Devotees Benefit from Purification Rituals: Vajracharya
Dr Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, Jan 2 (Nepal Oregon News): New year not only brings new hope and new optimism, it also brings new energy and new resolutions. The Purification Puja helps devotees and other people to move forward with new vigor, energy enthusiasm all year along.
Co-founder of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara and ritual master Guru Prajwal Vajracharya said this while initiating the Gurumandala Puja on Saturday, Jan 1, 2022 to welcome the new year at the Newar Vajrayana Buddhist vihara in Portland.
While 21 Sangha members took part at the purification ritual ceremony held at the temple in Portland, 20 other people from Oregon, Washington, California, Hong Kong and Canada joined the Puja ceremony through the zoom.
Vajrayana tradition is based on Tantric Buddhism, so rituals performed by rituals master Rev Prajwal Vajracharya included using of mantras, mandalas and visualization of deities and the Buddhas.
Because of ongoing Omicron crisis, limited number of devotees (majority of them were American Buddhists) joined the Puja which was meant for purifying the old energy of the previous year and for overcoming obstacles and opening up fresh new potential.
On the occasion, a Mandala - which is a circle of cosmic diagram for ritual of interior visualization, representing various realms of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and their cosmic energies - was also drawn for each participant. Likewise, three Gojas on the sand Mandala were worshipped during the ritual.
A Puja Sankalpa consisting of raw rice, beaten rice, dry fruits, red and yellow color powder, flowers, a little cow milk, three small incense sticks, six cotton wicks, three Gojas, three Jajankas, three coins etc were carefully and meticulously prepared for each participants of New Year purification rituals.
The traditional community ceremony honored oneself and others by making offerings of purified elements and was guided by using one's own Mandala of sand.
On the occasion, devotees - participants were also given time for a short meditation. Similarly, a long Pasuka (sacred thread) was used, spread and passed over to all the New Year purification ritual participants. It was an important component of the purification ritual. Purification ritual event was followed by a Nepali style dinner.
Actually, the previous year 2021 had been testing, challenging and difficult one for the Nepalese community in Portland, just like for the people living across the world because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The people throughout the world went through stressful dilemmas and lots of ups and downs and vicissitudes. The purification ritual was meant to mitigate stress, tension and pressure.
At a time when local Nepalese community organizations are badly affected by the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara (NMM) in Portland was abuzz with various events and programs in 2021, as in the preceding years. Most of the programs and events were organized remotely because the first Newar Buddhist monastery was trying to limit the possibility of Omicron exposure.
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Mila Punhi Observed at Newar Buddhist Temple in Portland
Mila Punhi was observed at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, Portland on Monday, Jan 17, 2022 by reciting Manjushree Naamsangiti. Naamsangiti was recited in the zoom and was virtually participated by 25 people from Hong Kong, Canada, Nepal, Washington and Oregon.
Naamsangiti, on the occasion, was led by Guruji Prajwal, Chris Antonio from California, Suzanne Scollon from Washington and Suva Shakya from Oregon and was followed by other Zoom participants.
It is to be noted that Naamsangiti is chanted at the Mahavihara through the zoom once a month on the day of Purnima which is a sacred day for the Buddhists. Also, Naamsangiti is recited daily at the Mahavihara during the month of Gunla (Nepal Sambat lunar calendar).
Speaking on the occasion, Rev Prajwal Vajracharya who is also a scholar on Newar Vajrayana Buddhism, said:"In Vajrayana Buddhism, Naamsangiti is one of the most important preachings of Lord Buddha, and reciting of Naamsangiti is useful for mitigating stress and tension and gaining health."
It is a coincidence that Swosthani Brata also starts in Nepal for a month from the day of Mila Purnima. Also, another speaker, on the occasion, was Prof Dr Linda Iltis from Washington, who has done her Ph D on Swosthani Brata.
Throwing light on the Swasthani story recital tradition, Prof Dr Linda Iltis mentioned en passant that a month long fasting and story telling about Swosthani Devi was also beginning from the day of Purnima for a month.
During Swosthani, the devotees especially women wearing red color sari take a dip into river Shali in Sankhu in the morning and fast for a month, worshipping Goddess Swosthani, Dr Iltis added.
In Kathmandu, in the evening of the Mila Punhi day, the Das Karma puja of Karunamaya Avalokiteshvara is performed at Jana Bahal.
Mila Punhi is also known as Chhyala Punhi, the festival of smashing old clay utensils. This old tradition, however, is on the verge of extinction.
Meanwhile, Dharani recitation was held in the zoom on a regular basis every week on Tuesday by the Mahavihara. Similarly, Charya Giti Singing Practice was also organized virtually once a week every Friday. Likewise, Buddhist Bhajan chanting and Sadhana Practice were also held weekly remotely on a regular basis on each Wednesday.
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Macha Janko Rituals Performed in Seattle
Although Machabu Byenkegu is the first ritual immediately after the birth of a child, the first important life-cycle ritual of a Newar man or woman, however, is Macha Janko or Anna Prashana (rice feeding ceremony).
