What kind of eternal love has spanned 2,600 years, transcending time and space? It is the Bathing the Buddha ceremony, which lets us once again rejoice in Buddha’s love.
Is “Bathing the Buddha” simply pouring water over the statue of the infant Buddha? What is the true meaning of this ritual? Why did Grandmaster JinBodhi tell us Buddhadharma is so wonderful that it allows one to be revived? Let’s watch this brief video and experience the Buddha’s transcendent love and compassion.
2,600 years ago, a boy was born to a leisurely life in the royal Sakya clan. In due time, he married and had a child. On a trip outside the palace, he saw people suffering from birth, old age, disease and death. Sympathy arose in his heart. Thus, he left palace life on a full moon to search for a path of liberation. He visited renowned teachers everywhere. After 6 years of self-deprivation and meditation, he fainted from physical exhaustion. A shepherdess revived him with sheep’s milk. Finally, he became enlightened under the Bodhi tree. Thus, he vowed to free all from the suffering of birth, old age, disease and death. His life of teaching dharma had begun. He was known as Sakyamuni Buddha.
Buddha’s love is boundless.
Buddha’s compassion and wisdom have transcended 2,600 years to continue to move and help countless people today.
Grandmaster JinBodhi said, “I am deeply grateful to Buddha for enabling me to be reborn from the cusp of death. For enabling me, a reckless, ignorant, foolish and very sick child to be reborn.” Buddhism is not simply a belief system. Learning Buddhism involves analysis and research. Research on how to become a better person. It is a very rational, utilitarian practice. When we delve deeply into this practice, we realize that it may sometimes transcend logic. Miracles may arise. Friends have asked me countless times what Buddhadharma gives us. My answer: ineffable miracles.
The miracles of Buddhadharma are unimaginable.
Buddha has reached perfect enlightenment. All that is wonderful is imbued in Him. When you bathe Buddha with a scoop of pure water, think: ” May the Buddha be healthy and I as well. May the Buddha be wise and I as well.” He is perfectly enlightened. He doesn’t need you to bathe Him. Buddha is using this ritual to help us. When everyone bathes Buddha, they are in fact cleansing themselves. We also use Buddha’s birthday as the occasion to give you the chance to be reborn, to become healthier.
Bathe the Buddha to cleanse oneself.
Why does Buddha help us? Because he is destined to be All-Compassionate. He wants to benefit all sentient beings. This is His eternal vow. Since I have benefited, I want you to benefit too. What I know, I wish you to learn as well. All the dharma and logic that I have learned, I wish to spread to all of you at the appropriate time. This is His simple vow.
So, a few years ago, I spent a few days turning my gratitude to Buddha into a song, “A Hymn to the Buddha”. I composed this song to give all of you a chance to sing it once in a while; to enable each of us to live in gratitude daily. Thus our daily lives would be happy and auspicious, because we would be living with a grateful heart. Then, we would be joyful.
