Auspicious Days for Buddhists

Auspicious Days for Buddhists

Chinese (Lunar) Calendar	Occasion	Western Calendar
17^th Day of 11 Lunar Month	Birthday of Amitabha Buddha	22 December 2010
8^th Day of 12 Lunar Month	Enlightenment Day of Shakyamuni Buddha	11 January 2011
1^st Day of 1 Lunar Month	Birthday of Maitreya Buddha	3 February 2011
8^th Day of 2 Lunar Month	Renunciation Day of Shakyamuni Buddha	12 March 2011
15^th Day of 2 Lunar Month	Date of Shakyamuni Buddha Enters into Nirvana	19 March 2011
19^th Day of 2 Lunar Month	Birthday of Guan Yin (Compassion) (Avalokiteshvara)	23 March 2011
21^st Day of 2 Lunar Month	Birthday of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva	25 March 2011
16^th Day of 3 Lunar Month	Birthday of Tsen Ti Bodhisattva	18 April 2011
4^th Day of 4 Lunar Month	Birthday of Manjushri Bodhisattva (Wisdom)	6 May 2011
8^th Day of 4 Lunar Month	Birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha	10 May 2011
15^th Day of 4 Lunar Month	Vesak Day	17 May 2011
3^rd Day of 6 Lunar Month	Birthday of WeiTou (Vajrapani) Bodhisattva	3 July 2011
19^th Day of 6 Lunar Month	Enlightenment Day of Guan Yin (Avalokiteshvara)	19 July 2011
13^th Day of 7 Lunar Month	Birthday of Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva	12 August 2011
30^th Day of 7 Lunar Month	Birthday of Ksitigarbharaja Bodhisattva	28 August 2011
19^th Day of 9 Lunar Month	Renunciation Day of Guan Yin (Avalokiteshvara)	15 October 2011
30^th Day of 9 Lunar Month	Birthday of Medicine Buddha	26 October 2011
5^th Day of 10 Lunar Month	Birthday of Bodhidharma Patriarch	31 October 2011
17^th Day of 11 Lunar Month	Birthday of Amitabha Buddha	11 December 2011
8^th Day of 12 Lunar Month	Enlightenment Day of Shakyamuni Buddha	1 January 2012

Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha

Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. He was born as the Prince of Sakyans, and was called Siddhartha Goutama. At the age of 35, he attained the supreme Enlightenment and became the Buddha and was the called Shakyamuni. The word means "capability and kindness".

Amitabha Buddha of the West

Amitabha Buddha is the Buddha of Infinite Light. One of his great vows was to establish a Pure Land known as Sukhavati, the Western Paradise. One who is able to call on Amitabha's name with "an undivided mind" will be reborn there, and never have to endure rebirths in the cyclic suffering of samsara. The Maha Twin Lotus Ponds, the siddhi (fruition) of the True Buddha School Dharma, are an extension of the Western Paradise.

Medicine Buddha of the East
(Bhaisajya-guru-vaidurya-prabhasa)

Bhaisajyaguru, Sanskrit word, the Buddha of Medicine, who quells all diseases and lengthens life.

Medicine Buddha has made a vow to help those who call upon him when ill or injured, and to aid those who revere him to achieve a long and healthy life. As Amitabha is the Buddha of the Pure Land of the Western Paradise, the Medicine Buddha is the Buddha of the Pure Land of the Eastern Paradise.

Maitreya Buddha

Sanskrit word, literally means friendly and benevolent. He will be the next Buddha in our world. He is now preaching in Tusita Heaven. He is usually represented as the fat laughing Buddha.

Kuan Yin, the Great Compassion Bodhisattva
(Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva)

Avalokitesvara, Sanskrit word for the Bodhisattva who Hears the Sounds of the World. He rescues all beings by hearing their voices of suffering and cries for help. In Chinese, he is called Guan Shi Yin or Guan Yin Bodhisattva. As one of the Four Great Bodhisattva, he is the one with the greatest compassion and mercy. Guan Yin is one of the triad of Amitabha Buddha, represented on his left, and being the future Buddha in the Land of Ultimate Bliss (Pure Land) after Amitabha Buddha. Guan Yin can transform into many different forms in order to cross over to the beings. Guan Yin is one of the most popular Bodhisattva in China.

Great Wisdom Bodhisattva
(Manjushri Bodhisattva)

Manjushri Bodhisattva, one of the Four Great Bodhisattva, he is the one with the greatest wisdom. Manjushri is said to have: wonderful head, universal head, glossy head, revered head, wonderful virtue and wonderfully auspicious. Manjushri, the guardian of wisdom, is often placed on the left of Shakyamuni, while Visvabhadra, the guardian of law, is on the right. Manjushri always rides on a lion. He is also described as the ninth predecessor or Buddha-ancestor of Shakyamuni. He is the Chief of the Bodhisattva, and the chief disciple of the Buddha. He is the object for the pilgrimages visiting the Wu Tai Shan of Shansi Province in China.

