Buddha Bathing Ceremony
Purifying hearts through gratitude
Buddha Bathing Ceremony
The Buddha Bathing Ceremony is spiritually centred on the union of Buddha Day, Mother’s Day, and Tzu Chi Day, reminding everyone to know grace, feel gratitude, and repay kindness. For many years, the Perth ceremony has emphasized both solemn ritual and inner reflection. From bowing at the Buddha’s feet and receiving floral fragrance to making sincere vows, every step guides the heart back to purity. The most important meaning of the Buddha Bathing Ceremony is to continue that reverence into daily life, so that each person is willing to bring a little more gentleness and a little more good action into everyday living.
Tzu Chi commissioners and volunteers sincerely offered candles, fragrant water, and flowers with pure and reverent hearts, paying homage to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and praising the great awakened one of the universe. (11 May 2014, Liu Shi-cheng)
Although some participants came from different countries and followed different faiths, everyone bathed the Buddha with reverence and purified the dust of the heart.
Through today’s rare and auspicious affinity, we return to the difficult Bamboo Bank era of fifty years ago, gathering the goodness of many people into the sea of merit.
Without bell and drum equipment, volunteers creatively used recycled candy tins as drums and successfully produced a highly similar bell-and-drum effect through their thoughtfulness and ingenuity.
With pure hearts, the assembly sincerely bathed the Buddha. Amid the repeated calls to bow at the Buddha’s feet, receive floral fragrance, and offer auspicious blessings, the atmosphere was peaceful and warm. Participants came from different countries and followed different religions, yet because their kind intentions were connected, they gathered a force capable of creating a harmonious society. (Photographer: Liang Zong-jun)
The final piece, “The Twelve Great Vows of Medicine Buddha,” was performed with reverent and dignified movement, conveying to the audience Medicine Buddha’s vow that all poor and suffering beings may obtain abundant clothing and material support, together with spiritual richness.
Because last year’s situation in Perth remained uncertain due to the pandemic, indoor events could accommodate only ten people and could not be opened to the public. This year, thanks to the cooperation and effort of both the government and the public, the pandemic was well controlled, helping us once again appreciate the preciousness of freedom, peace of mind, and stability. While somewhere in the world people are struggling simply to take a breath, we are still able to hold an in-person Buddha Bathing Ceremony—how fortunate and blessed that is.
Senior sisters performed the sign-language song “The Most Beautiful Smile”