Celebrations Prioritize Worshipers’ Safety

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

Residents carry a statue of the Buddha during a procession in Waisak celebration at Krecek Hamlet, Getas Village, Kaloran District, Temanggung Regency, Central Java, Wednesday (26/5/2021). Buddhists in the village hold a Waisak celebration by combining local cultural traditions.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – A number of regions in the country commemorated Tri Hari Suci Waisak 2565 BE/2021 on Wednesday, 26 May 2021, albeit with the prioritization of public health and safety rather than big celebrations amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and attendant restrictions.

Borobudur Temple in Central Java, which is usually the center of the celebrations that hosts gatherings of Buddhists from across the country, hosted no mass gathering this year.

On Wednesday, a number of Buddhists from Greater Magelang went to Borobudur Temple to carry out a regular ceremony called Uposatha Mandala Puja.

"There is no Waisak celebration at Borobudur Temple. There were a few rituals earlier, but not [for] Waisak,” Jamaludin Mawardi, the acting general manager of Borobudur Temple Tourism Park, said on Wednesday evening.

Also read:

> Loving Kindness Builds the Nobility of the Nation

> Upholding Buddha’s Glory

The renowned temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site also did not hold any public celebrations for Waisak 2020. Around 10,000 people had attended the Buddhist celebration at Borobudur Temple prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

The chairman of the Yogyakarta branch of the Indonesian Buddhists Association (Permabudhi), Agus Setyawan Suwarno, said the majority of Yogyakarta’s Buddhists participated in a virtual Waisak celebration this year, despite the offline celebration held at Sewu Temple.

It was dissatisfying because it is usually an occasion for a get-together. But we were more concerned over the people’s safety

The Sewu Temple event was held at limited capacity so not many Buddhist adherents could attend in person, and were instead encouraged to follow the livestreamed event.

"Personally, it was dissatisfying because it is usually an occasion for a get-together. But we were more concerned over the people’s safety," Agus said.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Silhouette of Buddhist (right) praying at Vihara Hemadhiro Mettavati, Kapuk, Cengkareng, West Jakarta, Wednesday (26/5/2021). This monastery also conducts a Waisak worship ceremony which is carried out online and broadcast live.

Presidential greeting

Through his official Instagram account, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Ma\'ruf Amin sent their greetings for Tri Suci Waisak 2565 BE to all Indonesian Buddhists.

"For my Buddhist brothers and sisters, Tri Suci Waisak is commemorated today at a time when the world is still in the grips of a pandemic. However, we all believe that light will always follow darkness, that ease always follows difficulty. Hopefully, peace and tranquility will always be with us all," said President Jokowi in his message.

The theme of this year\'s holiday was "Waisak Raises the Spirit of Unity for Indonesia’s Advancement", with the subtheme " Use the Heart to Do Good in the Spirit of Waisak".

According to Vice President Amin, the theme fit the current situation. Virtue was a lesson, even an order, that all religions taught their followers to practice at all times towards their fellow human being. Moreover, during difficult situations like at present, virtue provided us with the strength to pass all tests and difficulties.

Also read:

> Waisak, Message of Brotherhood

> The Love of the Guardian of Diversity

The Vice President said virtue was an attitude as well as good deeds that included human beings helping one another, encouraging one another, and supporting each other regardless of ethnicity, religion or social status.

"I see Buddhists across Indonesia often carrying out these virtuous activities," he said.

A separate celebration was held at the JIExpo in Kemayoran Central Jakarta, attended by government officials, including Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan. Also in attendance were executive chairman Hartati Murdaya of the Council of Buddhist Communities (Walubi) as well as the representatives of several Buddhist communities in Jakarta.

I see Buddhists across Indonesia often carrying out these virtuous activities.

KOMPAS/KRISTI DWI UTAMI

Buddhists carry out the pradaksina procession or walk around the stupa in the Metta Vihara neighborhood in West Tegal District, Tegal City, Central Java, Wednesday (26/5/2021).

Speaking during the event, Hartati said that reflection was important during the pandemic to avoid human conflict amid the rising levels of unemployment, poverty and crime.

"Religious people must be united and have mutual compassion regardless of their background, politics, ethnicity, race, and so on. All Buddhists and humankind can imitate the perfection Buddha achieved,” she said.

Earlier at the Wihara Buddhayana Dharmawira Center in the city of Surabaya, worshipers were also limited to half the center’s capacity. Those who attended also had to register in advance for committee approval. Worshipers were required to wear masks and their body temperature was checked, with the public service held virtually.

Also read: The Essence of Loving Kindness During Waisak

The celebration had started in the morning with prayers and the ritual purification of a statue of the baby Gautama Buddha, also known as Siddharta Gautama, as a symbolic cleansing of the soul. This was then followed by a congregational reading of the Buddhist holy scripture Sutra Intan (Diamond Sutra).

At 6:13 p.m., the worshipers took part in the Waisak meditation, and then continued with the festive celebrations. Due to the pandemic, the tradition of sharing a communal feast was not observed and instead replaced by worshipers taking home the celebratory fare, which had been blessed.

"The theme of this year\'s Waisak is ‘Be Conscious and Aware in Building Caring’, with the hope that people will be socially sensitive in supporting the burden of suffering of others who are affected by Covid-19," said Biksu (Bhikkhu) Dharma Maitri Mahathera.

A reduced-capacity commemoration was also held at Metta Vihara in the city of Tegal, Central Java. A maximum of just 30 worshipers took part in the Pradaksina ritual procession of walking around the temple three times, which symbolizes devotion. Usually, all worshipers attending the event take part in the procession. (HRS/CAS/ERK/BRO/ETA/XTI)

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.