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Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa. Details recorded here should be sourced; unknown information is left blank.
MORE →Reflects the personal views, recollections, and perspective of the author, Mike Davis.
This is a personal recollection on the Move fire on May 13, 1985
| Translations of Vassa | |
|---|---|
| English | Rains Retreat |
| Burmese | ဝါတွင်း [wàdwíɰ̃] |
| Chinese | 雨安居 (Pinyin: yu an ju) |
| Japanese | 安居 (Rōmaji: Ango) |
| Khmer | វស្សា (UNGEGN: vôssa) |
| Lao | ພັນສາ, ວັດສາ [pʰán sǎː], Watsa |
| Tagalog | vassa |
| Tibetan | དབྱར་གནས (Yarne) |
| Thai | พรรษา, วรรษา RTGS: phansa, pronounced [pʰān.sǎː] RTGS: watsa |
| Vietnamese | an cư |
| Glossary of Buddhism | |
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Vassa (Pali: vassa-, Sanskrit: varṣa-, both "rain") is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada Buddhists. Taking place during the wet season, Vassa lasts for three lunar months, usually from July onwards.[1]
In English, Vassa is also called Rains Retreat.[2] While Vassa is sometimes casually called "Buddhist Lent", others object to this terminology.[3][4]
For the duration of Vassa, monastics remain in one place, typically a monastery or temple grounds.[4][5] In some monasteries, monks dedicate the Vassa to intensive meditation.[4] Some Buddhist lay people choose to observe Vassa by adopting more ascetic practices, such as giving up meat, alcohol, or smoking.[1] In Thailand, the sale of alcohol is prohibited on the first (Wan Khao Phansa) and last (Wan Ok Phansa) days of Vassa.[6] Commonly, the number of years a monk has spent in monastic life is expressed by counting the number of vassas (or rains) since ordination.
Mahayana Buddhists also observe Vassa. Vietnamese Thiền and Korean Seon monastics observe an equivalent retreat of three months of intensive practice in one location, a practice also observed in Tibetan Buddhism.[citation needed]
Vassa begins on the first day of the waning moon of the eighth lunar month, which is the day after Asalha Puja or Asalha Uposatha ("Dhamma day"). It ends on Pavarana, when all monastics come before the sangha and atone for any offense that might have been committed during Vassa.
Vassa is followed by Kathina, a festival in which the laity expresses gratitude to monks.[7][8] Lay Buddhists bring donations to temples, especially new robes for the monks.[7][8][9]
The Vassa tradition predates the time of Gautama Buddha.[1] It was a long-standing custom for mendicant ascetics in India not to travel during the rainy season as they may unintentionally harm crops, insects or even themselves during their travels.[4][non-primary source needed] Many Buddhist ascetics live in regions which lack a rainy season.[8] Consequently, there are places where Vassa may not be typically observed.[8]
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Source: Wikipedia. Article content is retrieved live through the MediaWiki API.
Vassa (Pali: vassa-, Sanskrit: varṣa-, both "rain") is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada Buddhists. Taking place during the wet season, Vassa lasts for three lunar months, usually from July onwards. In English, Vassa is also called Rains Retreat. While Vassa is sometimes casually called "Buddhist Lent", others object to this terminology. For the duration of Vassa, monastics remain in one place, typically a monastery or temple grounds. In some monasteries, monks dedicate the Vassa to intensive meditation. Some Buddhist lay people choose to observe Vassa by adopting more ascetic practices, such as giving up meat, alcohol, or smoking. In Thailand, the sale of alcohol is prohibited on the first (Wan Khao Phansa) and last (Wan Ok Phansa) days of Vassa. Commonly, the number of years a monk has spent in monastic life is expressed by counting the number of vassas (or rains) since ordination. Mahayana Buddhists also observe Vassa. Vietnamese Thiền and Korean Seon monastics observe an equivalent retreat of three months of intensive practice in one location, a practice also observed in Tibetan Buddhism. Vassa begins on the first day of the waning moon of the eighth lunar month, which is the day after Asalha Puja or Asalha Uposatha ("Dhamma day"). It ends on Pavarana, when all monastics come before the sangha and atone for any offense that might have been committed during Vassa. Vassa is followed by Kathina, a festival in which the laity expresses gratitude to monks. Lay Buddhists bring donations to temples, especially new robes for the monks. The Vassa tradition predates the time of Gautama Buddha. It was a long-standing custom for mendicant ascetics in India not to travel during the rainy season as they may unintentionally harm crops, insects or even themselves during their travels. Many Buddhist ascetics live in regions which lack a rainy season. Consequently, there are places where Vassa may not be typically observed.
Joanna Vassa (; 11 April 1795 – 10 March 1857) was the only surviving adult child of the former slave and anti-slavery campaigner Olaudah Equiano. Her grave in Abney Park Cemetery, London, was given listed status in 2008 but little is known of her life.
Saint Vassa (Greek: Αγία Βάσσα) was a 4th-century Christian martyr from Edessa in Greek Macedonia. She and her three children were tortured to death. She is venerated on August 21, by the Greek Orthodox Church and Serbian Orthodox Church. A Maronite synaxarium was dedicated to her.
A Vassa candle, or Tean Vassa, is a giant beeswax candle that is burned for the duration of the Theravada Buddhist festival of Vassa. These candles are most frequently used in Cambodia and Thailand. The Vassa candle has been compared to the paschal candle of Christians, burned during the entirety of Paschaltide.
Before the 1921 destruction of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Black residents had created a remarkable center of business and community life. The district included stores, professional offices, entertainment venues and homes owned by Black citizens. Understanding Greenwood means learning what was built—not only what was burned.
MORE →Joe Louis.
