DDM San Francisco Bay Area Center Held the Bathing-the-Buddha Ceremony to Express Gratitude to the Buddha's birth for Bringing the Dharma to the World

The 8^th day of the 4^th lunar month is the Buddha's birthday, also known as the Bathing the Buddha Festival. Legend has it that when the Buddha was born in Lumbini Garden, nine dragons poured spring from their mouths to bathe him. Since then, the Bathing-the-Buddha Ceremony has become an important event to celebrate the Buddha's Birthday. On May 18^th, Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) San Francisco Bay Area Center organized the Bathing-the-Buddha Ceremony, which was joined by more than a hundred of Buddhist followers and volunteers, to celebrate the Buddha's birthday as well as express gratitude to the Buddha's teaching. 

The Dharma assembly began with the participants chanting the Praise of Precepts and Concentration (戒定真香讚), followed by the recitation of the Heart Sutra, the Praise of the Buddha (佛寶讚), and the Verse for Praising Sakyamuni Buddha (讚釋迦牟尼佛偈). Then, amidst the solemn chanting of the Buddha's name "Shi Jia Ru Lai" (Shakyamuni Tathagata), everyone took turns to bathe the Buddha statue. Afterwards, participants repented and made vows while prostrating, after which they transferred merit.

Ven. Chang Xiang (常襄法師), Director of San Francisco Bay Area Center, explained the origin of the Bathing-the-Buddha Ceremony. He also quoted from the Sutra on the Merit of Bathing the Buddha (浴佛功德經), in which the Buddha, in response to a question from Visuddha-mati Bodhisattva (清淨慧菩薩), taught the way to make offerings, as well as the merits of bathing the Buddha. The Venerable invited the participants to reflect on what they think about "merits," exhorting everyone not to focus only on seeking short-term karmic rewards. Whether it is the Bathing-the-Buddha Ceremony, repentance prostration, other Dharma assemblies or events that we participate in, what matters is the preparation that we made before the event. The Venerable expounded that as we keep our mind pure at all times by practicing wholesome dharma diligently, we are paying homage to Tathagatas with a pure mind. If we can vow to dedicate the merits to the Supreme Bodhi, we will be able to attain supreme blessings and merits.

Venerable Chang Xiang also explained that the sole purpose of the Buddha's presence in the world was to impart the insight of a Buddha, which can guide all sentient beings to liberate themselves from afflictions as well as the cycle of life and death, and further uncover our inherent Buddha nature. The Buddha's birth brought the Dharma to the world as well as the opportunity for all sentient beings to learn and practice it. As the Venerable shared, with such gratitude in our heart, we should practice the Buddha's teachings in our daily lives to keep our body and mind pure at all times. Moreover, we can build a pure land on earth by helping people around us and thereby subtly influencing them.

Under Ven. Chang Xiang's lead, the Bathing-the-Buddha Ceremony came to a successful conclusion with the support of volunteers organized in various teams and the enthusiastic participation of the followers. In addition to the delightful lunch, the volunteers prepared handmade longevity peaches, buns symbolizing longevity and good health, for the participants, and hoped for them to return home with the joy and blessings of the Dharma.

Original Chinese text and photos / Dharma Drum Mountain San Francisco Bay Area Center
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL