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Celebration Around The World - 2014 Buddha's Birthday Festival

Fo Guang Shan, Kaohsiung

Buddha’s Birthday is one of the oldest Buddhist celebrations which is rich in historical, cultural, social, political, technological and festive. Buddha’s Birthday celebrates the birthday of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who was to become Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Prince Siddhartha was born on the 8th day of the fourth lunar month or on the day of the full moon in 623 B.C. in Lumbini. His family name was Gautama and he was the crown prince of a small feudal kingdom of the Sakya Clan.

The Legend

According to the legend of Prince Siddhartha’s birth, it is said that auspicious signs herald his birth, the sky was clear with brilliant sunshine, flowers bloomed and birds sang. Directly after his birth nine heavenly dragons appeared and emitted two steams, one cool and one warm, of the purest fragrant rain from their mouths that gently cascaded to bathe the newly born Prince. The baby Prince immediately took seven steps and seven lotus flowers sprang from beneath his feet.

Flowers drifted down from the heavens. The young Prince purified in body and mind from the rain, pointed one hand towards the heavens and one towards the earth and he said,

“Heaven above and earth beneath, I am the Honoured One, the One who liberates all who suffer in the Three Realms.”

Prince Siddhartha’s Journey to become Buddha

After the birth of the Prince, he was examined by holy men who announced that he would become either a great political leader or a great religious leader. When Siddhartha was a young man, he was at last allowed to venture from the palace. In the town he saw four sights: a decrepit old man; a person racked with disease; a corpse and a monk. Thus he learnt of life’s inevitable sufferings (old age, sickness and death) and the transience of all worldly pleasures.

Determined to also find a way to be free from earthly troubles, Prince Siddhartha eventually renounced his crown to embark on a journey to seek the truth. It was only after years of cultivation that he attained supreme enlightenment and was thence forth known as Sakyamuni (meaning sage of the Sakya clan) Buddha. With endless compassion, Sakyamuni shared his teachings with many, so that they too could discover the Middle Path to end all suffering and become a Buddha.

Hence a Buddha is not a god, but rather one who, through complete wisdom and compassion, has attained full enlightenment and is thus beyond the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Modern Cultural and Educational Perspectives

Fo Guang Shan has been actively in promoting Buddhism through culture, education, charity and cultivation. In this special event, we have Buddhists from around the world, celebrating the Buddha's Birthday as well as learning the historical life and the teachings of the Buddha.

Educational Project

Buddha's Birthday Education Project, a project "Connecting the Past and Present, East and West"
http://www.paradeofthebuddhas.org/

You can also download the BBEP Android App to learn about the history of Buddha's Birthday: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.paradeofthebuddhas.bbep

Culture and Festivals

Celebration in Asia:

Buddha's Birthday and Mother's Day Celebration in Taiwan:
An annual Buddha's Birthday and Mother's Day celebration event will be held on May 8 at the Ketagalan Boulevard. Venerable Master Hsing Yun (founder of Fo Guang Shan), will lead a prayer and bathe the Buddha, hoping to bring the nation and the world peace and prosperity through Buddhism.

Watch the event held in 2013: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCEqbr1vSw4

Celebration in Oceania:

Buddha Birth Day Festival in Brisbane:
http://2014.buddhabirthdayfestival.com.au/

Buddha's Day in Melbourne:
http://buddhaday.org.au/

Buddha’s Birthday Multicultural Festival in Sydney:
http://www.nantien.org.au:88/en/events/buddhas-birthday-festival

Buddha's Birthday & Multicultural Festival in Perth:
http://bliawa.wix.com/2014bbf

Buddha’s Birthday Celebration in New Zealand:
http://www.fgs.org.nz/south_en/content.aspx?id=9190