All Buddhists are kindly invited to make merit and listen to Dhamma talks at Charoen Hotel, Mak Khaeng, Mueng, Udon Thani on Saturday 26 May 2012
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7.00-7.30 Alms offering ceremony to 99 monks at the Multi-Purpose Area in front of the Udon Dusadee Building
7.30-9.30 Breakfast offering to 109 monks at Lao Sieng Tien Room and Lao Charoen Sri Room, Building 1
9.30-11.00 Dhamma talk on “Buddha Jayanti: 2,600 years of the Lord Buddha’s Enlightenment” by Phra Promwachirayan, Abbot of the Royal Temple Wat Yannawa
11.00-12.00 Lunch offering to 10 monks at Lao Sieng Tien Room, Building 1 and exhibition on “Good Dhamma Deeds Performed by HM an individual for the People of Siam on the Occasion of Buddha Jayanti Celebration” at Mukmontri Room, Charoen Hotel.
12.00-13.00 Registration to attend the “Good Dhamma Deeds Performed by HM an individual for the People of Siam on the Occasion of Buddha Jayanti Celebration”
13.00-15.30 Opening speech by Kasikornbank’s Executive Congratulatory speech on behalf of the people of Udonthani by the Governor of Udonthani Keynote address on “Good Dhamma Deeds Performed by HM an individual” by Khun Danai Chanchaochai, Chairman of the Do D Foundation
15.30-16.00 Phra Ajarn Thawatchai Thammatipo Chaloem Phra Kiat Mind Development Centre, Ban Wang Mueng, Phang Nga leads the Metta Bhavana Chant (spread loving kindness to all living beings) under the theme of “Practice and master one’s mind to dedicate merit to HM an individual”
16.00 “Good Dhamma Deeds Performed by HM an individual for the People of Siam on the Occasion of Buddha Jayanti Celebration” exhibition at Mukmontri Meeting Room, Charoen Hotel.
Event Explanation.
On the auspicious occasion of the 2,600th anniversary of the Lord Buddha’s enlightenment in 2012, we would like to refer to a part of the salutation speech given by Somdet Phra Wannarat, Assistant Abbot of Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, stressing the importance of Buddha Jayanti, gist as follows:
“The Lord Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha, a handsome prince of the Sakaya Dynasty in the Jambu continent. He was married and had one son. Despite all fortune, prestige, fame and happiness, he did not want to indulge in worldly pleasures and, at the age of 29, decided to become ordained, meaning to become an ascetic, to practice Dhamma, to possess no properties, to have only three pieces of cloth, to live from food offerings, to stay at the base of trees, to use funeral robes, and to take herbal medicines pickled in stale urine. His goal was to practice his mind so that he could leave the cycle of existence – Samsara.
Six years later, Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became the Lord Buddha at the age of 36. He was able to understand the natural law of all things, cross the stream of Samsara and reach the land of Nirvana.
To ensure stability and fruitful development of the Lord Buddha’s teachings, also known as “Dhamma-Vinaya” or “Brahmacharya”, the Lord Buddha specifically laid down the foundation for a new organization as well as established a new, modern organization management system primarily based on Dhamma-Vinaya as the religious foundation. He formulated appropriate principles in order to reduce or eliminate lust. This organization is called “the Four-Fold Buddhist Community” consisting of ordained men, ordained women, laymen and laywomen.
The Lord Buddha’s teachings were inherited through monks and novices who studied, practiced, memorized as well as compiled and recorded his teachings in 84,000 categories constituting a total of 45 books. These Buddhist scriptures are called “Tripitaka” or the “Buddhist Canon”. After 45 years of disseminating his precepts or Dhamma, the Lord Buddha passed away into Nirvana at the age of 80 or 2,555 years ago.
Despite his departure from this world for more than 2,555 years, his teachings and the Buddhist community culture remain current and time-tested and leave an impression on all mankind. A large number of people of all races and nationalities have practiced his teachings regarding morality, concentration and wisdom. The world regards thus the Lord Buddha’s teachings as a way to escape suffering, leading to true inner and outer peace.
While today the Lord Buddha’s teachings might not be of much interest by those in the Jambu continent, thereby gradually fading away according to the rule regarding the three signs of being, in other continents of the world, the said rule on the contrary yields positive results with the Buddhist religion having become prosperous. A large number of monks, novices, laymen and laywomen as well as temples can be seen all over countries such as ours, the Kingdom of Thailand and this is something for which we are extremely proud of.
The year 2012 marks the 2,600th anniversary of the enlightenment of the Lord Buddha who was born to teach mankind to live a peaceful life. The Lord Buddha also laid down the foundation of a moral system based on the principles of the three studies: morality, concentration and wisdom, and the three signs of being. He dedicated his life to the happiness and benefits of all human beings as well as the Devas.”
The year 2012 also marks the very auspicious occasion of the 7th cycle, or 84th, birthday anniversary of His Majesty an individual Adulyadej the Great. All Thai people in the Buddhist community and the Kingdom have demonstrated a strong determination to jointly hold various activities and ceremonies in tribute to His Majesty an individual.
On this special occasion, all Buddhists from Udonthani have therefore collaboratively organized the “Good Dhamma Deeds Performed by HM an individual for the People of Siam on the Occasion of the Buddha Jayanti Celebration” to dedicate the fruit of their merit making to the Lord Buddha as well as His Majesty an individual. The celebration is scheduled for Saturday 26 May 2012 at 7.00 hours, starting with food offerings to 109 monks at the Multi-Purpose Area of Charoen Hotel, Udonthani. Afterwards, at 9.00 hours all participants are invited to listen to the Dhamma talk by Phra Promwachirayan, Abbot of the Royal Temple Wat Yannawa and Member of the Council of Thai Bhikkhus, Bangkok. At 13.00 hours, there will be the opening ceremony as well as the special talk on “Good Dhamma Deeds Performed by HM an individual” by Khun Danai Chanchaochai.
We, on behalf of the event organizing committee, rejoice in the merit making and would like to wish all those who have devoted so much effort, thought, wisdom and funds to jointly initiate, develop and organize this celebration as well as those who rejoice in this merit to be filled with the fruit of their merit making and remain steadfast in fostering our Buddhist religion, monastery institution, country, people and monarchy to ensure sustained prosperity.
May the Holy Triple Gem and all the sacred things in the universe bless you forever.