February 25-26, 2023
 
The Wat Thai Kusinara solemnly organized the grand ceremony of venerating the Relics at Kusinara. During my visit to this place, I paid homage once again to the Vice Supreme Patriarch Somdej Phramahathirachan of Thailand and Venerable Dhambodhivong, who presides over the Royal Wat Thai Bodhgaya and serves as President of The Council of Thai Sangha in India and Nepal. These two distinguished individuals are part of the Witness and Advisor team for the Ancient Sacred Buddhist Scripture Stupas (Dhammacetiya) project. To support this project, Venerable Vice Supreme Patriarch Somdej Phra Mahathirachan has officially established the “Somdej Phramahathirachan Fund for the Construction of the Ancient Sacred Buddhist Scripture Stupas,” which serves as a construction fund for the Dhammacetiya.
 
A three-day ceremony was solemnly held to welcome the Relics, starting from the relics’ stupa at the Thai temple and continuing to the Buddha’s Nibbāna Stupa, and finally to the memorial stupa where the Buddha was cremated. At this site, the division of the relics was carried out by Brahmin Doṇa, whom the Buddha had foreseen as the only one capable of performing this task since representatives from eight powerful countries came forward to claim the relics.
 
Brahmin Doṇa, the wise and experienced National Advisor of King Malla, stepped forward to resolve the dispute. He urged the countries to exercise wisdom and compassion in their treatment of one another, reminding them that the Buddha had only recently passed away, and how could they forget all the golden teachings of the Blessed One? He advised them to cultivate gentleness, avoid evil, and perform good deeds so the country could enjoy peace and prosperity without fear of war. Instead of each country vying to keep all of the relics for themselves, why not divide the relics equally among all eight countries so that people from all walks of life could have the opportunity to pay their respects to them? As if He was still propagating the Dhamma, and everyone was imbued with his teachings. By doing so, they would fulfill their role as faithful disciples of the Buddha.
 
Brahmin Doṇa, the wise and experienced National Advisor of King Malla, stepped forward to resolve the dispute. He urged the countries to exercise wisdom and compassion in their treatment of one another, reminding them that the Buddha had only recently passed away, and how could they forget all the golden teachings of the Blessed One? He advised them to cultivate gentleness, avoid evil, and perform good deeds so the country could enjoy peace and prosperity without fear of war. Instead of each country vying to keep all of the relics for themselves, why not divide the relics equally among all eight countries so that people from all walks of life could have the opportunity to pay their respects to them? As if He was still propagating the Dhamma, and everyone was imbued with his teachings. By doing so, they would fulfill their role as faithful disciples of the Buddha.
 
Upon hearing Brahmin Doṇa’s advice, all eight countries agreed and entrusted him with the responsibility of dividing the Relics. Using a golden scale, Brahmin Doṇa weighed out eight equal portions of the relics, distributing them among the representatives of the respective countries, including one portion for King Malla. Brahmin Doṇa then requested for his part the golden scale as a souvenir, and his request was granted.
 
Back to the ceremony of welcoming the Relics, a procession included a flower car for the Buddha Nibbāna and another for receiving the elders. The Sangha accompanies both sides and recites the Three Jewels chants throughout the parade, adding to the solemnity and peacefulness of the ceremony. Two elephants carrying the relics lead the way, followed by a dance troupe, the primary donors, and Miss Thailand. The procession is surrounded by white-clad Buddhists wearing traditional Thai attire and hundreds of schoolchildren in adorable uniforms.
 
Following the welcoming ceremony of the relics, the program proceeded with introducing Venerable monks, chanting, and finally, the closing ceremony. The Sangha then entered the nearby village for alms, where the locals showed deep respect for the monks. The Sangha visited each house, and the residents filled the bowls with cooked rice, hot roti, cookies, cakes, and other foods. After completing the alms round, the Sangha returned to Wat Thai Kusinara, where Thai Buddhists continued offering more alms food and dry provisions. This offering marked the last scheduled event for our stay in Kusinara.
 
 

#chuahuongdao #chuahuongdaotemple #sbsstupas
#buddha #buddhism #Dhutanga #dhammajourney
 
Source: Dhammacetiya