SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS DATE: SATURDAY, 21 ST FEBRUARY Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre, Queenstown

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1 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS DATE: SATURDAY, 21 ST FEBRUARY 2015

2 CONTENT Mythology Calendar Spiritual Traditions Evolution of Man Conclusion

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4 MYTHOLOGY According to tales and legends, the beginning of the Chinese New Year started with a mythical beast called the Nian. Nian would come on the first day of New Year to eat livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. It was believed that after the Nian ate the food they prepared, it wouldn't attack any more people. One day a villager decided to get revenge of the Nian.

5 MYTHOLOGY A god visited him and told him to put red paper on his house and to place firecrackers. The villagers then understood that the Nian was afraid of the color red. When the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. People also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nian. From then on, Nian never came to the village again. The Nian was eventually captured by Hongjun Laozu, an ancient Taoist monk. The Nian became Hongjun Laozu's mount

6 Symbolism Inner monster of Nian Food is the sadhana we practice to keep Nian away. Red paper and firecrackers are the strong spiritual practices. MYTHOLOGY The taoist monk represents the light of wisdom within us that when attained will make the monster meek and controlled.

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8 CALENDAR Lunisolar calendar based on movement of the moon. Calendar dates back to around 2100 BC under Xia Dynasty and Shang Dynasty Based on unique combination of astronomy and geograpy through observation and exploration. Each time the moon moves into line with the earth and the sun a new month begins and this is called 'Chu Yi' or 'Shuo Ri' (the first day of a lunar month).

9 CALENDAR The longest day of a year or Summer Solstice falls on the 21st or 22nd of June, and the shortest day is the Winter Solstice on either December 21, 22, or 23. Using these two annual events the year was divided into in 24 equal parts, each forming the 24 solar terms. The month with its first day nearest the Beginning of Spring (the first solar term) is the first lunar month, and on that day the Spring Festival is held and this varies between January 20th and February 20th.

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11 Traditions : SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS The handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice A long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting Spiritual : Relating to the spirit or soul, as distinguished from the physical nature Spirituality means getting rid of attachment and hatred and looking upon the whole humanity as One.

12 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS Tradition: Giving a thorough clean before New Year Belief: Drive away bad luck of old baggage to get ready for a new start. Symbolism: Clean our hearts of old negative feelings and habits and make way to start anew with inculcating more wholesome thoughts and feelings.

13 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS Today you have dusted and cleaned your houses and their surroundings, painted and whitewashed the walls; you have drawn auspicious designs on the floor; you have tied up festoons and floral wreaths over your doors. All this is simply outer decoration. Decide to remove the evils of egotism, greed, hatred and jealousy and become aware in the new light that will dawn in the Aathma (Supreme soul) in all its glory. - Makara Sankranthi,

14 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS Tradition: Reunion Dinner Belief: Start the year with family unity. Symbolism: Re-establish whom and what supports us in life. Family can represent a group of loved ones influencing one on the path to goodness.

15 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS Tradition: Shou Sui Stay awake during the whole night. Some go to temple to pray. Belief: Tradition since BC. Family members to familiarise with each other. Symbolism: Re-establish whom and what supports us in life. Family can represent a group of loved ones influencing one on the path to goodness.

16 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS Tradition: Firecrackers set off at midnight (Eve to 1 st day) Belief: Tradition for 2000 years to scare away Nian. Symbolism: It is the darkest before dawn and that is the time indulge in practices to push evil within ourselves away.

17 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS Tradition: 1 st Day- Chinese Buddhist abstain from eating meat. Birthday of Maitreya Buddha Belief: Ensure longevity for themselves and venerate the Buddha to be. Symbolism: No harm to others in terms of deeds.

18 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS Tradition: 15 th Day- Lantern Festival - Rice dumplings, a sweet glutinous rice ball brewed in a soup, are eaten this day. Candles are lit outside houses. This day is celebrated as the Lantern Festival, and families walk the street carrying lighted lanterns. Belief: Candles lit outside the house is a way to guide wayward spirits home. Symbolism: Lights represent the path we should follow and never lose sight of it.

19 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS Tradition: Visitors present a pair (sometimes a few pairs) of Mandarin oranges for exchange with the host. As the oranges are exchanged, both parties greet each other with good wishes or auspicious words. Belief: Represent Gold nuggets bringing prosperity. A pair of Mandarin Oranges is homophone to gold. Symbolism: Bringing sweetness to one s life where the internal matters apart from external.

