Exhibition
Buddhists and tourists participate in the sacred “sunning of the Buddha” ceremony to mark the start of the annual Shoton festival at the Zhaibung (Drepung) Monastery in Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, Aug. 6, 2013. The Shoton festival dates back to the 11th century and was originally a religious occasion, when local people offered yogurt to monks who had finished their meditation retreats. Since the 17th century, the festival has become a celebration featuring both religious rituals and civil entertainment. It is now considered as one of the most important festivals on the Tibetan calendar. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)
Tuesday marks the start of the Shoton Festival, one of the most important days on the Tibetan calendar. Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered at the Drepung Monastery in Lhasa to pay respect. A solemn start for an auspicious day. A chance to talk to the Buddha to pray for a happy life.
Early in the morning, lamas at Drepung Monastery prepare to welcome the giant painting, or thangka, of the Buddha for its annual unfolding. It’s the most important religious event here in Lhasa.
“This Buddha Exhibition of Drepung Monastery has a history of over 300 years. It means a lot to both the pilgrims and visitors.” Awang Qunzin, Monk, Drepung Monastery said.
After the major ceremony at the main assembly hall, lamas carry the huge thangka scroll to the exhibition site. It’s on the mountain side behind the hall. Crowds of believers and tourists have come to pray, receive a blessing, and view the magnificent portrait. To get a good vantage point, most arrived long before the ceremony.
Slowly, the first glimmer of light appears on the mountain, and over the city of more than 14-hundred years of history. The atmosphere is joyous and reverent. The giant portrait of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, is finally unveiled. The masterpiece measures some 400 square meters. Pilgrims flood towards the portrait to pay their respects. They throw white silk cloths called khadas, symbols of purity and devotion. And they walk around the mountain, hoping to be blessed.
“It is peaceful. It is full of positive power and encourages me a lot.” Tibetan Resident said. For Tibetans, the ceremony is a cornerstone of the expression of their faith. And for tourists, it’s an experience of Tibet’s profound traditional culture.
“Originally, the Buddha exhibition ceremony was purely religious. Now, it has become the opening of the yearly Shoton festival. To this day the spiritual connection remains strong – a connection that cannot be fully explained in words, but can be felt deeply in Tibetan hearts. Han Bin, CCTV from Drepuung Monastery.” Han Bin said.
Source: http://www.ecns.cn/2013/08-06/76164.shtml
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Wow……Shoton Festival is one of the largest and most famous festivals in Tibet. First time coming across this festival…..glad to have come across this old post. It is a great opportunity for us to know there is such a traditional Tibetan Culture. Amazing during this festival, Tibetan artists will perform traditional operas, and important monasteries display large huge Thangkas – Buddha paintings. It is one of the grandest transitional festivals in Tibet, to mark the end of monks hundred days summer retreat eating yogurt. Displaying huge Thangka or Buddha Painting, the Tibetans considered it is a blessing. The unveiling of the Thangka is one of the most exciting moments for them and many visitors will be there to witness it.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Thank you for sharing this article and giving a wonderful colorful annual Shoton festival celebration of Zhaibung Monastery in Lhasa.
Wow, its amazing to see the joyful crowd of people, remarking the importance of the festival. The spiritual gathering boost the people of Lhasa to be more united and to have a blessed day. The unique of the festival is the beautiful giant painting of the thangka.
Hope to visit and witness the festival with family and friends.
It is such an auspicious occasion to be at in Lhasa at the day of the annual unfolding and exhibition of the “sunning of the Buddha”.
I rejoice for this most sacred festival. It would be great to witness this one day.
Thank You Rinpoche for sharing.
Humbly,
Pastor Antoinette
Thank you, dear Rinpoche, for sharing about this lovely exhibition of this huge Buddha thangka. I really want to visit. It is nice to see such a huge thangka. It will not only benefit those who practice but will also plant the seeds to the surrounding beings, form and formless of all the six realms. Hopefully, we could one day do the same in Malaysia. We might be able to do so at KFR. Hehe
感恩仁波切的分享
这是如此充满法喜的节日，祈愿我们的克切拉禅修林，能茁壮的成长，并把上述的一个充满法喜的节日，从那里延续到我们的这一片土地上，造福无尽的众生
感恩仁波切的分享，教诲我们无论是佩戴佛像，赞美佛像，观看佛像，迎请或赠与佛像，都能让我们及一切众生，无论任何众生即使只是许许而过，同样的我们会因此而广结善缘，为我们累积福德资粮，为一切众生留下一个美丽且力量的佛法印记
Its beautiful to have such celebrations of this scale! It truly shows the devotion and care of the practitioners which in itself is cause to rejoice.
To have such a large image of Buddha Sakyamuni to bless all those that gaze upon him is truly wonderful. Such is the reason why large statues are erected in the first place I would assume.
