DDM Celebrate Buddha’s Birthday with Bathing the Buddha Ceremony Attended by Thousands of Followers

On May 17 and 18, for two consecutive days, Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education received over two thousand followers from around the world to participate in the Buddha's Birthday celebration. Taiwan's New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-Yi (侯友宜) and local representatives were among distinguished guests invited to attend the Bathing the Buddha Ceremony at 10 a.m. on May 18. Together with DDM Abbot President Ven. Guo Huei (果暉法師), their blessing prayers extended to everyone in hopes of finding peace, health, happiness and bliss in our society.

During the Bathing the Buddha Ceremony, Ven. Guo Huei explained to the guest representatives and participants that Buddhist disciples and followers annually organize pilgrimages, Bathing the Buddha ceremonies and many other related activities as gestures of gratitude to Shakyamuni Buddha for coming to the human world and attaining Buddhahood, and, in doing so, teaching us to purify our minds. The Abbot President also reminded everyone to offer our blessing prayers to all the mothers of the world while bathing the Buddha, including our nurturing Mother Earth. This is so we can protect our environment and conserve our energy resources by applying Four Kinds of Environmentalism ---including protecting the spiritual, natural, living and social evironments-- so that our future generations could inherit a sustainable existence and continue to strive towards building a Pure Land on Earth.

Mayor Hou expressed his appreciation towards DDM Founder Master Sheng Yen for establishing Dharma Drum Mountain here in Jinshan, bringing bliss and harmony to this world through his legacy of sustainable environmental protection concepts and methods. He went on to explain that the "Power of Great Aspiration" hanging scroll gifted to him by the Abbot President induced three primary aspirations within himself: firstly, may everyone view and treat others with appreciation, positivity and kindness; secondly, may the nation be prosperous and the people live in peace, with a harmonious and stable society, where everyone extend loving care to the needy, and participate in the drive for sustainable development; thirdly, may Taiwan one day take on an influential role on the international stage as a compelling force for world peace."

On May 17 and 18 for two days starting at 7:30 a.m., the Medicine Buddha Trail and Lotus Bell Park Trail were lined full of people chanting out the Buddha's name in unison. Furthermore, with the "three steps and one bow" motion, they moved along the trails, steadily marking their path towards repentance of their karmic sins and elimination of their arrogance. Arriving at the final destination in front of the Wish-fulfilling Guanyin Hall, they transferred the merits of this pilgrimage to their parents, elders, teachers, and Mother Earth, while giving thanks to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for their kind and compassionate protection.

Amongst the first group to complete the pilgrimage on May 18 was Wang Xiu-ru (王秀如) from Yilan, stating that this was her first pilgrimage experience. Throughout the process she felt contentedly happy and without a disquieting thought, while aspiring to transfer this merit to her mother and wishing her good health. Another participant, Liu Zhong-han (劉宗漢) remarked that he and his 84 year old mother were very joyous and grateful after seeing the latter fulfill her first pilgrimage wish accompanied by volunteers. They both offered their blessings of bliss and happiness to all the other participants.

Rutgers State University visiting group member Jade Miller indicated that her purpose of visiting DDM was to understand the Buddhism culture of Taiwan. This was her first trip to Taiwan, in addition to her first Bathing the Buddha ceremony. Together with her fellow school mates, they were touched by the feeling of peace and tranquility deep in their minds upon arriving at Dharma Drum Mountain. She also prayed before the Buddha with her hope that everyone may live in peace.

Original Chinese text: 張曜鐘
Photos: 李東陽、張曜鐘、周龍聖
Translation: 張振郁
Editing: Keith Brown, YKL