Vesak Day 2023

I spent this year's Vesak Day at Lian Yi Hui to volunteer at Teacher Kiwi's event for wheelchair-bound elderly from nursing home for their Vesak Day celebration.

I was stunned when I reached level 8, all the Lian Yi Hui volunteers lined up and welcomed me so warmly when the lift doors opened. Actually, they mistook that I was from the nursing home. HAHAHAHA

Anyway, they came earlier than stipulated time. So immediately after I paid my respects to Buddha, we got to work immediately by arranging chairs. 

Teacher Kiwi is really experienced in such events. He could talk to all elderly and asked them about their dialects. I'm like shucks I cannot talk much dialect even though I am Hokkien. Mental note to practise Hokkien, but then never really got down to learning it. 

After we settled the elderly, we had a short briefing and practised singing the song for candle possession. Teacher Kiwi got his friend who is a guitarist and another friend who is the official photographer. There were about 17 of us. I don't really know the rest very well, I only know Choon Ling from Geng Xin Yuan as we spent a few camps at Kuching.

I scanned across the room and found an auntie whom I find a bit of affinity with and luckily, she can speak mandarin!!!! AMITUOFO!! I could converse with her a bit and led her in chanting Amitabha Sutra. I shared with Auntie that free time must chant AMTF. U see AMTF golden colour one, Western Pureland is a really nice place as described in the Sutra. I have no idea how much impression I made in her. But I tried to practise 3Rs - respectful, responsive and reciprocal on her. Before moving her, I told her I was going to move her. 

We had the Buddha Bathing ritual; we also had the candle possession ritual. I wonder where their families were, was it okay to speak to the elderly about their families, but I didn't because I didn't know them well enough, and I didn't want to invade their privacy. 

We also sang the candle possession song which we last minute practised. It is a meaningful song. I loved it. Then the elderly had lunch. We were supposed to entertain them by singing popular oldies but luckily the LYH volunteers caught the singing bug, so they sang with the elderly. So cute the elderly singing. 

Then we did action song Holy Buddha (first time learning this song too) and then it was time for them to go home. It was quite a meaningful event and I'm glad to be part of it.

After that we had lunch and Kiwi asked if I wanted to join them for coffee but I declined as I need to go home to do my assignments. We had a short chat and I was surprised that 老法师 was invited and went to NTU to give a lecture before. When Kiwi told me it was back in 1995, I was like I was only K2! He said they were so inconsiderate back then and didn't offer a chair for Venerable to sit, he stood behind the podium and spoke for 2 hours. LOL! He was 70plus then already but he was very happy! LOL I was telling him about my practicums and he wanted to suggest little bodhi which was opened by NTUBS alumni in 1996. But turned out it is a student care centre. I still have a last practicum in October for a whole month. I heard there were lots of lesson plans to be made and I need to be where I can be supported well. I don't knowwwww. See where fate leads me to. Just go with the flowwwww.

Then, I made my way home~ 

Vesak Day is the day that commemorates the birth, enlightenment and attaining nirvana of Buddha. It is also a day where I reflect upon my practice as a Buddhist. It is not about how much we have attained, it is about how much of suffering in the body and mind like worrying troubles we let go of. How calm have we become in facing adversities, how sincere and compassionate we are towards others and other beings. How much have we have understood, learnt and acted from Buddha's teachings. This is truly the reason we celebrate Vesak Day.

May we all gain self-awareness and find peace within ourselves.

AMITUOFO.