Buddha’s Birthday Celebration

We invite Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike to this celebration. Since ancient times, Buddhists worldwide have celebrated Buddha’s birthday annually by using fragrant water to bathe the statue of the infant Buddha. Venerable Dr. Zhiyun (Stanford Hospital’s Staff Chaplain) and Zen Master Rebecca Nie (ORSL’s Buddhist Chaplain-Affiliate) will co-facilitate this year’s ceremony.
Please join us and your friends at Stanford’s Buddhist communities for a celebration of community, joy, and renewal.
During the traditional ceremony, the participants will line up to bathe the Baby Buddha, and then we will have a celebration with dessert and spring drinks. Please bring something you’d like to share.

About:
Since ancient times, Buddhists worldwide have celebrated Buddha’s birthday by using fragrant water to bathe the image of the infant Buddha.
The baby Buddha symbolizes the beginner’s mind and enlightened heart that every one of us has. Pouring water over the statue of the infant Buddha three times represents the cleansing of our body, speech, and mind to clear away anger, greed, and ignorance and let our innate enlightenment shine through.
The teaching is that “it’s easy to wash away physical dirt but takes more effort to cleanse one’s inner impurity of greed, anger, and ignorance.”
Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike are welcome to partake in this significant ritual by sincerely pouring water over the shoulder of the baby Buddha three times while saying the above messages in your own words.