Great Conduct Bodhisattva
(Samantabhadra Bodhisattva)

Visvabhadra Bodhisattva, one of the Four Great Bodhisattva, he is the one with the highest conduct. Visvabhadra, also known as Samantabhadra, means universal worthy. He is the lord of the fundamental law, the dhyana (taking precepts) and the practice of all Buddhas. Visvabhadra, the guardian of law, is often placed on the right of Shakyamuni, while Manjushri, the guardian of wisdom, is the left, He always rides on a white elephant, is the patron of the Lotus Sutra, and its devotees, and has close connection with Hua-yen Sutra. He has Ten Great King Vows, which give an excellent guideline to all Buddhists to practise and cultivate the Buddha Way.

Great Vow Bodhisattva
(Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva)

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is often referred to, because of his vow to not achieve Buddhahood until "all the Hells are empty", as the Bodhisattva of the Hell beings. But his vow actually encompasses all sentient beings, being similar to that of Living Buddha Lien-shen, who vows to reveal all the secrets of even the hidden teachings, in order to save sentient beings, even if he has to suffer retribution, even the pulverization of his bones and flesh.

The Three Saints of Amitabha
(Avalokitesvara, Amitabha, Mahasthamaprapta)

Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva

One of the triad of Amitabha Buddha, represented on his right.

Tsen Ti Bodhisattva

The Thousand-Handed, Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva.

WeiTou (Vajrapani) Bodhisattva

Bodhisattva who protect the Dharma.

Bodhidharma

Bodhidharma is credited with bringing Zen Buddhism to China and he is the First Patriarch of Chinese Zen Lineage. He was born on Oct. 5th. (Chinese Lunar Calendar) in Southern India, and was the third son of an Indian King; the royal family belonged to the Bhramin caste. Bodhidharma's Buddhist Master, Prajnatara, was the 27th Patriarch of Indian Buddhism, taught Bodhidharma for many years, gave him Mind Transmission, made him the 28th Patriarch, and gave him the name Bodhidharma. Following the instruction of his Master to transmit Dharma to China, Bodhidharma travelled east to Southern China in 526 AD. When he arrived in Kwang Chou, he was ceremoniously welcomed and greatly honoured by the local military official named Shao Yang. The same year, he was invited to the Capitol, Nanjing, to meet Emperor Wu Di of the Liang dynasty. Because the communication between the Emperor and Bodhidharma was mutually unsatisfactory, Bodhidharma left the palace, crossed the Yangtzu River, and continued north until he arrived at the Shao Lin Temple in Ho Nan Province. It was here that Bodhidharma became famous for meditating 9 years facing a wall.

After he gave his disciple, Hui Ko, the Robe, Begging Bowl, Lankavatara Sutra, and Mind Transmission, Bodhidharma went to Chen Sung (One Thousand Saints) Temple to propagate the Dharma. He passed into Nirvana in 536 AD, was buried in Shon Er Shan (Bear Ear Mountain) in Ho Nan, and a stupa was built for him in Pao Lin Temple. Later, the Tang dynasty Emperor, Dai Dzong, bestowed on Bodhidharma the name Yuen Che Grand Zen Master, and renamed his stupa as Kong Kwan (Empty Visualisation).

Four Great Bodhisattva

They represent the four major characters of Bodhisattva:

1. Manjushri - Universal Great Wisdom Bodhisattva
2. Samantabhadra - Universal Worthy Great Conduct Bodhisattva
3. Ksitigarbha - Earth Treasury King Great Vow Bodhisattva
4. Avalokitesvara - Guan Shi Yin Great Compassion Bodhisattva

Bodhisattva

A Future Buddha who is a being destined to Buddhahood. Bodhi means Enlightenment and Sattva means Sentient and Conscious. Therefore Bodhisattva refers to the sentient being of or for the great wisdom and enlightenment. Bodhisattva's vow/aim is the pursuit of Buddhahood and the salvation of others and of all. He seeks enlightenment to enlighten others. He will sacrifice himself to save the others. He is devoid of egoism and devoted to help the others. The way and discipline of Bodhisattva is to benefit the self and the others, leading to Buddhahood.

Buddha

Means "the Enlightened One" or "the Awakened One".

Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss

This is the Buddha Land of Amitabha Buddha. In Amitabha Sutra, there is full description about this Pure Land. This is the world of utmost joy without suffering. With the spiritual power of Amitabha Buddha, all beings in this world will understand Buddhism easily and practise diligently, and attain enlightenment eventually. Therefore by reciting Amitabha Buddha's name, Buddhist followers hope that they will be born in this Pure Land after their lives on earth. See also Nine Stages of Lotus Flowers.

Nine Stages of Lotus Flowers

Or Nine Grades, Classes of Lotus Flowers, i.e. upper superior, middle superior, lower superior, upper medium, middle medium, lower medium, upper inferior, middle inferior and lower inferior, which represent ninefold future life into Pure Land. The nine grades, or rewards, of the Pure Land, corresponding to the nine grades of development in the previous life, upon which depends, in the next life, one's distance from Amitabha, the consequent aeons that are required to approach Amitabha, and whether one's lotus will open early or late.

Part of the information of this page is extracted from http://isis.infinet.com/rinpoche/ausdays.htm

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