BW Monastery receiving Buddha’s Relic Ceremony
On 10 August 2017, BW Monastery held a special ceremony to receive a Buddha’s relic from the Abbot Dhammarathana of Mihintale Maharaja Vihara Temple which is one of the oldest temple in Sri Lanka. This was indeed a rare and auspicious event.
Early at 8:20am., two of Singapore MPs - Mr. Khaw Boon Wan & Mr. Ong Ye Kung and their wives arrived at the BW monastery. Both MPs were very people friendly in the main shrine where they gathered before the arrival of the Bhantes. They went down the aisles to talk to various groups, including Sangha and youths.
Meanwhile little ones and youths were lining up outside from the shrine gate to the main door of the shrine hall, awaiting to welcome the relic.
The Ministers then walked together with BWM officials to form an entourage to a nearby car park to receive the relic. When the Sri Lanka monks arrived, our welcome party consisted of a BWM member holding a huge yellow umbrella to shelter the Venerable holding the relic, an urn burning with fragrant incense, young girls as fairies and a line-up carrying banners with our Venerable Jing Yuan to welcome the relics. When the procession arrived at our monastery, they were welcomed to the majestic sounds of temple drum and bell. Everyone in the hall bowed with clasped bow hands to signify respect for this auspicious occasion.!
Pali chanting started after the relic was placed in front of the main altar.
After Venerable Ben Si welcomed Abbot Dhammarathana, thanking him for this precious gift, we did recitation & chanting in Chinese. Next was offerings by MPs, their wives and our chanting group ladies who were graceful in their traditional Chinese costumes. MPs & their wives then went up to pay respect to the Buddha's relic. A group photography of our VIPs, the Sri Lanka monks, our Venerable & monks were taken, a speech by Bhante before the Ministers took their leave.
A presentation of gifts by our Venerable Jing Yuan and tokens of appreciation by BW monastery representatives to the Sri Lanka monks and his delegation of elders. Finally, a dedication chanting in Pali was performed by the Sri Lanka monks. They then proceeded to the 3rd floor for refreshment whilst the public in the shrine queued up for viewing of the relic joyfully. Finally the Sri Lanka Bhante and his elders were given a ceremonial farewell by our Venerable, Sangha and BW monastery members at the car-park as they bade goodbye.
It was indeed a very propitious and happy occasion as the arrival of the relic to BW Monastery is symbolic to the arrival of Buddha himself. Mega- Rejoice to all present on this auspicious day!!!
