December 8: Bodhi Day

[The Buddhist pilgrims'] holy of holies is not the imposing temple beside them, but a simple fig tree—ficus religiosa—the Bodhi tree. The tree, it is said, is descended from the Buddha's time.

Every pilgrim knows the story of how Siddhartha, after accepting the rice milk from the young girl, put aside the rags he was wearing, bathed himself in a nearby river, and, strengthened, sat down in the shade of the Bodhi tree, and began to meditate. It was springtime. The moon was full. Before the sun would rise, Siddhartha’s long search would be over.  

                                                               - from David Grubin's film Buddha

From the film Buddha

One of the great stories of human history is that of Siddhartha Gautama, the 5th century BCE Indian prince who renounced his riches upon seeing the enormity of human suffering as an young man. He left his wife and young child and became an ascetic, a hermit who starved his body and contorted his mind in an attempt to free himself from the unending suffering of the birth, death, rebirth cycle. That path did not work, nor had the sumptuous life he had led as a youth. He did, however, find awakening and spent the rest of his lifetime teaching others what he had seen; life is suffering because of our human attachment to things that will not remain the same and we, like the Buddha, can reach nirvana ourselves through training our minds and living ethical and compassionate lives.

The date given for the Buddha's enlightenment is the eighth day of the twelfth month and this is celebrated as Bodhi Day or Rohatsu throughout the Buddhist world. In many communities the date is marked with special sessions of sitting mediation and in some American Buddhist households it is celebrated with decorating a tree, making cookies in the shape of the bodhi tree leaf (a heart.. so much symbolism) or putting up strings of lights or beads to symbolize the interconnectedness of all beings. Most Buddhist writers place great emphasis on the fact that this celebration should not be a celebration of the Buddha himself, should not slip too close to deifying the messenger, but should focus on the message he found. We can all find contentment, and through that contentment can bring an end to suffering for others around us. What a hopeful message. Happy Bodhi day!

Please, please please check out David Grubin's film Buddha. You can read about it and view it in small segments on the PBS website here, and it is also available on YouTube and Netflix.

Second Sunday:

Today is the Second Sunday of Advent, if you are following along at home. Light a candle, decorate your creche, step into the mystery.