THE ANNIVERSARY OF NUN PATRIARCH MAHĀ-PAJĀPATĪ GOTAMĪ
FOR THE FIRST TIME IS HELD IN CALIFORNIA, USA
At the end of August 2019, the city is dubbed the Yellow Flower Valley of Northern California, San Jose, is full of golden robes of nuns from many units, especially in Southern and Northern California, who gathered at An Lạc Pagoda to attend the great anniversary of the Nun Patriarch Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī. It is held for the first time in the United States and led by the most venerable Bhikkhunī Nguyên Thanh, the abbess of An Lạc Pagoda.
An Lạc pagoda today covers a new color, from the main hall to the ancestral house, and dining area to the yard which are decorated with many beautiful fresh flowers and fruits. From the entrance gate, the front porch of the pagoda has a prominent red-yellow sign that marked the event:
Memorial Ceremony
Who has still remarked since a thousand year?
Shining the first Nun Patriarch Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī.
Time has gone for centuries, many disciple generations of Nun Patriarch Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī now are present in san Jose, to celebrate your dead anniversary. Thanks to her, today all of Nuns can wear yellow robes and join in the pure sangha of the Buddha. Bhikkhunī Hương Thủy, the MC of the ceremony starts the event with a nice poem:
As flipping through the historical pages
It like we see the Nun Patriarch coming home
The saint nun teaching is still continued
Impression of liberation left behind.
Yes! Thousands of years later, the high mark remains in order that today for the The most time about 50 nuns, such as the most venerable Bhikkhunī Như Hòa (Dược Sư Pagoda), the most venerable Bhikkhunī Nguyên Thanh (An Lạc Temple), the most venerable Bhikkhunī Giác Hương (Vạn Hạnh Pagoda), Ven. Bhikkhunī Như Thông (Dược Sư Pagoda), Ven. Bhikkhunī Minh Phước (Phật Bửu Shrine), Ven. Bhikkhunī Tâm Nhật (Đại Bi Quan Âm Temple), Ven. Bhikkhunī Giới Hương (Hương Sen Temple), Ven. Bhikkhunī Như Ngọc (A Di Đà Temple), Ven. Bhikkhunī Nguyên Thiện (Huyền Không Pagoda), Ven. Bhikkhunī Như Hiếu (Đức Viên Temple), Ven. Bhikkhunī Nhật Lan (Giác Minh Temple), Ven. Bhikkhunī Quảng Tịnh (Phật Quang Temple), Ven. Bhikkhunī Nhật Phúc (Giác Minh Temple), with many other Ven. Bhikkhunīs from 30 pagodas as well as friendly Buddhist followers who have come here to attend the commemorate.
The chief Ven. Bhikkhunī Nguyên Thanh, head of the ceremony's organizers, emphasized the nun origins as follows:
“From roots, the green trees spring up
From source, water can reach all over rivers.
After Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī ordained, many royal ladies and common women also asked to become ordained in the nun's congregation. For more than 2560 years of history, Buddhist nuns not only have presented in India, but also spread their faith to many Asian countries. So far, Buddhist nuns have been spreading the Dharma for nearly five continents. Therefore, Kiều Đàm Di is considered the founder of Buddhist nuns."
In today’s celebration there are the honorly present of the most venerable monks as Ven. Nguyên Tú, Ven. Đồng Phước, Ven. Chơn Pháp Cẩn.... Representing for the monks, Venerable Nguyên Tú high appreciated the nuns’ event today with the speech that, “In outside world, soliders, officers and great people are often honored more less the Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī who is the virtue Nun Patriarch for all Bhikkhunīs and is step-mother to Siddhartha prince, so we can't help but pay tribute to her...”
Venerable Chân Pháp Cẩn, a disciple of the most Venerable Nhất Hạnh presents in his speech that, "The Buddha promoted the right of feminism, so they should be ordained as monks. In the tradition of Zen Master Nhất Hạnh, every New Year, nuns prostrate monks three times and vice verse monks do prostrate three times in return... In society, the position of women are high, so that in many countries, there are women who are heads of state, prime ministers and many dignitaries like Jacinda Kate, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, or Mrs. Aung San, a Burmese politician, winning the Nobel Peace Prize (1991)...”
In the key word, the Most Venerable Như Hòa, Abbess of Dược Sư Pagoda, Southern California, expressed her gratitude to the Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī who sacrificed her body with barefoot came from far away to beg the Buddha for woman to be ordained and at present on behalf of the attendant nuns to praise the contribution of the chief nun Nguyên Thanh who has pioneered the organization of the ceremony for Vietnamese nuns in abroad in order that nuns have the good opportunity to gather for the memorial.