20 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS Tradition: Red packets - are passed out during the Chinese New Year's celebrations, from married couples or the elderly to unmarried juniors. It is also common for adults or young couples to give red packets to children. Red packets almost always contain money, usually varying from a couple of dollars to several hundred. Per custom, the amount of money in the red packets should be of even numbers, as odd numbers are associated with cash given during funerals. The number 8 is considered lucky and $8 is commonly found in the red envelopes in the US. The number six is also very lucky as it sounds like 'smooth' (liú), in the sense of having a smooth year. The number four is the worst because its homophone is "death. Sometimes chocolate coins are found in the red packets.

21 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS Belief: It was believed that the money in the red packet will suppress the evil from the children, keep them healthy, and give them a long life. The act of requesting for red packets is normally called tǎo-hóngbāo. A married person would not turn down such a request as it would mean that he or she would be "out of luck" in the new year. Red packets are generally given by established married couples to the younger non-married children of the family. It is custom and polite for children to wish elders a happy new year and a year of happiness, health and good fortune before accepting the red envelope. Red envelopes are then kept under the pillow and slept on for seven days after Chinese New Year before opening because it symbolizes good luck and fortune when you sleep on the red envelopes for seven nights. Symbolism: Relationship between young and old. Spiritual evolution.

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23 EVOLUTION OF MAN From birth comes death and vice versa. Physical human goes through different stages of life such as: Youth Adult Elder The soul experiences the different stages of physical life. What we are is determined by our upbringing and experiences

24 Youth Energy Passion Naivety Learning Adult Maturity Sensibility Elder Wisdom EVOLUTION OF MAN

25 EVOLUTION OF MAN In ancient times, the sages and saints sacrificed everything for the sake of the welfare of humanity. Even the youth of those times followed suit. They are remembered even today because of their spirit of selfless sacrifice. On the contrary, the youth of today are becoming exceedingly greedy and totally selfish and harbouring feelings of hatred and jealousy, while those in the ancient times were leading a life of Thyaaga and Yoga (sacrifice and sense control). The present day youth want to lead a life of Bhoga (enjoying worldly and carnal pleasures) which results in toga (disease). -Discourse during the World Youth Conference on in Sai Kulvanth Mandap.

26 EVOLUTION OF MAN Young people should consider the true purpose of life. They should get rid of all the impurities in their hearts. With pure hearts they should embark on service at all times and everywhere. "Hands in society, head in the forest." From today develop an unwavering mind and a steady vision. That is the way to divinise the world. -Discourse during the World Youth Conference on in Sai Kulvanth Mandap.

27 EVOLUTION OF MAN Some of the elders sitting in the verandah are indulging in gossip. It is finding its way into the internet. Any one found talking in the verandah should be sent out immediately, whosoever it may be. All those who give misleading information about what Swami tells them in the interview room should also be thrown out. I will never call such people for interview again. Only those who observe silence are good people. -15 October 1999 Prasanthi Nilayam

28 EVOLUTION OF MAN Do not give scope for ill feelings and worthless talk. You can even reprimand the elders who indulge in mean talk. Tell them to behave in a manner that befits their status as elders in the society. They should prove themselves as elders in conduct and not by age. Self-respect leads to self-satisfaction, which will in turn leads to self-realisation. It is a shame that people who come here for self-realisation indulge in something contrary. -15 October 1999 Prasanthi Nilayam

29 EVOLUTION OF MAN Fillial Piety is an important value for the Chinese. The relationship between young and old is a sacred and spiritual relationship. Naivety to Wisdom to Liberation. All relationships are duly respected.

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31 CONCLUSION Based on their different regional and ethnic differences, people in different regions of the world developed different faiths and cultures. But the essence of all their beliefs is one and the same principle. That is the principle of love. There is no human being in the world without love. However, that love expresses itself in many ways. - Chinese New Year, 13 th Feb 1997

32 CONCLUSION You should not regard countries as different and languages as barriers. The underlying unity has to be understood. Different people use different words to describe the same thing, for example, water. Whatever the words used, the substance is the same. It is essential to see the unity that underlies the apparent diversity. When more and more people recognize this unity most of the worlds problems will get solved. All social conflicts will end when people learn to see the one Divine in all beings. It is the hatred born of divisive feelings which is the cause of deadly discord in society. The Atmic Principle is the means of liberation. Self control is the means to secure divine grace. - Chinese New Year, 13th Feb 1997

33 REFERENCE WEBSITE Chinese New Year Traditions: Wikipaedia: Customs and Activities of Chinese New Year: Sai Darshan: International Sathya Sai Organisation:

34 END OF PRESENTATION A Presentation By, Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre Queenstown