Nirvana Day

Today is Nirvana Day, the celebration of Buddha's death at the age of 80, at around 487 BCE. It's celebrated in East Asia on February 15th, or on February 8th by some.

Buddhists celebrate the date of the death of the Buddha, because death is when the soul is released from the body to experience Nirvana. The word Nirvana means "to extinguish", but it's really more of a transformation to a new kind of existence.

Nirvana is usually described as a state of bliss or peace, and a release from all physical suffering. The Buddha taught that Nirvana was beyond human imagination, and so speculation about what Nirvana is like is considered by some to be foolish.

Agenda for today:

1. Read the Buddha's teachings

2. Open to uncertainty
3. Bodhisattva practices
4. Eat a Buddha bowl

1. Read the Buddha's teachings:
Nirvana Day is a time for contemplation of the Buddha's teachings. Some monasteries and temples hold meditation retreats. People visit and bring gifts of money and household goods to support the monks and nuns.

Buddhists often read passages from the Nirvana Sutra today, describing the Buddha’s last days of life. The message of this sutra is that all beings possess a "Buddha nature", and have the ability to reach enlightenment. This lines up well with the Quaker belief that there is "that of God" in each person.

2. Open to Uncertainty:

Buddha's last words were, "Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you. All component things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting. Strive for your liberation with diligence." 

So Buddha says we are all marked by impermanence - all life is fleeting and changeable. I am not in control! I know this, of course, but emotionally I resist it every day. I cling to my past happiness and resist the pain of today.

My favorite Buddhist author, Pema Chodrin, has a book that's entirely about the impermanence of life called Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion. She says:

What keeps us unhappy and stuck in a limited view of reality is our tendency to seek security and avoid groundlessness, to seek comfort and avoid discomfort. ... Out there are all the planets and all the galexies and vast space, but we're stuck here in this cocoon. Moment after moment, we're deciding that we would rather stay in that cocoon than step out into that big space.

3. Bodhisattva Practices: 

Pema Chodrin talks about training to be a Bodhisattva, a compassionate warrior who has generated enough love to reach nirvana, but remains alive to help others who suffer. A Bodhisattva enters challenging situations in order to alleviate suffering, and accepts that he or she can never know what will happen next. She says this not-knowing is part of the adventure.

So, how does one train to be a Bodhisattva? By cultivating the four limitless qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. (Equanimity vs. reactivity is my biggest challenge!) 

First Bodhisattva Practices:

1. Say this slogan: “I accept the adventure of not knowing what will happen next!”

2. Observe: As I face daily encounters with unpredictability, notice my feelings of fear, irritation, confusion, defensiveness, worry, or disappointment- these are flags that show me when I am holding back from life. 

3. Break my pattern: Rather than resisting, try to perk up and lean in to the situation; embrace the uncertainty of the moment. Step out of my safety zone. Accept the situation, accept my emotions, and accept the people involved.

4. Eat a Buddha Bowl:

A Buddha bowl is a complete vegetarian meal in a single-serving bowl. The name seems to be a fairly recent invention, but probably stems from the habit Buddhist monks had of carrying a bowl to ask for donations.

Buddha bowls are a combination of separate foods: A healthy grain, plus some plant proteins, and vegetables (raw and/or cooked) - all arranged with beauty, and usually served cold, sometimes with a sauce.

Last night I made this Chickpea Buddha Bowl with roasted chickpeas.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. brown rice
• 1 can chickpeas
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2-tsp. paprika and salt
• 1-tsp. chili powder
• 1/8-tsp. turmeric and dried oregano
• broccoli
• sauce (I used leftover spicy Tai sauce)

1. Cook the rice as usual.

2. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Rinse the chickpeas, then drain them well in a strainer. Combine in a bowl with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt, and spices, spread out on a baking sheet, and roast 10-15 minutes, until a little crunchy. (Save the oily bowl).

3. Cut and steam the broccoli.

4. Toss the rice in bowl with the oily spices, then spoon into your individual serving bowls. Drizzle sauce over the rice. 

5. Add a layer of roasted chickpeas, the broccoli, and pour a little more sauce over the top just before eating.