Macha Janko or rice feeding ceremony is never complete without the blessing of a Guruju. So Guru Prajwal Vajracharya was in Seattle, Washington recently to perform Macha Janko rituals of Sahaj Raja Shakya, young son of Bhai Raja Shakya and Vishnu Devi Shakya.
During the Macha Janko, also known as Anna Prashana in Sanskrit, a Mandala was drawn and Gurumandala Puja was performed by Prajwal Guruji. Ritual master Vajracharya used a variety of mantras, repeated offerings of the five elements in the form of flowers, fruits and rice, incense, water and candle light as well as other ritual objects to complete this Macha Janko.
Prajwal Guruji says:"Although this is a centuries old tradition, modern science has established the fact that child's digestive system is capable of processing solid food when he or she is approximately six months old, which is why Macha Janko is held for when a baby turns 6 months old, but it can vary between daughters and sons."
Meanwhile, while in Seattle, ritual master and scholar of Newar Vajrayana Buddhism Prajwal Vajracharya also called on Prof Dr Linda Iltis, an anthropologist, Prof Dr Ter Ellingson, an ethnomusicologist and Dr Subhash Prajapati, an ethnomusicologist.
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Hong Kong Dedication Practice Held to Mark Chinese New Year
A program 'Hong Kong Dedication Practice' was organized virtually on Saturday, Jan 29, 2022 by Hong Kong Buddhist Studies Association (HKBSA) to mark the Chinese New Year. The virtual program was participated by 20 people from Hong Kong and USA.
The program kicked off with reciting of Refuge Prayer: the three jewels of Buddhism. Seven Limb prayer ritual was chanted by Guru Prajwal Vajracharya and other Sangha members at the Portland Newar Buddhist temple and other zoom participants. Vajradhatu Apsaras offering Zen dance was presented by Sangha members of HKBSA: Shira Chan, Yuk-ling Chung, Ping Zhang and Betty Wong.
Similarly, Ten Paramita chanting (Dan Balen) was recited by Sangha members in Hong Kong. Vasundhara paintings were demonstrated by Hong Kong Sangha members, while a Buddhist Bhajan on Vasundhara in Nepal Bhasa was presented by Guru Prajwal, Joshua Proto and other Sangha members. Music on harmonium for the Bhajan was rendered by Sangha member Ashley Low.
Later, Manjushree Newar Vajra Dance was presented by Dr Tina Ho of HKBSA. Likewise, during the virtual program, Mahamayuri paintings were demonstrated and Mahamayuri Zen dance performed by Dr Tina Ho and her team in Hong Kong was also shown.
Also, on the occasion, an attractive dance 'Vajrasattva Vajra Nritya' by Guru Prajwal Vajracharya was shown. The program on 'Hong Kong Dedication Practice' was wrapped up with 'hundred character mantra' recitation by Sangha members from Oregon and Hong Kong.
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Number of Buddhist Temples and Centers Increasing in Portland
Although Portland is a Christian majority city, other religions are thriving and flourishing here as well. Today more than ever, Buddhism's influence and relevance are gradually growing in Oregon in general and in Portland in particular.
The number of Buddhist temples, monasteries, Viharas and Vipassana centers are gradually and continuously increasing in Portland and other parts of Oregon.
Prominent sects of Buddhism are Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana and Zen Buddhism. You can find followers of all these sects of Buddhism in Portland and other parts of Oregon.
Co-founder of Newar Buddhist temple 'Nritya Mandala Mahavihara' in Portland and prominent scholar of Newar Vajrayana Buddhism Rev Guruji Prajwal Vajracharya says that the number of Buddhist temples, monasteries, Viharas and Vipassana centers is more than 100 in Portland and its periphery.
Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and Viharas are center of attraction in Portland, so are the Vipassana centers. A number of Buddhist centers have been created by the American Buddhists.
Likewise, not only are there so many Mahayana Buddhist temples and centers of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean Buddhist communities in Portland, but there are also a number of Theravada viharas and monasteries of Burmese, Laotian, Sri Lankan, Cambodian and Thai communities in Portland and its periphery.
But Nritya Mandala Mahavihara which was established in Portland in 2009 by Helen Appell and Prajwal Vajracharya is the first and the only one Newar Vajrayana Buddhist temple in the USA and in the West as a whole.
The Mahavihara is attracting not only American Buddhists, it is also drawing more and more people from the Nepalese community in the north west. The temple or Dance Mandal is also working to enhance and popularize the esoteric Charya Nritya. A lot of life cycle events and Nepalese festivals are also celebrated at the first Newar Vajrayana Buddhist temple in Portland.
Buddhism today is one of the prominent religions of the world with an estimated 480 million adherents. The fact that there are thousands of Buddhists (Asian Americans and Americans) in Portland and its periphery alone is a testimony to it.
According to a report, seven percent of Americans claim to be Buddhist. And according to information from news media and social media, a lot of activities and programs are being carried out daily at different Buddhist temples and Viharas in Oregon.
(Rabin Man Shakya is a Newah journalist in USA)
