Nirvana Day 2024, Year of the Dragon, and More
Nirvana Day 2024, Year of the Dragon, and More
Remembering Shakyamuni's Victory Over Death, Culture v. Superstition
Nirvana Day is Here Again
Every year around this time, Buddhists all over the world pause to remember a very solemn, yet beautiful, day. Called Nirvana Day (Nehan-e in Japanese) by some and Parinirvana Day by others, this is the day on which we celebrate the death of Shakyamuni Buddha.
You are probably wondering, however, why we celebrate the death of the founder of Buddhism. After all, the world lost a great teacher and person on that fateful day well over 2000 years ago. Well, when we die, we Buddhists believe that we transition on to our next state. It is not a cold, dark ending. As a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist, it is my belief that we are immediately reborn in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha and thus break free of this cycle of birth and death that colors our human existence.
Shakyamuni reached enlightenment and became a Buddha during his mortal life. HE was thus liberated upon his passing. He broke free of this samsaric world and entered Nirvana finally and fully! He finally achieved what he had been working so hard to accomplish throughout his life. While death is sad in the sense of our attachment to this life and the people and things in it, we celebrate the Tathagata’s incredible accomplishment in breaking from worldly attachments and desires once and for all!
I invite you to read more about how and when we celebrate Nirvana Day on the main Being Bombu site, where I go into more depth and share some common practices for making the most of the observation. Access the full discussion here.
Monks, you must always seek earnestly for the Way. All worldly things, whether movable or immovable, are subject to destruction and decay. Stop thinking for awhile. Stop talking, too, for time is slipping away and I am about to enter Parinirvana. These are my final words. - Shakyamuni Buddha
Parinirvana of the Buddha
No Draggin’ the Year of the Dragon
In addition to Nirvana Day, most Buddhists around the world are also celebrating the arrival of the Lunar New Year, also called Chinese New Year in many parts of the world. It is common practice to celebrate with parades and parties that include rituals and charms to bring good luck, fortune telling, and practices to help guarantee prosperity and health. This year’s celebrations usher in the Year of the Dragon, the most mystical and magical of all the signs of the Chinese zodiac. It is a very special time indeed.
The hullabaloo surrounding the Lunar New Year also brings an interesting dilemma to many of us in the Jodo Shinshu school. These rituals, practices, and magical items are indicative of self-power, or things we can do ourselves to reach ‘salvation’. As such, they run counter to our belief that it is only the compassionate vow of Amida, or ‘other power’ (Tariki in Japanese) that can do this. To put our faith in these other things would distract us from the power of Amida’s vow and contradict the teachings of Master Shinran himself.
But that does not mean we cannot take part in the fun. There is real cultural and social significance to the practices and accoutrements surrounding the Lunar New Year that should not be missed out on. The crux of the issue hinges on something I mentioned earlier and that is where we put our faith. So long as we see these rituals and talismans for what they are culturally, historically, and socially, and keep our actual faith in the Compassionate Vow of Amida Buddha, we do not stray from what Shinran taught. So enjoy those parades and parties, pick up a pretty omamori, and stick a grinning dragon on your shelf. Just remember that as cute and fun as they may all be, none of it will do anything more to get us into the Pure Land. That’s already been accomplished for us!
Until next time . . . Namo Amida Butsu!
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