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 people.And tonight is Chinese New Year's Eve. In China, New Year's evening is called Ch’u-yeh, the "evening of discarding", because we can finally be done with the old year, and with winter. The last day of the year in China is busy, because it’s the last chance to complete preparations and be ready to start the year fresh. When the running around is done, the family spends the rest of the day at home together. This holiday, more than any other Chinese holiday, stresses the importance of family connections.
AND tonight is also the new moon; this moon is called the Holiday Moon in China, because of the New Year Festival. Normally the new moon is on the first day of the Chinese New Year, but because the moon is new tomorrow in China, we celebrate a day late here in the U.S.
Agenda for today:
1. Read the Buddha's teachings2. Buddhist prayer of Five Contemplations
3. Thanksgiving ceremony
4. Welcoming Ceremony
5. Make a prosperity tree
6. Prepare a family feast
1. Read the Buddha's teachings:
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.
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." People often read passages from the Nirvana Sutra today, describing the Buddha’s last days of life.
I read instead from my favorite Buddhist author, Pema Chodrin. She has a book that's entirely about the impermanence of life called Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion.
Pema Chodron 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.
"Warrior-bodhisattvas enter challenging situations in order to alleviate suffering. They are willing to cut through personal reactivity and self-deception .... A warrior accepts that we can never know what will happen to us next. We can try to control the uncontrollable by looking for security and predictability, always hoping to be comfortable and safe. But the truth is that we can never avoid uncertainty. 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 challange!) For more on the Bodhisattva Practices see this link to last year's post.
"Warrior-bodhisattvas enter challenging situations in order to alleviate suffering. They are willing to cut through personal reactivity and self-deception .... A warrior accepts that we can never know what will happen to us next. We can try to control the uncontrollable by looking for security and predictability, always hoping to be comfortable and safe. But the truth is that we can never avoid uncertainty. 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 challange!) For more on the Bodhisattva Practices see this link to last year's post.
2. Buddhist prayer of Five Contemplations:
I made a Lenten vow to eat my meals in a more contemplative way, so today at lunchtime, I will recite this common Buddhist prayer:
This food is the gift of the whole universe—the earth, the sky, and much hard work.
May I live in a way that makes me worthy to receive it.
May I transform my unskillful state of mind, especially my greed.
May I take only foods that nourish me and prevent illness.
I accept this food so that I may realize the path of practice.
3. Thanksgiving ceremony:
Chinese families fill this afternoon and evening with many ceremonies- Ch’u-yeh is a day of thanksgiving for the blessings of the old year; folks give thanks-offerings to a variety of Chinese gods, to their own ancestors, and to the Spirits of the mountains, forests, and rivers. They light incense and candles, and place flowers, fruits, and other special foods on the altar; then they bow and offer sincere thanks.
Chinese families fill this afternoon and evening with many ceremonies- Ch’u-yeh is a day of thanksgiving for the blessings of the old year; folks give thanks-offerings to a variety of Chinese gods, to their own ancestors, and to the Spirits of the mountains, forests, and rivers. They light incense and candles, and place flowers, fruits, and other special foods on the altar; then they bow and offer sincere thanks.
This ceremony is traditionally done in the afternoon, when other work is done. Today after lunch I will make myself a pot of tea, and settle on a cushion in my studio.1. I will light a small white candle, center myself, and feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life.
2. I will follow that with a prayer of gratitude to my ancestors, and to the Spirits of the mountains, forests, and rivers, and God in all forms.
3. Finally, I will send thanks for the blessings of the old year, and ask for an abundance of new blessings for the New Lunar Year.
4. Welcoming Ceremony:
Last week, on Little New year, we sent the Kitchen God and his wife to heaven in a fire. Today I will have a small ceremony to welcome the Kitchen God and his wife back home.
First I will draw a new portrait, and hang it in the niche. Then I'll light incense and red candles, and have a moment of silence to think about ways I could be more kind and helpful to my family.
5. Make a prosperity tree:
Supplies:
For coins- white paper, gold foil paper, pencils, stapler, scissors, black pens, red paper
1. Clip the branch to height you want, and trim the side stems even on each side.2. Fill the container halfway with water, and begin to sprinkle in the dry plaster. As you sprinkle, break up any clumps. Continue to sprinkle (without mixing) until the plaster mounds up a bit above the water. If some dry plaster sits above the water, then you've added enough.
3. Use the bottom of your tree branch to stir the plaster. It will begin to set as soon as you stir it. Insert the branch and tape it to the edges of the container to hold it until the plaster dries.
4. While it dries, you can make the leaves to hang on the tree. The money tree leaves are in the shape of ancient Chinese coins, round with a square hole.Draw a circle with a square in the center on a 2 x 2-inch square of white paper. This is your pattern.
6. Cut the inside square space first- hold the papers on a thick pad of newspaper and poke a small hole with the point of the scissors. Cut through all the papers at once.
7. Next cut the outside circle, and separate your coins. Add Chinese characters around the sides of your paper coins with a black pen, if you want.
8. You can also write other wishes for prosperity on red paper strips, to attach to the tree.
9. Spray your tree branch and container gold. Hang the coins and wishes.
2. Combine the garlic, ginger, spice powder, soy sauce, ¾ cup of water, and brown sugar, and stir well. Pour this sauce evenly over the chicken. Put the lid on the roasting pan and cook for 2 hours.
4. In the last 30 minutes of cooking remove the lid so that the skin becomes crisp and browned. In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water so that there are no lumps.
5. Don't try to remove the chicken to a plate- it will fall apart! Pour the juices off into another pot, and skim off the excess oil. Bring the sauce to a boil. Add the corn starch mixture and whisk. Reduce the heat and let the sauce thicken up.
9. Spray your tree branch and container gold. Hang the coins and wishes.
6. Have a family feast:
Traditionally, the whole family gathers tonight to share a grand feast, usually a whole chicken or fish to symbolize family togetherness. I will make roasted chicken, stir-fried vegetables, and fried rice tomorrow night and my family is all invited!
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- whole chicken
- 2 tsp. chopped garlic
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp. Chinese Five Spice Powder
- 2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
- ¾ c. of water
- ¼ c. brown sugar, packed
- sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp. corn starch
- 2 Tbsp. water
2. Combine the garlic, ginger, spice powder, soy sauce, ¾ cup of water, and brown sugar, and stir well. Pour this sauce evenly over the chicken. Put the lid on the roasting pan and cook for 2 hours.
3. After 1 hour, take the chicken out and baste it well with the sauce. Replace the lid and return to the oven.
4. In the last 30 minutes of cooking remove the lid so that the skin becomes crisp and browned. In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water so that there are no lumps.
5. Don't try to remove the chicken to a plate- it will fall apart! Pour the juices off into another pot, and skim off the excess oil. Bring the sauce to a boil. Add the corn starch mixture and whisk. Reduce the heat and let the sauce thicken up.
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