Let's Celebrate! The Turn of the Year Through the Peaceful Retreat And Enshrine the "CRYSTAL WHEEL" Give Ourselves a Present Enjoy the Present Moment Let's Celebrate! Let's Meditate!
Apart from the heart-bound gathering, everyone would smell the first delightful breath upon the daybreak of the 1 st January, in really enchanting atmosphere. And let this special once-a-year occurrence impress you for good. Let every recall of the moment remind us to do more good deeds every passing day throughout the upcoming year and forever.
It had become customary at Dhammakaya Temple to celebrate this season's greetings with the annual New Year meditation retreat. The temple invites Buddhists worldwide to join this mass meditation retreat program, to experience a simple lifestyle and to value the true Buddhist way of life. Besides, participants will get a chance to welcome the coming year while making merits for their own selves and enjoying together with fellow-meditators at the festivities.
As a special gift for this New Year season, Phrarajbhavanavisudh designs a tent, the shape of which is so called the golden pyramid-like hexagonal, given for those who spend their long holiday retreat at the temple. This trendy style of this modern meditation tent is a 'replica' of the architectural design of the Maha Vihara of Khun Yay Archaraya Chandra Khonnokyoong, the founder of Dhammakaya Temple .
The miniature Vihara tent is able to comfortably accommodate a single person at a time. This mini Vihara will allow the meditator to cherish a secluded life throughout the retreat period and especially during the half-lotus posture for meditation inside, yielding a warm feeling as if being eyed on by Khun Yay herself.
Besides, participants will gain the perfect chance to observe the eight precepts more formally. At the crack of dawn on the auspicious day of the 1 st of January, we will have another great opportunity to join the mass alms offering ceremony to welcome the bliss of the New Year.
Yet, the highlight of the New Year celebration is scheduled in the late afternoon of 31 st December when everybody will gather in the front ground of Phramonkolthepmuni Vihara to enshrine the first Crystal Wheel. The Crystal Wheel is the monumental piece of architecture to grace the surroundings of the Maha Vihara and the symbol of the pursuit of perfection to achieve the ultimate goal in the path of Dhamma. The Crystal Wheel is the foremost endowed belonging out of seven - unique of the Universal Monarch. The details of the Universal Monarch who rules in justice over the world had been recorded in the Tipitaka - the Cakkavatti Sutta. It is really the once-in-a-lifetime event to witness and take part. On the New Year's Eve, the first replica of the Crystal Wheel will make its debut at dusk. Come and see with your naked eyes how elegant and detailed the Wheel looks. Just make sure you could come for the sake of your own peace. Refresh your mind and top up your merits in this merriment and merit-making all at the same time. Let's celebrate! Let's Meditate!
Thursday 29th December 2005 | |
04:00 pm. | Registration (1st) |
07:30 pm. | Attending the Dhamma Night School |
09.30 pm. | Registration (2nd) |
10.30 pm. | Bedtime |
Friday 30th December 2005 | |
05:00 am. | Dawn Chanting and Meditatio |
07:00 am. | Breakfast |
09:30 am. | Meditation |
10:45 am. | Lunch Offering to Monks |
11:30 am. | Registration (3rd) & Lunch |
01:30 pm. | Meditation and Dhamma Listening |
03:30 pm. | Keeping the Temple clean |
04.30 pm. | Registration (4th) |
07:30 pm. | Attending the Dhamma Night School |
09.30 pm. | Registration (5th) |
10.30 pm. | Bedtime |
Saturday 31st December 2005 | |
05:00 am. | Dawn Chanting and Meditation |
07:00 am. | Breakfast |
09:30 am. | Meditation |
10:45 am. | Lunch Offering to Monks |
11:30 am. | Lunch |
01:30 pm. | Meditation and Dhamma Listening |
04:30 pm. | Assembly at the front ground of Pramonkolthepmuni Vihara |
05:00 pm. | The Crystal Wheel Enshrining Ceremony |
07:30 pm. | Attending the Dhamma Night School |
Sunday 1st January 2006 | |
05:00 am. | Dawn Chanting and Meditation |
06:00 am. | New Year's Alms Offering Ceremony |
09:30 am. | Meditation and the Offering of Sustenance to the Buddhas |
10:45 am. | Lunch Offering to Monks |
11:30 am. | Lunch |
01:30 pm. | Meditation and Dhamma Listening |
03:00 pm. | Donation Time |
04:30 pm. | End |