Buddha Purnima Morning…
Saturday, May 25th, 2013
Today is Vaisakha Pournami, the day that marks the birth of Lord Buddha. Celebrating the holy occasion, known the world over as Buddha Purnima, hundreds of devotees from Region 4 & 5 of Sri Sathya Sai Organisations – Worldwide, comprising of countries Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam are currently camping in Prasanthi Nilayam.
This morning, commencing the programme Dr Art Ong JumSai, a distinguished scientist, formerly with NASA, and educationist from Thailand gave an enlightening speech touching upon the theme of this year’s celebrations – MAN. Dhammika Kalapuge from Srilanka followed next before the youth from Nepal took over singing bhajans for the next half-an-hour.
Earlier the programme commenced at 0820 hrs., after half-an-hour Veda chanting, with a brief introduction by Dr VK Ravindran, Chairman, Region 4 & 5 SSSSO – Worldwide, introducing the occasion and the speakers for the session.
Elaborating the theme – MAN, Dr JumSai explained: Man is Maya, Atma, Nirvana, that is, overcoming Maya, experiencing the vision of Atma and attaining Nirvana (liberation), as enlightened by Bhagawan Himself. Dr JumSai spends his full-time educating the children at Sri Sathya Sai School, Thailand, teaching them to enquire into ‘what man is’ and ‘who am i’. Truth is changeless; it remains the same all the time said the speaker, touching upon the mysteries of the universe, highlighting the impermanence of the entire creation. The universe that had emerged from nothingness will go back into its origin, nothingness, after billions of years. Illustrating the limitations of science and the absolute nature of Sai, Dr JumSai narrated a beautiful experience with Bhagawan inside the interview room, wherein, Bhagawan materialized a living object, a monkey, in presence of another three distinguished scientists. Reminding himself of Bhagawan’s peculiar way of addressing him, the scientist, as ‘Sai-tist’ , Dr JumSai added that we should try to know Sai as science will not be able to answer all our questions, knowing Sai will help…Nirvana is Sathya Sai.
Dr Dhammika Kalapuge, the second speaker for the session, spoke on the five precepts preached by Lord Buddha as way of life. Elaborating each point in detail, Dr Kalapuge narrated his own experience as to how Bhagawan helped him to follow these precepts.
International Bhajans followed until Mangala Arathi at 0930 hrs.
Celebrations will continue in the evening with a drama presentation by the devotees from Thailand.
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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