CHINESE NEW YEAR
The Chinese Buddhists observe the lunar calendar, and their festivals are all based on lunar calculations. The conservatives among them still arrange important private and domestic events, such as weddings, house-movings, house-warmings, birthday celebrations, funerals and religious ceremonies, by consulting the 'Thong Su' (Official Reference Book) or professional diviners and fortune-tellers who fix auspicious dates and times, according to lunar calculations. Undoubtedly, the most important festival to the Chinese is the New Year which falls on the first day of the first lunar month. Also known as the Spring Festival, the New Year season lasts for fifteen days, during which a great deal of rites and rituals are performed with sacrificial offerings made to specific deities, on specific days. These are done to show their gratitude, in their own traditional way, for the prosperity, longevity and offspring they have been blessed with in the past year and to request for continuance of such blessings in the coming year. In the midst of their enjoyment and merrymaking during the festive season, they remember their dead ancestors. The traditional ancestor worship is performed with deep fervour to express their filial piety, to remember their debts to them and to set a good example for their children to follow. In Buddhist families, parents are likened to Brahmas, who are endowed with the four great qualities of Metta, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha12. In the same way, the Blessed One says that one's parents also shower these admirable qualities on their children, and in so doing, themselves become like the Brahmas (i.e. gods) to their children. Besides that, during the young days children are taught by their parents, for the first time, what is right and what is wrong. In this way, they become the first teachers (Pubbacariyas) to their children.
The season's festivities begin on New Year's Eve when sacrificial offerings are made to the deities and the dead ancestors. Malaysian Buddhists, especially those in the state of Penang, offer their prayers particularly to the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin P'usa) almost everyday throughout the season. Many of them go to pray at Buddhist temples where they remain till well past midnight, believing that by so doing they will receive great blessings from the deities. Those of the Theravada tradition attend a special New Year's Eve religious service at their temples, conducted by the resident monks. The next morning, on New Year's Day itself, another religious service is held in the morning, when the monks bless the devotees in the usual manner. On this day, vegetarian food is eaten by most Chinese Buddhists, in keeping with the First Precept in the Panca Sila. Those who are more religiously inclined observe all the five precepts on that day, while in some Theravada temples, there has been a growing number of devotees observing the Eight Precepts in recent years. Sacrificial offerings made on that day also exclude meat and wine. Since the movement to enhance the understanding of the Buddhist scriptures in this country was launched, New Year celebrations have undergone a gradual change to assume a more religious character and a greater perception of the Buddhist teachings is apparent among the devotees who come to worship in the temples of all Buddhist traditions. Even the Chinese characteristic of desiring for material wealth, which is expressed in their traditional New Year greeting of 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' (Happy and Prosperous New year), may gradually become less important with a greater spiritual awareness.
At midnight on the 8th. day of the season, conservative Chinese worship the God of Heaven (Sakka) by making sacrificial offerings. This ceremony is of no Buddhistic significance although those who still perform it believe that it is the time when one can cast out all evils and bring in the good, through the ritual offerings to the god. Most devout Buddhists have ceased performing this traditional ceremony. The grand finale of the New Year celebrations is the first full moon of the year, known locally as' Chap Goh Meh' - the 15th. night. This used to be celebrated on a grand scale in the state of Penang. As usual, sacrificial offerings were made to the deities and departed ancestors on that day, fire crackers were burned to the value of thousands of dollars and beautiful coloured lanterns hung outside houses. On this full moon day, many devout Buddhists observe the Eight Precepts in the temples, and partake of a vegetarian meal, making further efforts to advance in their spiritual development. Special prayers are chanted in Mahayana Chinese temples by the monks and nuns to bless the devotees who go to make offerings of food and flowers to the Goddess of Mercy and other deities. Undoubtedly, Buddhism has greatly influenced Malaysian Chinese Buddhists in their practice of rites and rituals during the Chinese New Year celebrations.
In Theravada temples, local Chinese devotees observe the Full Moon festival by offering alms to the monks, at which they radiate their loving-kindness to all sentient beings in the world and transfer merits to all their departed ancestors. A special blessing service is held in the temple at night, and devotees come to make offerings to the Buddha in a solemn and dignified religious atmosphere. Ceremonies for mass transference of merits to all beings in the unfortunate planes of existence are monks. The next morning, on New Year's Day itself, another religious service is held in the morning, when the monks bless the devotees in the usual manner. On this day, vegetarian food is eaten by most Chinese Buddhists, in keeping with the First Precept in the Panca Sila. Those who are more religiously inclined observe all the five precepts on that day, while in some Theravada temples, there has been a growing number of devotees observing the Eight Precepts in recent years. Sacrificial offerings made on that day also exclude meat and wine. Since the movement to enhance the understanding of the Buddhist scriptures in this country was launched, New Year celebrations have undergone a gradual change to assume a more religious character and a greater perception of the Buddhist teachings is apparent among the devotees who come to worship in the temples of all Buddhist traditions. Even the Chinese characteristic of desiring for material wealth, which is expressed in their traditional New Year greeting of 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' (Happy and Prosperous New year), may gradually become less important with a greater spiritual awareness.
At midnight on the 8th. day of the season, conservative Chinese worship the God of Heaven (Sakka) by making sacrificial offerings. This ceremony is of no Buddhistic significance although those who still perform it believe that it is the time when one can cast out all evils and bring in the good, through the ritual offerings to the god. Most devout Buddhists have ceased performing this traditional ceremony. The grand finale of the New Year celebrations is the first full moon of the year, known locally as' Chap Goh Meh' - the 15th. night. This used to be celebrated on a grand scale in the state of Penang. As usual, sacrificial offerings were made to the deities and departed ancestors on that day, fire crackers were burned to the value of thousands of dollars and beautiful coloured lanterns hung outside houses. On this full moon day, many devout Buddhists observe the Eight Precepts in the temples, and partake of a vegetarian meal, making further efforts to advance in their spiritual development. Special prayers are chanted in Mahayana Chinese temples by the monks and nuns to bless the devotees who go to make offerings of food and flowers to the Goddess of Mercy and other deities. Undoubtedly, Buddhism has greatly influenced Malaysian Chinese Buddhists in their practice of rites and rituals during the Chinese New Year celebrations.
In Theravada temples, local Chinese devotees observe the Full Moon festival by offering alms to the monks, at which they radiate their loving-kindness to all sentient beings in the world and transfer merits to all their departed ancestors. A special blessing service is held in the temple at night, and devotees come to make offerings to the Buddha in a solemn and dignified religious atmosphere. Ceremonies for mass transference of merits to all beings in the unfortunate planes of existence are also performed in Mahayana Chinese temples nowadays at which the monks and nuns chant suttas, followed by devotees who circumambulate the shrine hall. The adoption of a dignified form of performing these rites augurs well for the future of Buddhism in this multi-religious and multiracial country by enhancing the image of the religion in the eyes of non-Buddhists.
Tan Tien - Beliefs and Practices Among Malaysian Chinese Buddhists
