20 May 2009
Oleh: Stevany 'BEB' Suryaputra, Jl. Alam Asri No. 22, Taman Pasadena, Sentul City, Bogor 16810
We arrived Yogyakarta around 10.00 AM and took breakfast. I was so exhausted but I have to wash my teeth and face before eating! Nice breakfast, the warm soup. Mr. Ramli, one of committee member, took his parents together in this journey. Makes me remember about my parents. So from the start of the trip, I was together with them! They are just like my parents. Check-in time is 12.30 AM but not time for sleeping. My roommate is Ms. Vivi, nice gal as well. We had to gather again on 2.00 PM to have lunch and went to Borobudur temple which takes about approx. 1 hour. I had a great bubble bath in the bath tub so didn?t feel tired any more. We went to ?Gudeg Bu Citro? but our menu is delicious kangkung, traditional fried chicken en tasty sayur asem. I couldn?t imagine, where would we parked in Borobudur as around 15,000 people gathered there. This is a world event so every Buddist community would be together in this night. We arrived at Borobudur temple around 6.00 PM. After took picture together by group, we continued our walking to the temple area. It is about 1.5 kms from parking area to the temple area. So we walked together in the dark with our electric lamps. The moon hasn?t come yet at that time. For Buddist people, Asadha day ceremony is to celebrate the biggest love of BUDDHA for earth. It is also celebrate BUDDHA teach Dharma for the first time in Taman Rusa/ garden Isipatana. Praying ceremony by 6 religion representative: YA Vajra Sagara Sthavira (Buddhist), KH Muhaimin (Moslem), Haksu Thie Tjay Ing (Kong Hu Chu), I Nengah Dana (Hinduist), Pendeta Humphrey Kariodimedjo (Protestant) and Romo Benny Susetyo SJ Catholic). Mr. Mardiyanto (Governor of Center Java) has attended as well with Mr. Sudhamek Agoeng (Chairman of MBI), Mr. Franz Magnis-Suseno SJ, KH Said Aquil Siradj, Prof Dr Achmad Syafii Maarif and Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Haryo Hadiwinoto (from Yogyakarta keraton/ kingdom). The Light represents power to throw darkness, 1 million light represents power to terminate kemalangan yang bertubi-tubi in Indonesia. The Light is also represent willingness/ promise and effort to mengabdi pada good and truth with hope good ?karma? result. You could see ?Moksha Moon dance? when the full mon appeared. It is a dance with natural elements and Buddhism. The top ceremony is Pradaksina. It is slowly walking with praying from temple ground to the top of Borobudur temple. Mr. Sudhamek Agoeng told that to lighten 1 million candle it would need 1,800 people who have been trained before the ceremony so all of the light could be shinny together within two hours. He said one person should be responsible for total 555 lights. It was wonderful view. It was just like snow with shinny light! Around middle of the night, Buddist people prayed Paritta and continued with Mettabhavana meditation, Pradaksina, Top ceremony and closing with holy water for every body. It was amazing night in Borobudur Temple with one million hope!