3051st Buddha Bathing and Summer Retreat Gratitude Medicine Buddha Sutra Ceremony

3051st Buddha Bathing and Summer Retreat Gratitude Medicine Buddha Sutra Ceremony

Over three thousand years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha appeared in the world to spread the Dharma and benefit all beings with his immense virtue and wisdom. To celebrate the 3051st birthday of the Buddha and express gratitude to Founding Abbot Grand Master Weichueh, Chung Tai Chan Monastery held the annual Buddha Bathing and Summer Retreat Medicine Buddha Sutra Ceremony on May 11th, 2024. It was attended by nearly 13,000 disciples.

The Medicine Buddha Ceremony: Repaying Kindness and Benefiting All Beings

The ceremony began at 9:00 a.m. with the assembly inviting Abbot Jianying and the other celebrant masters into the various halls. As the chanting began, the President of the Dharma Support Association, monastery supporters, and meditation center branch leaders made offerings to the Buddha. The assembly then chanted the Medicine Buddha Sutra, marking the beginning of the Summer Retreat Medicine Buddha Ceremony.

Chung Tai Chan Monastery and its affiliate branches will continue chanting this sutra for duration of the summer sangha retreat, until August 17th. The purpose of this ceremony is to repay the four kindnesses, alleviate the suffering of beings in the lower realms, and benefit all sentient beings.

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  • Abbot Jianying led the congregation in chanting the Medicine Buddha Sutra and expressing their gratitude.
  • Representatives of the Dharma Support Associations sincerely make offerings before the Buddha.

Bath the Buddha, Purify the Mind

The Buddha Bathing Ceremony was held immediately afterward at 10:30 a.m. The mayor of Nantou County, Hsu Shuhua, attended the ceremony along with her group. The assembly devoutly chanted the Sutra on the Merits of Bathing the Buddha and recited the “Buddha Bathing Gatha.” They solemnly bathed golden statues of the baby Buddha with fragrant water, joyfully celebrating the Buddha’s birthday and vowing to purify their minds by learning from the Buddha’s pure actions.

In her speech, Mayor Hus Shuhua stated that participating in the Buddha Bathing Ceremony is a means of purifying our bodies and minds. Chung Tai Chan Monastery is an important center for Buddhism in Nantou County. It not only promotes the Buddhadharma, but also contributes to local economic development and performs charitable acts. During last year’s Hurricane Kanus, the monastery generously donated two million NTD for disaster relief, helping the government provide relief for hurricane victims. She expressed her gratitude and hoped that the monastery would continue guiding people to learn the Buddhadharma.

During his lecture, Venerable Abbot Jianying said, “Today is a joyful day. Everyone gathers to celebrate Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday. I wish all of you the greatest merits. According to the Dharma, cause is related to effect. By initiating the right cause, one naturally achieves the result. When we raise the pure intention to attend this ceremony, we have already planted a cause. From this cause, we can achieve pure and perfect buddhahood.

He went on the explain the meaning of the two-in-one Dharma ceremony: The first session is the Summer Retreat Gratitude Medicine Buddha Sutra Ceremony. We express our gratitude to the Founding Abbot, Grand Master Weichueh, for his efforts in establishing the monastery and inspiring the wisdom life of our Dharma body. For the past two decades during the summer retreat, all monks and disciples have diligently recited the Medicine Buddha Sutra daily. The Medicine Buddha ceremony today marks the official commencement of this tradition. We hope that during this diligent practice, everyone will bring forth the bodhi mind, make great vows like the Medicine Buddha, and aspire to free all beings from suffering. We also dedicate these merits towards world peace, national prosperity, and the enlightenment of all beings.

The second session is the Buddha Bathing Ceremony, which is an annual event. It celebrates the Buddha’s descent from Tushita Heaven and his birth in this world. When he was born, the four heavenly kings and nine dragons showered the baby Buddha with fragrant water. Then the Buddha pointed one hand at the sky and the other towards the earth. He said, “Heavens above and earth below, I am the one most venerated. The triple realm is suffering from which I will deliver all.” This historical and symbolic event initiated the tradition celebrating the Buddha Bathing Ceremony every year on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month.

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  • 1-5. Nearly 13,000 disciples harmoniously chanted the Medicine Buddha Sutra to repay the four kindnesses and relieve the suffering of the three wretched realms.
  •   6. Abbot Jianying led the assembly to chant the Sutra on the Merits of Bathing the Buddha.
  •   7. The mayor of Nantou County, Hsu Shuhua, attended the Buddha Bathing Ceremony, gave a speech, and expressed her gratitude and blessings.

Follow in the Buddha’s Footsteps

However, bathing the Buddha is not merely pouring fragrant water over a statue, but symbolically purifying our minds. When the Buddha said, “Heavens above below, I am the one most venerated,” it was not an expression of ego, but a declaration of his awakened nature. The buddha nature is the most precious thing we have. Furthermore, by saying, “The triple realm is suffering from which I will deliver all,” tells us that all suffering can be transcended by awakening our buddha nature. These are all teachings to guide us in our practice.

Having joyfully attended the Buddha Bathing Ceremony, it is important to remember the true purpose of the ceremony is to strive for a pure Dharma body like the Tathagata. As the “Buddha Bathing Gatha” says, “May sentient beings be cleansed of the five impurities.” Through the ritual act of bathing the Buddha, we vow to purify our minds and ultimately attain the pure Dharmakaya of the Tathagata.

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  • 1-2. President of the Dharma Support Association, C. Y. Lee, and other disciples celebrate the Buddha's birthday.
  •   3. Attendees listen to the compassionate Dharma teachings of Abbot Jianying.

Take Refuge and Enter the Buddha’s Path

After the ceremony, over 1,300 participants took the three refuges and nearly 1,000 received the five precepts. Under the compassionate guidance of Abbot Jianying, they became formal disciples of the Buddha, vowing the uphold the pure precepts and embark on a journey of spiritual awakening.

The Buddha’s appearance in the world is for one great purpose: to enable and demonstrate the view of the Buddha so all beings can awaken and enter it. On the auspicious occasion of the Buddha’s birthday, disciples practice with gratitude to repay the Buddha’s kindness by diligently cultivating for the benefit of all beings, aspiring to attain the Buddha’s wisdom so all can be free from suffering and realize enlightenment together.

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  • 1-3. Over 1,300 individuals took the three refuges, and nearly 1,000 received the five precepts, embarking on a new chapter in their lives on the Buddha's birthday.
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