By Bruce Wallace

My Tazaungdaing started here. The Tri-shaw Driver Association marches along a downtown street headed for a ferry terminal on the Yangon River. They bang out a song on mic and keyboard routed through a 1）PA. Their bikes are loaded down with kahtein， cash， robes， fans and umbrellas to be donated to Buddhist monks.

Tazaungdaing is a major moment in the Burmese Buddhist year. It happens in the fall on the full moon day that marks the close and climax of a month of religious offering. Families and professional groups pool their resources. The monastery the tri-shaw drivers are heading to is in an under-developed township across the river from downtown. Off the ferry and up the 2）gangplank to a crowded parking area and more waiting and dancing. Back downtown， a group of monks is on an “3）alms walk.” Its a regular sight in Yangon， but with added significance today.

In the evening crowds converge on the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda. Locals believe it dates back 2，500 years to the time of the Buddha and that eight strands of his hair are enshrined here. Visitors pause to pray and leave offerings at shrines around the central spire. The offerings pile up. Candles light the Buddhas symbolic return to Earth after three months of celestial teaching.

All over Yangon， Tazaungdaing balances reverence with 4）revelry.

我的點燈節(jié)之旅從這里開始。三輪車夫協(xié)會的隊伍沿著城中心區(qū)的街道游行，一路向仰光河邊的一個渡船碼頭走去。人們通過麥克風(fēng)和鍵盤彈唱的歌曲從一套擴音設(shè)備響亮地傳出，他們的車上滿載著準備捐獻給佛教僧侶的僧衣、錢幣、長袍、扇子和雨傘。

點燈節(jié)是緬甸佛歷年中的重要時刻，在秋天的月圓之日舉行，它標志著歷時一個月的宗教供奉活動在此時達到了高潮，同時也接近尾聲。很多家庭及專業(yè)團體把他們的東西集中起來去捐獻。三輪車夫們前往的寺廟位于與城中心區(qū)隔河相望的一個落后小鎮(zhèn)里，他們下了渡船，走過跳板，來到擁擠的停車區(qū)，跳著舞繼續(xù)等待。而在城中心區(qū)，一隊僧侶在進行“行腳化緣”，這在仰光很常見，但此舉在今天意義不同尋常。

傍晚，人們聚集到仰光的地標仰光大金塔。當?shù)厝讼嘈胚@個塔建于2500年前的佛陀時代，這里供奉著8縷佛陀的頭發(fā)。朝拜的人們先停下來拜祭，然后將貢品留在中央尖塔周圍的神龕上。貢品堆積成小山，明亮的燭光象征著佛陀在天國講經(jīng)三個月后回到人間。

在仰光各處，敬佛與狂歡在點燈節(jié)活動中并行。翻譯：Wendy

緬甸點燈節(jié)（Lighting Lantern Day）

這是緬甸的一個傳統(tǒng)民間節(jié)日，又稱光明節(jié)。通常在緬歷七月月圓之日舉行。據(jù)佛教傳說，佛祖釋迦牟尼曾于緬歷的四月十五日至七月十五日為眾神講經(jīng)。在這期間，所有僧侶要安居坐臘，信徒也要避免遷居嫁娶。七月月圓的時候，釋迦牟尼在眾神的簇擁之下來到人間，緬甸人民便點上各種彩燈和蠟燭迎接。這一天也是僧侶們解除安居的日子，因此點燈節(jié)又稱解夏節(jié)。節(jié)日期間，所有佛寺、佛塔、民居和街道會裝飾上彩燈，臨時搭起的彩色牌樓、彩棚、戲臺和小吃店遍布城鎮(zhèn)。人們還要去佛寺拜佛，年輕人要準備禮物向長者敬拜。