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Indonesian Buddhists observe Waisak, emphasizing religious tolerance
Buddhists gathered in temples and other holy sites across the archipelago to solemnly observe Gautama Buddha’s Day of Enlightenment, conveying messages of peace and tolerance in a politically tumultuous period.
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Buddhist priests walk in a procession to observe Waisak in the early morning of Saturday at Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java. (JP/Berto Wedhatama)
T
he Waisak celebration at the Tri Ratna temple in Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra, emphasized the importance of religious tolerance and national identity at a time when political controversy dominates public discourse following last month’s presidential election.
The head supervisor of the temple, Tony Aci, called on the public to remain respectful of others despite political differences. The temple is one of several set alight by mobs in 2016.
“We want the country to be eternally peaceful,” Tony told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
The temple’s Waisak celebration included a candle carnival and a vegetarian feast and was attended by thousands of Buddhists on Saturday evening.
Tony said this year’s Waisak procession took place within the temple’s compound to avoid public disturbances in light of the Meiliana blasphemy case of 2016.
Meiliana, a Buddhist from Tanjung Balai, was convicted of blasphemy after complaining about the volume of the adzan (Islamic call to prayer), which she had deemed too loud. Her complaint triggered anti-Chinese riots, with Muslims burning down several Buddhist temples in Tanjung Balai, including Tri Ratna.
Read also: The Meiliana case: How a noise complaint resulted in an 18-month jail sentence
