A Profound, Peaceful, & Luminous Dharma

Commemorating Buddha's Enlightenment. Woohoo!

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December 8th is a holy day for Buddhist practitioners around the globe as it’s when we commemorate Jodo-e: the day-night-morning that Siddhartha Gautama experienced a liberating, peaceful, and profound enlightenment, aka, Nirvana. Below is a list of facts, figures, and quotes about commemorating Prince Siddhartha’s quest for and realization of enlightenment. Happy Jodo-e Spark Zen readers!

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1. “At Bodh Gaya, in the modern Indian state of Bihar, Siddhartha Gautama sat beneath a sacred fig (Ficus religiosa) and began to meditate. According to some traditions, he realized enlightenment in one night. Others say three days and three nights; while others say 45 days. When his mind was purified by concentration, it is said he acquired the Three Knowledges. The first knowledge was that of his past lives and the past lives of all beings. The second knowledge was of the laws of karma. The third knowledge was that he was free of all obstacles and released from attachments. When he realized release from samsara, the awakened Buddha exclaimed:

   "House-builder, you're seen! You will not build a house again. All your rafters broken, the ridge pole destroyed, gone to the Unformed, the mind has come to the end of craving." [Dhammapada, verse 154]¹

2. “Buddhist legends say that Mara ( a demon akin to the devil) wished to stop Siddhartha's quest for enlightenment, so he brought his most beautiful daughters to Bodh Gaya to seduce him. But Siddhartha did not move. Then Mara sent armies of demons to attack him. Siddhartha sat still, and untouched. Then, Mara claimed that the seat of enlightenment rightfully belonged to him and not to a mortal. Mara's demon soldiers cried out together, ‘I am his witness!’ Mara challenged Siddhartha: “These soldiers speak for me. Who will speak for you?”

3. “Then Siddhartha reached out his right hand to touch the earth, and the earth itself spoke: ‘I bear you witness!’ Mara disappeared. To this day, the Buddha often is portrayed in this ‘earth witness’ posture, with his left hand, palm upright, in his lap, and his right hand touching the earth. And as the morning star rose in the sky, Siddhartha Gautama realized enlightenment and became a Buddha.”²

4. “On the morning of his enlightenment, the Buddha described his waking up, his experience of Nirvana like this: I have found a nectar-like dharma, profound, peaceful, free from reference points, luminous, and unconditioned.”³

5. The Japanese word “rohatsu” means “the eighth day of the twelfth month” on which Buddhists commemorate Siddhartha’s enlightenment. During the seven days leading to up to this day, many Soto and Rinzai Zen temples sit “rohatsu sesshin.” The word “sesshin” means “to collect or to touch body-mind.”

6. “Rohatsu Sesshin is observed from December 1 through 8. For seven days, practitioners sit zazen, only taking breaks for meals—which take place in the zendo oryoki style—for kinhin, samu, chanting, and sleep. Some Zen temples even encourage practitioners to sleep while sitting up in the zazen posture all through the night of December 7.”⁴

7. “On the morning of December 8, incense is lit; offerings of candles, flowers, fruit, sweet water, tea, and sweets are offered on the altar; and sutras chanted. The merit of these offerings is given to Shakyamuni Buddha out of gratitude for the Dharma.” ⁵

8. “Traditionally, this observation—sometimes called "Bodhi Day"—was held on the 8th day of a 12th lunar month, which often falls in January. When Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 19th century, Japanese Buddhists adopted fixed days for many holidays, including Buddha's birthday. Western Buddhists of many schools appear to be adopting December 8 as Bodhi Day, also. Bodhi means "awakened" in Sanskrit, although in English we tend to say "enlightened."⁶

9. At San Francisco Zen Center, we celebrate Buddha’s enlightenment with a beautiful ceremony where we circumambulate the zendo, tossing flower petals and herbs into the air, while chanting the “Maka Hannya Haramitta Shin Gyō” accompanied by a vigorous accompaniment on the taiko drum. The ino (supervisor of the meditation hall) offers this homage to the assembly:

   “On this winter morning many centuries ago,
   after long and patient struggle to find the truth,

   a human being looked up and saw the morning star for the first time 

   and was set completely free, laying down his heavy burden once and for all, 

   realizing unsurpassable peace, heart opened wide as the sky.

   And from his mouth came forth a great lion's roar: 

   “I was, am, and will be fully awakened simultaneously with the entire universe.”

   Thus mountains, rivers, the great earth, and all living beings 

   are residing in the eye of Shakyamuni Buddha, 

   and Buddha's eye has become each of our bodies here and now,
   dropped off, compassionate, and joyous beyond measure.  

   Today with deep gratitude we celebrate this inconceivable liberation.” 

10. In the Transmission of the Light, Keizan Jokin says this about Siddhartha Gautama’s statement upon realizing awakening:

    “Do not hold to a false notion of Gautama becoming Shakyamuni and realizing enlightenment; do not see Shakyamuni Buddha as apart from the whole great earth and all its sentient beings. Even though the great earth with its mountains and rivers may flourish luxuriantly in its myriad forms, nothing is excluded from the EYE of Gautama. All of you, too, arise within the EYE of Gautama.”

1. O'Brien, Barbara. "The Enlightenment of the Buddha." Learn Religions, Feb. 8, 2021, learnreligions.com/the-enlightenment-of-the-buddha-449789.

2. Ibid.

3. Brunnhölzl, Karl. The Heart Attack Sutra. Snow Lion, Boulder CO, 2012.

4. Amato, Seigaku. The Completed Illustrated Guide to Zen. Wisdom Publications, Somerville, MA, 2021.

5. Ibid.

6. O'Brien, Barbara. "Rohatsu." Learn Religions, Aug. 25, 2020, learnreligions.com/rohatsu-449855.

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