The best way to spend Dhammacakka Day in Myanmar
Our local team leader is now in the midst of preparing for the donation event which will take place in Bagan. This is the happy result of our Heartland Relief Campaign, in which meditators from around the world have given generously in order to provide rice to monks and nuns in the Bagan region. He writes the following letter to all the donors who have contributed, taking the time to do so on Dhammacakka Day, which is a very significant holiday in Myanmar.
This day commemorates when Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became the "awakened one." The word "Dhammacakka" comes from the Pali language, and it means "the Wheel of Dharma." The Dhamma is the Buddha's teachings. The Wheel of Dhamma is a symbol of the Buddha's teachings spreading throughout the world. Therefore, Dhammacakka Day is a time for meditators to reflect on the Buddha's teachings and to apply them to their own lives. It is also a time to celebrate the Buddha's achievement of enlightenment. Some Buddhists celebrate Dhammacakka Day by going on pilgrimage to Buddhist holy sites. Others may meditate or participate in special religious ceremonies. So this is a very worthy activity to be doing a donation on this day, of all others!
As generous as the donations have been, please note that we have not yet reached our goal of being able to provide a 8.5kg bag of rice to every monk, nun, and novice in the Bagan area. If you are able to give just a little, you can bring our team that much closer to this objective. One single bag costs only $4, so please consider a contribution today!
“Unlike the lay people, we cannot tell anyone to donate to us or help us as we have monastic codes. Also, we don’t want to cry for help at this much hard time to the local lay people who are also financially hard.”
Dear donors,
Today is the Dhammacakka Day in Buddhism and Waso Full Moon Day in Myanmar. I wish that you all have a mindful and pleasant full moon day.
My friend in Bagan and I had a phone call discussion about the Heartland relief donation campaign for the monks and nuns there. My friend was told a heartfelt message by a Lecturer monk of a Pariyatti (Buddhist Studies) Monastery when he informed him that we are organizing a donation campaign for the monastics in Bagan. He said, ‘O Disciple. Of course, we need the alms-food for this big number of resident monks in this monastery. When we are okay to go alms-round for the lunch, we have to arrange the breakfast for all the monks and novices by ourselves and we have to get concerned again, because quite honestly, we are running out of food. Unlike the lay people, we cannot simply go around telling anyone to donate to us or help us as we have monastic codes we must live by. Also, we don't want to cry for help at this much hard time to the local lay people who are also financially hard. As you see, the novices are young and we have to feed them a breakfast at least. Now, with this sudden generosity coming to us from foreign lands, no need to get concerned for some time!’
It's really delightful to hear that and I'm happy to share it with you, all of you donors who have been so kind to remember us during these hard times. We are now starting to organize and conduct the donation event. My friend has started to collaborate with local volunteer teams there and inform the monks. He will be going to the monasteries and invite the monks to come and receive the donation at the gathering points. The local volunteers are ready for the donation event. On that day, they will volunteer in teams, a team for welcoming and locating, a team for volunteering as attendants for the monks, a team for transporting the rice sacks onto the cars or trucks or motorcycles of the monks. They have also informed the respective trustee committees of the temples near which we are conducting the donation. A team requested a monk of a charity monastic education school to let them use the desks on which they can put the rice sacks and offerings so readily and in ease.
It is really delighting to inform you all and thank you all again since you remember the monks and nuns from the Golden Land. And, this is quite special and I am very touched to conduct this event because we are doing this in the Great Heartland of the Golden Land that we call the birthplace of Burmese Buddhism. Everytime I go to Bagan, I brought the books about the history of Bagan and always listen to a song sung by Zaw Win Htut "Maha (the Great)" once I am visiting around from one temple to another. This time, this feeling would be very much beautiful with the memories of the Sanghas with smiles and happy faces, for later.
Thanks to all of you who always consider for Myanmar at this crisis and Myanmar has her good friends ever.
With Metta to you all.