Posted on 05/23/2005 10:55:02 PM PDT by nickcarraway
HA NOI — Viet Nam’s senior Buddhist leaders celebrated Buddha’s 2549th birthday yesterday by calling for solidarity and co-operation among monks and nuns throughout the country.
The Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu, Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha Congregation, VBSC, said such an effort was needed to ensure development of their association.
He was speaking at a ceremony held in collaboration with the Ha Noi Buddhist Association at Phu Linh Village, Soc Son District, outer Ha Noi.
The monk said development of the association was ensuring that inaccurate and distorted information spread by some Vietnamese and foreign individuals was becoming less influential both within Viet Nam and internationally.
The purveyors of the inaccuracies opposed both the benefits of the VBSC and the country.
The VBSC Dharma Patronage Council Deputy Secretary, the Most Venerable Thich Thanh Chinh, called for monks and nuns throughout the country to retain their patriotism and support for national unity.
Chinh, who also chairs the Ha Noi Buddhist Association’s Executive Council, extolled monks and nuns to perfect their Buddhism.
National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An emphasised that Buddhism had proved itself, confirmed its position and won the strong belief of the nation.
Speaking for the Viet Nam Communist Party and the Government, An hailed the great achievements by the monks, nuns and the VBSC.
He firmly reiterated that the Party and Government would pursue a consistent policy to respect and ensure in law the religious freedom of Vietnamese.
The Party and Government encouraged the beautiful values of Buddhism and the cultural traditions of the nation, An said.
They also praised and honoured those who had contribution to the country and people.
The Viet Nam Government had never stopped attending to economic and social development and helping people and clergy of all religions enjoy a good civic and spiritual life.
He expected the VBSC and its monks and nuns either within or without Viet Nam to maintain their patriotism, national unity and integrated solidarity for Doi moi (renewal) and the country’s construction and protection.
An offered his best and warmest regards to senior members of the VBSC Executive, the Dharma Patronage councils and Viet Nam’s monks and nuns.
He recalled the remarkable contribution by VBSC members through different stages of the country’s development.
During the wars, many pagodas became revolutionary bases while monks and nuns participated in the struggle to protect the country against aggressors.
Today many VBSC members have been elected to important posts in Government agencies as well as the National Assembly and People’s Committees.
Their opinions have helped the Party and the Government make and deliver policies for religious freedom and national solidarity to make the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam more prosperous.
Buddhists celebrate
Solemn but jubilant ceremonies to celebrate Buddha’s 2549th birthday were held throughout Viet Nam.
In central Thua Thien-Hue Province, members of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front and the Mass Mobilisation Committees visited pagodas and presented gifts to Buddhist clergy and their families.
They praised clergy helping to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty and actively taking part in socio-economic development so as to improve living conditions.
In Central Highlands Kon Tum province, officials visited and presented gifts to the provincial Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Committee and 12 pagodas in the province last Friday.
The officials extended greetings to Buddhist dignitaries and almost 27,000 monks, nuns and their followers in the province.
They praised the Buddhist contribution to the province, particularly to charitable activities so as to serve: "Buddhism, the Nation, and Socialism."
Members of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee, the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, representative of central and Ha Noi agencies, diplomats from Ha Noi and senior Buddhists, monks and nuns attended the celebrations.
In Quang Tri central province, Buddhist dignitaries, monks and nuns and representatives of provincial agencies attended celebrations at the pagoda of the Quang Tri Buddhist Association.
Provincial representative praised the association’s free occupational training and help for the poor.
In Binh Phuoc Province, representatives of the Provincial and Municipal Party Committees and the Fatherland Front shared the day with local Buddhists, offering them presents to acknowledge their support in alleviating poverty and promoting development.
Monks and nuns of the Quang Minh Pagoda prepare between 100-150 meals each day for poor patients in hospitals and orphans.
Ninh Thuan Province agencies helped the provincial Buddhist Association executive council organise the celebrations.
Hmmm....The celebrated his Bday on the 15th of May here in S.Korea....??..!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha's_Birthday
Buddha's Birthday
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Buddha's Birthday, the birthday of the Gautama Buddha, is traditionally celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese calendar. It is a holiday in Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea. The date varies from year to year in the Western (Gregorian) calendar:
* 2003: May 8
* 2004: May 26
* 2005: May 15 (This is a Sunday, hence May 16 becomes a holiday in Hong Kong and Macau.)
* 2006: May 5
* 2007: May 24
* 2008: May 12
* 2009: May 2
* 2010: May 21
* 2011: May 10
* 2012: April 28
In Japan, Buddha's Birthday is celebrated on April 8.
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