in blood that is the same red and tears that are the same salty; everyone is equal in nature." This is the message he wanted to send to all sentient beings in the world .

What is the significance of the seven lotus steps taken at the Buddha's birth?

During his practice and enlightenment, the Buddha used the analogy of "a hundred rivers flowing into the ocean," all sharing a salty taste. His teachings are similar; regardless of who a person is or their social class, if they truly practice asceticism, they will all be imbued with the same flavor—the flavor of liberation. This is the Buddha's egalitarian perspective. Because when evaluating a person's character, one must consider their wisdom and morality, not their social class or race.

Through his own efforts in cultivating enlightenment and guiding sentient beings with compassion and equality, the Buddha abolished the caste system of Indian society at that time. He completely rejected caste because he placed human dignity at the center, establishing a concept of equality between sentient beings and the Buddha, as stated in the Avatamsaka Sutra: "Mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are not different from one another." The Buddha put forward this view to awaken the spirit of self-awareness in each person, because everyone has the potential to attain enlightenment and become a Buddha like him. This spirit was applied in the harmonious life of the Sangha during the Buddha's time. This teaching, though spanning thousands of years, remains timeless.

Today, as followers of Buddhism, we respectfully remember the Buddha's birthday to reflect on our hearts, transform our minds and bodies, and strive diligently in our practice, bringing benefit to ourselves and others. Let us join hands in celebrating the Great Buddha's Birthday, praying for our homeland Vietnam and all corners of the world to overcome natural disasters and pandemics, and for people to live happily and peacefully under the wondrous light of the Buddha's teachings.

According to the Buddhist Association

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/nghi-ve-ngay-duc-phat-dan-sinh-post547190.html