Taitung's Xinxing Monastery Celebrates Vesak Day
From 3 to 6 May , 2012, the Xinxing Monastery of Dharma Drum Mountain in Taitung City, eastern Taiwan, organized a series of activities within the monastery in celebration of Vesak Day and Mother’s Day.
To enable pre-school children to understand and appreciate the meaning of Vesak Day, Xinxing Monastery this year specially invited nearly 500 little “pusas” (little Bodhisatvas or children to join in the celebrations. The children thoroughly enjoyed the various activities including listening to stories about the Buddha as told by the volunteers, learning how to make popular carnations and prayer cards for their mothers, and also learned the significance of bathing the little Buddha statue for peace of mind and tranquility.
On the last day of the celebrations, the monastery held a Prayer Dharma Ritual and a gala party which attracted nearly one thousand people from Taitung. This gathering gave an excellent opportunity for the people to stay close to the Dharma and fully appreciate the concept of ‘Spiritual Environmentalism’ as propounded by Venerable Master Sheng Yen.
(translated by Jin Yang/edited by DDM Australia Editing Team)