Students Experience Buddha's Birthday Bathing Ritual: A Journey to Yuan Thong Temple

Fo Guang Shan Yuan Thong Temple
May 27, 2024

On May 9th, 80 students from the 11th and 12th grades of St. Sebastian International School in Bacolod, accompanied by 10 teachers, totaling 90 individuals, embarked on a trip to Fo Guang Shan Yuan Thong Temple.

Yuan Thong Temple, in celebration of Buddha's birthday in May, had received letters of visitation from several schools. Starting from the first day of the lunar April, they initiated the bathing of the Buddha ritual. This allowed all visiting teachers and students to participate in this special event.

Under the guidance of volunteer Cora, students were introduced to the meditation hall and the history of Yuan Thong Temple, and were led to experience the bathing of the Buddha ritual.

Venerable Zhi Rong shared the anecdotes of bathing the Buddha, reminding everyone that the Buddha does not need us to bathe him, but rather our minds need purification at this moment to resonate with the Buddha's heart. She also mentioned the Three Act of Goodness Campus Project, a long-term collaboration between the Philippines' Fo Guang Shan and the Department of Education Philippines, aimed at promoting good deeds, good words, and good thoughts to make the world a better place. Additionally, she shared the meanings behind the lotus hand gesture and the Three Act of Goodness hand gesture.

After bathing the Buddha, students lined up to draw dharma words. Each person received a handmade lotus paper fold from the temple's resident as a memento of this experience. Moreover, students enjoyed various “Transparence” lotus exhibited at the temple.

Tour leader Novem mentioned that although he is a Christian, experiencing different religious beliefs is still important for students. He found it particularly special to coincide with Buddha's birthday and experience bathing the Buddha, which he believes contributes significantly to students' moral development.

Finally, Novem, on behalf of the school, presented a letter of thanks to Yuan Thong Temple, which was accepted by Venerable Zhi Rong.