Here are some examples of Buddha images used:
1. https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/huge-statue-of-luang-phor-thuad-%E9%BE%99%E6%99%AE%E6%89%98-in-thailand.html
2. https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/current-affairs/fantastic-buddha-decor-tao.html
3. https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/52-grand-statues-of-the-world.html
从小就看过今古奇观记录片介绍过这藏传佛教著名的神圣“晒佛”日。那时就感觉很壮观很殊胜，就觉得为什么我们本国佛教节日没有庆祝呢？很遗憾！
希望我有机会可以现场观看这殊胜的节日。谢谢仁波切的分享。
Nice wish we can have an unfurling of this at one of the mountain ranges it will bless the people who have come to view it.
400 square meters! The thangka painter(s) must have great merit to deliver this masterpiece.
I love this! It is spectacular and its always great to have festivities centered around the 3 jewels. It doesn’t matter that it have become less of a spiritual affair because the object is still the 3 jewels. People now have more distractions and have less and less opportunities to meet the Dharma and so this becomes one of the great ways for a Dharma connection. I believe people would enjoy the awesome sight and the religious can still take it to be a spiritual affair.
What a grand Shoton Festival! The giant Buddha thangka is so spectacular, hundreds of thousands of buddhists and tourists have been so fortunately blessed by this holy event. May this Buddha Exhibition tradition will continue to grow year after year. Thanks for sharing the beautiful giant portrait of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism.
WOW! That is an amazingly beautiful thangka! And its so huge! This is really one beautiful exhibition. The description of the joyous day sounds so beautiful and serene. I can’t believe the lamas are able to carry Buddha Shakyamuni’s thangka up that mountain to the exhibition site. Even if this spiritual event has turned into a festival, it still brings pilgrims and tourist to visit and experience such a beautiful event and receiving wonderful blessings. Thank you for sharing this beautiful photo Rinpoche, really wish i could go see it in person.
This is a big event that has attracted many people and may all those who have seen this holy image be blessed and may it create imprints in their mind stream.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for sharing with us.
Dear Rinpoche,
It is great to know that there such great festivals for people to pray and admire the big Thangka of Buddha Shakyamuni.
If only they would have such a Big Thangka and a festival similar to the “sunning of the Buddha” Festival in Malaysia I am pretty sure it would attract more tourists to visit Malaysia.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing about this!
Rest Well!
Love
Jutika
Thank you for sharing about this lovely Exhibition. Its good to know that there is such a time and place like this. And that this has been going on for 300 years! Amazing. And the 400 square metre portrait of Sakyamuni is amazing. Huge! Which is what makes it so special.
Thank You for sharing about the Buddha exhibition Rinpoche, this is something I have never heard before, glad that i’m able to learn about it here. It must be very auspicious to be able to look at the big thangka or painting, to me it feels like seeing the Buddha Himself, which is very blessed. I’m very shocked by the history of the exhibition itself, it has more than 300 years of history! It’s very nice that such a wonderful tradition is still passing on after so many years.
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
Wow, wish we have more grand Buddhist ceremonies like this in Malaysia… in Malaysia only Wesak day is celebrated with such grandeur. Thanks for sharing this picture. Really nice to see so many people participating.
Thank you for sharing about this lovely Buddha exhibition. I really want to visit. It is nice to see sucha huge thangka. It will not only benefit those who practice but will also plant the seeds to the surrounding beings, form and formless. Hopefully, we could one day do the same in Malaysia.
In all Buddhist traditions, we believe that just by hearing the Buddha’s name, seeing his beautiful countenance, and even thinking about him earns one great merit! Hence, such a celebration of peace and harmony to pervade the entire world will need an image of the Buddha so big too bless the world and its environment.
May all those who sees, hear and even think of the Buddha be brought to the stages of Enlightenment.
http://www.wdtn.com/dpps/entertainment/must_see_video/giant-buddha-painting-unfolds-over-hill-nd13_6602044#.UgR2uJKnoWc … You can see for yourself how the giant thangka is carried up and unfolded over the hill.
Shelly tai on 8 August 2013 at 418pm
Very nice Sakyamuni thangka very grand! Thank you Rinpoche for sharing with us.
Thank goodnes they have such pure motivation to preserve the Buddha Exhibition and Shoton Festival by the sangha community of Drepung Monastery. The festival evolved from exhibiting Buddha Shakyamuni thangka for people to receive blessings, an art piece, an offering to bless the end of meditation retreat, an expression of faith and continuation of spiritual practice. May this festival continue to benefit many.
Whether it is religious or festive, this beautiful Buddha Shakyamuni thangka blesses everyone present. A wonderful tradition that draws many from everywhere, Buddhists and tourists, helping to create awareness towards Buddhism & creating imprints/connection in their mindstream. Just as our Vajrayogini Stupa will do,in the near future as it may be the first ever VY Stupa to be built. Really look forward to the blessings that it will bring to all in Kechara Forest Retreat.
Thank you for sharing about this wonderful Buddha Exhibition. Although the event has become more festival than spiritual over the years, i believe that the large thangka of Shakyamuni will still plant dharma seeds in all who attend the festival. I am a great believer in traditions so it is good that this tradition is still continuing after 300 years… perhaps we can start a similar tradition here in Malaysia…