Kason Full Moon Day is an auspicious day as it marks the Buddha’s birth, Enlightenment, and attainment of Parinibbana. It is therefore regarded as Buddha Day. On this day, religious sites in Yangon, including the Shwedagon Pagoda, were filled with devotees observing the sabbath and pouring water on banyan trees.
The 41st Kason Banyan Tree Water-Pouring Festival took place on the platform of the Shwedagon Pagoda at 5 am yesterday, supervised by the Yangon Region government and the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustees. The programme included offering alms on the pagoda platform. Pagoda trustees, religious groups, and pilgrims recited Buddha Puja, offered alms, flowers, water, fruits, and light, observed Nine Precepts, paid homage the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, shared loving-kindness, and prayed for blessings.
Pagoda trustee members also offered alms food to the venerable monks and Ovadacariya Sayadaw. Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein and his wife, Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Zaw Hein and his wife, Yangon Region ministers and their wives, pagoda trustees, and religious devotee groups assembled and circled the pagoda platform clockwise to hold the 41st water-pouring festival at the banyan tree on Kason Full Moon Day at the Shwedagon Pagoda.
The Shwedagon Pagoda’s Ovadacariya Sayadaws conducted the Buddha Bisaka Mingala Anekaza for the banyan tree. Afterwards, pilgrims and personnel observed Nine Precepts from Ovadacariya Sayadaw of Naynattha Monastery Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Agga Maha Gandhavasaka Pandita Bhaddanta Sucetta.
Alternate chair of the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustees, U Hla Myint, read the Bodhi Yokkha Udaka Puja Mingala paper. Subsequently, the Yangon Region chief minister and his wife, the commander of Yangon Command and his wife, Yangon Region Chief Justice Daw Sandar Thwe, and other officials donated offerings to the Ovadacariya Sayadaws and listened to the Anumodana Dhamma delivered by the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustee Ovadacariya, State Sangha Central Working Committee, Pali University Nyaungdon Monastery Presiding Nayaka Agga Maha Pandita Agga Maha Gandhavasaka Pandita Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja, Tha.Sa.Ah Dhammacariya Vatanthaka Pali Paragu, Saytiyinganapawara Thiri Maha Dhamma Guru, Bhaddanta Narada Bhivamsa (Hla Yadana Sayadaw).
Afterwards, the devotees and pilgrims participated in the water-pouring ceremony for the banyan tree. The Yangon Region chief minister and his wife, along with other officials, also visited the Botahtaung Pagoda, Sule Pagoda, and Thiri Mingala Kaba Aye Pagoda to partake in the water-pouring festival.
Water-pouring ceremonies were also held at the Lawka Chantha Abaya Labamuni Buddha Image, the ancient historic Aparajita Hair Relic Kyaikwyne Pagoda, Shwephonepwint Pagoda, Waradana Swetaw Pagoda (Yangon), Mahavizaya Pagoda, historic Maha Dhammaranthi Eeindawya Pagoda, Kyaikkasan Pagoda, Lamu Pagoda, Ngahtetgyi, Chaukhtetkyee, and Koehtetkyee pagodas in Yangon. Pilgrims and devotees enjoyed Vesak Day at Yangon’s many pagodas, stupas, and temples, including the Shwedagon Pagoda. — MNA/TMT
