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New Straits Times
09-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Thousands expected to attend Wesak Day celebration at Thai Buddhist Chetawan temple
PETALING JAYA: The Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple is preparing for a grand three-day Wesak Day celebration from May 10 to 12, set to welcome up to 10,000 devotees from across the country. The head manager, who is also the temple's monk, Phrakru Siribhodhivides, 39, said preparations have been intensified to accommodate the large crowd expected for the annual religious observance. "Regular and Thai temples aren't much different, but since this is a large temple, we prepare more," he said. The highlights of the celebration include early morning chanting from 6.30am, alms giving, oil lamp lighting, and a grand night procession on May 12, during which devotees will walk around the temple three times. In preparation, the temple is welcoming support from volunteers, students from Thai schools, and even monks flown in from Thailand and other states, including Kedah. "Previously, we only used the main hall, but now, with up to 10,000 people, we will extend the celebration to the temple grounds and even out onto the main road," he said. Phrakru, who is originally from Sungai Petani, Kedah, became a monk at the age of 13 and was later granted the name "Phrakru Siribhodhivides" by the current King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn. He said Wesak Day commemorates three key events in the life of Gautama Buddha - his birth, enlightenment, and passing into nirvana - all of which are believed to have occurred on the same day in different years. "We will walk around the temple three times to honour the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha," he said. Phrakru added that this symbolic procession, known as pradaksina, is a significant part of the celebration. "All conditioned things undergo change. Decay is a normal process. All of you must not be reckless. You must hurry to find your refuge," he said, quoting the Buddha's final teaching as a reminder of Wesak Day's deeper spiritual meaning. The temple's celebrations are open to all, including non-Buddhists and members of the wider community. Previously, a major Wesak Day float procession in Kuala Lumpur saw over 25,000 devotees participating in a four-hour event that wound through the heart of the city. Themed "Foster True Compassion and Wisdom, Forge True Peace and Harmony", the celebration aimed to deepen public awareness of Buddhist values amid growing spiritual apathy. Chief high priest Datuk K. Sri Dhammaratana Nayaka Maha Thera also reminded the public of the importance of spiritual discipline in modern times, urging parents to instil Buddhist teachings in the younger generation. Built in 1957, before Malaysia's independence, the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple was established on land donated by the Malayan government and later officiated by the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. The Malaysian government also contributed RM100,000 towards its construction, making the temple a longstanding symbol of Thai-Malaysian religious ties.
The Star
09-05-2025
- General
- The Star
A call for peace in South-East Asia, the Asian region and beyond as Malaysians celebrate Wesak Day on Monday (May 12)
KUALA LUMPUR: Perhaps the best known date on the Buddhist calendar, familiar even to non-Buddhists, is the thrice sacred day of "Wesak". And Malaysians will celebrate the Wesak festival on Monday (May 12), which is also a public holiday in Malaysia. Wesak is the name of a month in the ancient Indian calendar and it usually falls in the May though sometimes it may commence in the later part of April or extend to the early part of June. Wesak is derived from the original Pali word "Wesakha" or Sanskrit "Waishakha". In some countries it is also known simply as Buddha Day. Buddhist Chief High Priest of Malaysia Datuk Dr K. Sri Dhammaratana expressed concern that modern society is drifting away from its spiritual and familial roots. "Nowadays, society has changed, the spiritual feeling is fading away and the family feeling is fading away. "I humbly would like to appeal to all parents to give their children at least the background and basic teachings of the great masters,' he said. Add to the upheaval and uncertainty in the region as political battles play it out at the India-Pakistan borders, South China Sea and many other areas of Asia, the call of peace is, indeed, timely. Besides Malaysia, Wesak Day will also be celebrated in a big manner in Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Sri Lanka, the main centre for Buddhism. Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, around 25,000 devotees are expected to join the Wesak Day float procession starting at the Buddhist Maha Vihara, Brickfields on Monday (May 12). Joint Wesak Celebration Committee (JWCC) chairman Ng Yong Pau said the procession, featuring about 30 floats, will start at 6 pm from the Buddhist Maha Vihara at Jalan Berhala and pass through Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Jalan Petaling, Jalan Yap Ah Loy, Jalan Hang Lekiu, Jalan Gereja and Jalan Raja Chulan. The procession will then return to the Maha Vihara via Jalan P Ramlee, Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Jalan Tun Sambanthan and Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad the same night, completing an approximately 12-kilometre journey in four hours. "The 25,000 devotees are those walking alongside the floats in stages, excluding the thousands more who will be bystanders or waiting to watch the procession. "So you can imagine a huge crowd will be waiting. This year's theme is 'Foster True Compassion and Wisdom, Forge True Peace and Harmony' . "In previous years, we went through Jalan Bukit Bintang, but this year we couldn't use it because of a change in the traffic direction (one-way). We hope that through this parade, we can spread the peace and harmony of Buddhism to all,' he told a press conference here, tonight. According to Ng, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook is scheduled to attend the launching ceremony on Monday evening. Apart from the procession, the Maha Vihara will also organise a blood donation campaign and provide free food. Thousands of devotees are expected to visit the temple with offerings of flowers, candles, and joss sticks. Wesak Day also holds paramount importance for Buddhists, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. The festival is marked by the lighting of incense sticks and lotus-shaped candles, offering flowers, and the symbolic bathing of the Buddha statue.
Korea Herald
19-03-2025
- General
- Korea Herald
Templestay matchmaking program to open to foreigners
Jogye Order-run program to gradually increase foreign national participation Foreign nationals will be able to take part in Korea's signature templestay matchmaking as early as April, according to the Korean Buddhist Foundation for Social Welfare, which has been running templestay programs for singles since 2012. The foundation, run by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the nation's largest Buddhist sect, will hold the two-day program April 18-19 at Ssanggyesa, a temple in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province. 'The April templestay is primarily for locals, but we will look at foreign candidates who really want to participate,' said Yoo Chul-ju, the senior coordinator at the foundation overseeing the program, referring to the 20-member gathering of men and women. Yoo noted that applications from foreign nationals will have to show that they are serious about staying in Korea, adding that the foundation will gradually increase foreign participation. The next meeting will take place in July at Bongseonsa in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. The search for a wider pool of singles testifies to the success of Jogye's matchmaking program, which took place six times last year, attracting 3,400 applicants in total. Only 160 made the cut and 33 couples matched up. The program, launched to help the country fight the falling birth rate, is packed with activities like dating games, teatime chats and strolls around temples across the country that are known for scenic views. 'I think it's the general temple vibe so to speak, the kind of peaceful and serene ambiance that makes us all more open to the idea of an open date,' said Kim Young-woo, who participated in last year's Naksansa templestay in Yangyang, Gangwon Province. Participants also speak of the trust they have in the Jogye Order, saying they expect the applicants to have been selected based on their sincerity to be matched up. The Ven. Myojang, the foundation president, has personally assured the Jogye Order is as serious about matching up singles as those singles who bravely join an 'open date.' 'We're always looking for anyone including Buddhists and non-Buddhists who want to find a life-long partner,' Myojang said. In another first, the Ven. Jinwoo, the Jogye Order president, will stop by the Ssanggyesa matchmaking next month in a show of support. 'It's a symbolic but powerful sign that this program won't just be a fling,' a Jogye official said. The application for Ssanggyesa templestay matchmaking program is open through March 25 on the foundation's website.
