For St. Louis-area Buddhists and other spiritual seekers the Sunday closest to the first full moon in May is set aside each year as Vesak Day, a day to celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha.
Sponsored by the Buddhist Council of Greater St. Louis, this year’s Vesak Day celebration will be held on Sunday, May 16th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., amid the rolling hills and panoramic vistas of the Mid-America Buddhist Association (MABA) monastery in Augusta, Missouri. The event is free and open to the public.
On this year’s day-long slate of activities (see schedule below), are Dharma talks, entertainment, a full children's program, a special guest speaker (Rev Shohaku Okumura, Founding Teacher of Sanshin Zen Comunity in Bloomington, Indiana), as well as various ethnic foods from the St. Louis Buddhist community.
Schedule of Events
9:30 AM - Arrival and parking
10:00 - 10:15 AM - Opening Ceremony, led by the Monastics
10:15 - 10:45 AM - Bathing Buddha Rite, led by the Monastics
10:45 – 11:45 AM - Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation by Dr. Rosan Yoshida, Missouri Zen Center
(Children’s program: Origami, Storytelling, making Korean Lotus lantern and PrayerBeads, etc.)
11:45 – 1:00 PM - Vegetarian Lunch & Entertainment, Music by John Goldstein et al
1:00 – 1:30 PM - Walking Meditation to the Guan Yin Pavilion
1:30 – 3:30 PM “Unity & Diversity in Buddhism” Rev. Okumura, with Q & A
3:30 PM - Dedication of Merit & Closing Ceremony
Directions: From St. Louis, take Hwy 40 (I-64) approx. 1 mile past the Missouri River bridge to Hwy 94. Take Hwy 94 west approx 25 miles to Schindler Road on the outskirts Augusta. Look for the MABA road signs.
For more information contact: email or call Don Sloane 314-576-4900
No comments:
Post a Comment