INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST COMMUNITY WILL GATHER TO CELEBRATE VESAK FESTIVAL
Thousands
of Buddhist practitioners of all denominations will gather on Saturday, May 26,
2001, for the 15th annual International Vesak Day Festival.
Vesak, which is recognized by the United Nations as an International Holy
Day, commemorates the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana (passing away) of the
Lord Buddha some 2,500 years ago.
The
event is sponsored by the D.C. International Buddhist Committee, a
not-for-profit organization with both lay and ordained members from a
wide variety of greater
Washington Buddhist centers representing the various lineages and traditions of
Burma, Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, the
United States and Vietnam.
This year, the
festival will be held at Wat Lao Buddhavong, 3043 Catlett Rd., Catlett, Virginia
[tel: 540/788-4968].
The ecumenical
morning service will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will include flower offerings,
bestowing of precepts, recitation of the Heart Sutra of Transcendent Knowledge,
short teachings and prayers from several traditions and a period of silent
meditation.
After the offering
of food to the ordained at 11:00, lay participants will partake of a buffet
lunch of ethnic foods offered by the participating congregations.
Performances of
traditional music and dance from a variety of countries will be presented from
1:00 – 3:45 p.m. All events are
free of charge; rain or shine.