In the biography of the Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī, Ven. Bhikkhunī Quảng Tịnh, the Abbess of Phật Quang Temple, San Jose, spoke of the salvated will of the Nuns so devoted that made the Buddha and the Sangha who were happy to see the nun disciples who have diligently practiced and attained the following sainthoods as monks which is shown in the below board:
No. |
Monk Saints |
Nun Saints |
1 |
Venerable Śāriputra - The most wisdom |
Venerable Bhikkhunī Kế Ma - The most wisdom |
2 |
Venerable Moggallāna - The most superpower |
Venerable Bhikkhunī Uppalavanna - The most magical power |
3 |
Venerable Mahākāśyapa – The most ascetic |
Venerable Bhikkhunī Nun Patriarch Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī- The most ascetic |
4 |
Venerable Anurudha - The most divine eyes |
Venerable Bhikkhunī Cổ Câu La - The most divine eyes |
5 |
Venerable Subhūti - The most Śūnyatā |
Venerable Bhikkhunī Tô Na - The most Śūnyatā |
6 |
Venerable Pūraṇa - The most preacher |
Venerable Bhikkhunī Pháp Dữ - The most preacher |
7 |
Venerable Mahākātyāyana - The most debate |
Venerable Bhikkhunī Chỉ Già La Ma Đa - The most faith |
8 |
Venerable Upāli - The most discipline keeper |
Venerable Bhikkhunī Ba Sất Già La - The most discipline keeper |
9 |
Venerable A-nan - The most multi-disciplinary |
Venerable Bhikkhunī Bạt Đà Nhã Đà La - The most multi-disciplinary |
10 |
Venerable Rāhula - The most secrect conduct |
Venerable Bhikkhunī Nan Đà - The most secrect conduct |
Ven. Bhikkhunī Nguyên Thiện, abbess of Huyền Không Temple, with her disciple nun group perform the proper ritual of offering rice, tea and fruits at the altar of Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī and other patriarchs, their intonation are hamonized very well with the scriptures as follows:
“The great vow for beings forever, depending on the capacity will get the various sacred responses, the Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī started the majestic for nuns which bought the happiness to heaven. Since then, the nun lineage has been spreading. The ocean of the pure community as the mindful field. Pay homage and take action of the Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī’s will. Right now we would like honorly inviting the spirit of Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī coming to this bodhi place to prove our nun offering.”
The whole hall is very emotional and silent listening deeply at each word from our hearts to the nun patriarch Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī and the ritual rhythm instrument which makes the ceremony so mindful and solemn that touches both heaven and human realms. Next program, it is the dead anniverary rite on completed yellow bands of the late Venerable Tâm Hoa who was the master of the abbess Ven. Bhikkhunī Nguyên Thanh. When the abbess of An Lạc Temple read the biography of her Master, she shed tears remembering the time she was living and studied under her teacher, the Bhikkhunīs in the main hall could not hold back our tears. Oh! Thousands of the gratitude, memories, and fellow felling are imbued in the ceremony today.
After the lunch, under the co-direct of Ven. Bhikkhunī Giới Hương and Ven. Bhikkhunī Nguyên Thiện, an intimate tea party is held. In the warm atmostphere, we can share about the life and propagating of the ancestors and the elders of Nuns. The most Ven. Giác Hương (abbess of Vạn Hạnh Pagoda, Seattle) expressed her wishes that young nuns who must keep the Eight laws[1] of nuns seriously because it is the chracteristics of a humble virtuous nun. Ven. Bhikkhunī Như Ngoc (abbess of A Di Đà Temple, Southern California) exclaimed it is pleasure to be here from Southern California for the memorial service. This is a connecting step to protect and support the nuns together, especially when we are abroad. Ven. Bhikkhunī Tâm Nhật also expresses her appreciation for attending the ceremony today and wishes the memorial can be held every year, and many other Bhikkhunīs also share ideas to build the nun sangha. After collecting the opinions, the head Bhikkhunī Nguyên Thanh concluded and declared that in July 2020 of the summer, the nuns will hold a summer retreat at An Lạc Pagoda for 6 days from Monday to Saturday. On the last day, it is the memorial ritual of the Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī and the workshop. Ven. Bhikkhunī Nguyên Thiện suggested that at the workshop there will be at least two lecturers who present about the virtues of 1 or 2 prominent senior nuns as a motivating step for young nuns to follow.
[1] The Eight Respectful Book of the Discipline (S. Guradharmā ; P. Aṭṭha Garudhammā). vol v. An English translation of Disciplines. Cullavagga, chapter X; Sacred Book of East, XX. PP.354-355.
Sunset has arrived; it is afternoon. Time passed quickly. Any happy meeting must be ended. Up to now, the commemorative ceremony of Nun Patriarch Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī and Senior Nuns, led by the most Venerable Nguyên Thanh, abbess of An Lạc Pagoda, San Jose, California, cum the head of the organizing committee, have finished with satisfactory achievements. On behalf of the organizers, Ven. Bhikkhunī Giới Hương (Head of Hương Sen Pagoda, Southern California) expressed the following thank note:
“The achievements of this commemoration are specially thanks to the honorly present of Venerable Nguyên Tú, Venerable Đồng Phước, Venerable Chơn Pháp Cẩn, Venerable Bhikkhunī Như Hòa, Venerable Bhikkhunī Giác Hương, Venerable Bhikkhunī Như Ngọc, and many other monks and nuns, as well as good friends, and Buddhist fellows who remember the death anniversary of the nun patriarch Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī, and the other nun predecessors and kindly come to pray... We wish this event will be maintained each year in order to create opportunities for nuns from all over the places who can attend to the meaning anniversary ceremony, encourage one another to study, share their knowledge, experience and practice of the Buddhas and the patriarchs’ teaching, following in the footsteps the Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī to deserve to be their descendants on the path of exaltation of the Dharma, uphold the Tathāgata’s heritage."
Thanks to the music and the lyrics
Gather as a place together
The deep gratitude and fellow feeling
Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī successed, the wonderful of Buddhism spread far.
Namo the First Nun Patriarch Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī proved.
San Jose yellow flower valley, August 31, 2019
Sincere report,
Thích Nữ Giới Hương
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The most venerable Nguyên Thanh and Bhikkhunī Giới Hương
On the Mahā-Pajāpatī Gotamī Day
at the main hall of An Lạc pagoda, August 31 2019
Please kindly read this article and view all photos: 1.28.The_First_Anniversary_of_Gotami_in_Calirfornia.pdf