Jakarta, IO – Vesak, the most important Buddhist festival, commemorating the birth, enlightment and death of the Buddha, this year will fall on Thursday (23/5).
As part of this celebration, the 22m-long, 6m-wide and 4.5m-tall gold-plated Buddha statue situated in the middle of a fish pond in the southern quarter of Maha Vihara Mojopahit was bathed. The Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI) designated it as the largest sleeping Buddha statue in Indonesia in 2001.
According to the caretaker of Maha Vihara Mojopahit, Bhante Nyanaloka Sthavira, bathing the sleeping Buddha statue has become an annual tradition as expression of Buddhists’ devotion.
He explained that the Maha Paranibbana Buddha statue depicts the moments when Siddhartha Gautama died. The Buddha died in a sleeping position on his right side with his right palm under his head.
“The meaning is to re-cleanse the Buddha statue which is a symbol of the Buddha’s death. Flowers are used because it is a sacred object. The statue will be used by the devotees to offer prayers,” explained Bhante Nyanaloka, per Detikcom, Thu (16/5).
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The procession was carried out by eight people who watered all parts of the sleeping Buddha statue with water containing various types of flowers. It was then brushed and the reliefs that decorated the foundation were also scrubbed.
This year’s Vesak carries the theme “Harmonious Coexistence Within One Nation.” The celebration will be preceded by a Pradaksina (a procession to circle the Borobudur Temple three times on foot), culminating at the peak event at 9.15pm WIB. (bp)