Sitang Mei-Pee, a Buddhist celebration was observed with great devotion by the Theravada Buddhist across Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday. Sitang Mei-Pee generally marks the end of rainy season and is celebrated in the mid year as per the Buddhist Lunar Calendar and it is an auspicious occasion for all the Theravada Buddhist.
On this day the lay devotees visit their respective Buddha Viharas for offering of Holy Scriptures - Suktha Nipan or Suji-dhamma-wat Lik popularly known as Lu Lik by the Tai Khamptis for the departed soul of their close and dear ones and to pay homage to triple gems- Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha besides offering food, flowers, candles, incense sticks in the temple. A lay person on this day cleanses their homes, granaries and has early morning baths (before the sunrise) to make their day free from all misfortunes and ill health. Just before the day of Sitang Mei-Pee, the lay practitioners’ at evening plants small branches of ma-kho (Boguri in Assamese) in their respective homes to avert any misfortune in their homes and also seeks blessings from elders by phuk-mai (tying holy threads) in their both hands.
The Theravada Buddhist residing in capital complex also observed the day with full devotion and enthusiasm. During the day, the lay practitioners pledged to observe the five precepts and many also vowed to observe the eight precepts.
Scholar Kesang Aryadhamma delivering his discourse, explained about the significance of celebration of Sitang Mei-Pee to the devotees. He also read out verses from Sutta Pitaka from the Tipitaka or Pali canon explaining about the importance of discourses delivered by the Buddha Himself on various occasions. The Sutta Pitaka is one of the many divisions of Tipitaka or Pali Cannon consists chiefly of discourses delivered by the Buddha Himself on various occasions. There are also a few discourses delivered by some of His distinguished disciples, such as the Venerable Sariputta, Ananda, Moggallana, etc., included in it. It is like a book of prescriptions, as the sermons embodied therein were expounded to suit the different occasions and the temperaments of various persons. There may be seemingly contradictory statements, but they should not be misconstrued as they were opportunely uttered by the Buddha to suit a particular purpose, he added.
To mark the day at Itanagar Theravada Buddha Temple a community feast was also arranged for everyone present during the ceremony.
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