Nirvana Ceremony

Nirvana Ceremony (Nehan-E, Japan) ***** Location:Japan ***** Season: Early Spring (Feb. 15) ***** Category: Observance ***************************** Explanation This is a Buddhist ceremony in memory of the passing away of Shakyamuni, the Buddha, traditionally on the full moon day of the second lunar month, nowadays on the 15th of February (seldom on the 15th of March) in many temples. There are many more Japanese kigo for this event, I will list just a few more. Shaka is a common abbreviation for Shakyamuni. Shaka lying down, ne Shaka 寝釈迦 Nirvana Statue, nehanzoo涅槃像 Nirvana, nehan 涅槃 Shaka nemuru, Shaka sleeping 釈迦眠る Temple with a Nirvana Ceremony, nehandera 涅槃寺 Painting of a Nirvana Scene, nehanzu　涅槃図 Parting in February, nigatsu no wakare　二月の別れ Parting of the Buddha, hotoke no wakare 仏の別れ Buddha leaving, sarishi hotoke　去りし仏 Offering Rice Dumplings from the New Year offerings, mochibana-iri 餅花煎 Buddha's nose excrements, shaka no hana-kuso 釈迦の鼻糞 a thin horse, yase-uma 瘠せ馬 Buddha's Memorial day, bukki 仏忌 ........................................................................................ Statues and paintings of Shakyamuni on his death bed are not so common in Japan, but often seen in Thailand and Sri Lanka. Pilgrims meditating and paying respects at the place of the Buddha's Parinirvana at the Nirvana Temple, Kushinara. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/about-pilgrim.htm xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Buddha's Life and Pilgrimages to the Holy Places The earliest centres of Buddhist pilgrimages were the places associated with the life and Teachings of the great Master. These four places are Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kusinara. Lumbini, in what is now Nepal, is the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. The others are in India: Bodh Gaya was the place, under the pipal or Bo tree, where the Buddha was enlightened after practising meditation for several years. Sarnath was the scene of His first teaching and Kusinara was the place of His death or final Nirvana. After the death of the Buddha, the relics of His body were collected from the funeral pyre and divided into eight parts. These were distributed to the claimants and stupas, or burial mounds, were erected on the relics. The practice of pilgrimage in Buddhism probably started with visits to these places, the purpose of which was to achieve personal advantage such as rebirth in a good location, as well as to honour the great master. Thus the custom of pilgrimage has been widespread among Buddhist for many centuries and is common to both the Mahayana and Theravada traditions. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/about-pilgrim.htm xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Painting of a Nirvana Scene, nehanzu　涅槃図 Some famous temples have a painting of this scene, with the disciples gathered around weeping, animals and all in pain and mourning the passing away. Painting by Myooson 仏涅槃図 命尊筆 Look at many amazing details of this painting: Arts of the Lotus Sutra http://www.zephy.com/Myoson.htm ............................................................................................................ The above painting is from Hooryuu-Ji (Horyuji) 法隆寺の涅槃図 http://www.horyuji.or.jp/nehane.htm ........................................................................................................... Nehan-e Ceremony at Koofuku-Ji Temple in Kyoto 興福寺の涅槃会 At Koofuku-Ji the Nirvana Sutra (Nehan Kyoo) is held in high esteem since the Nara period around 750. The Nirvana Ceremony (Nehan-e) is celebrated here since 860. At this temple the ceremony is also called Jooraku-e 常楽会, another kigo for spring. The ceremony starts at 10 in the morning, sutras are chanted, sacred music performed and sweet ricewine (amasake) is offered to the people. http://www.kohfukuji.com/kohfukuji/03_tmpe/ma_sc03.html ........................................................................................................... Temple Sennyuu-Ji, Kyoto 泉涌寺 The Nirvana painting on paper at this temple 大涅槃図 is one of the largest in Japan, 8 m wide and 16 meters long. It weighs 400 kg. It was painted by 明誉古上人 during the middle Edo period. The ceremony is held on March 15, but the famous painting is shown to visitors from the 14th to the 16th. Click on 　スタート　 to get a slide show of important cultural properties of this temple. http://www.mitera.org/HTML/GALLERY/INDEX%7E1.HTM http://www.mitera.org/ http://homepage2.nifty.com/cub/niwa/sennyuji.htm ............................................................................................................ Offering Rice Dumplings from the New Year offerings mochibana-iri 餅花煎 The rice dumplings (mochi) that are left over from the New Year offerings are quite hard. They are cut and slightly barbequed (iru 煎る）to be offered to the Buddha and later eaten by the people. ***************************** Worldwide use Nehan Statue in Ruan Pabang, Laos http://guide.travel.goo.ne.jp/e/goo/traveler/nmyumyu/album/10022527/ ***************************** Things found on the way Saijiki of monthly events in Kyoto 京の歳時記 http://www.thekyoto.net/saijiki/2005/index_200501.html http://www.kotobuki-p.co.jp/kankou/3.htm ***************************** HAIKU 人体に蝶のあつまる涅槃かな on the human body butterflies are assembling - Nirvana Festival 柿本多映 http://www.haiku-data.jp/kigo_work_list.php?kigo_cd=271 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 山の湯のなみなみとある寝釈迦かな the hot water from the well is pooring out steadily - Nirvana Ceremony 桂信子 http://www.haiku-data.jp/kigo_work_list.php?kigo_cd=271 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 涅槃会の仏の足の方へ寄る Nirvana Ceremony - people are assembling at the feet of the Buddha 森田智子 http://www.haiku-data.jp/kigo_work_list.php?kigo_cd=271 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 涅槃 Nehan 涅槃像あかき表具も目にたゝず　　沾圃 山寺や猫守り居るねはむ像　　不撤 貧福のまことをしるや涅槃像　　山蜂 ねはん会や皺手合る珠数の音　　芭蕉 Nehan-e ya shiwa-de awaseru juzu no oto Basho Nehan Ceremony- wrinkled hands in prayer and the sound of rosary beads http://www.j-texts.com/kinsei/h7buah.html xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Nirvana Temple the meditating pilgrims and your eyes paying respects in the holy temples teaching silence Geert Verbeke ***************************** Related words ***** West Wind on the Day of the Nirvana Ceremony, nehan nishi 涅槃西風 オムレツの腰がきまらぬ涅槃西風 坂本敏子 涅槃西風ねむりいろなる珊瑚彫る 井沢唯夫 http://www.haiku-data.jp/kigo_list.php?season_cd=1 ：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：：： Reference: Saijiki for Buddhist Events ***************************** Please send your contributions to Gabi Greve Back to the Worldkigo Index http://worldkigodatabase.blogspot.com/