Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Buddhist Festivals
Each religion has its own festivals in order to honor its founder and figures of religious devotion. For Buddhism, the most important festivals are the Buddha’s Birthday, celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month; the Buddha’s day of joy, observed on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month; and the Buddha’s Enlightenment Day, commemorated on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Known as the Buddha Day, Sangha Day, and Dharma Day, they are collectively referred to as the Triple Gem Festivals.
Throughout the year, there are also many other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas marked by ceremonies and other activities conducted by temples and local people. These reflect the unique religious practices that resulted from the integration of the culture, customs, and beliefs of Buddhism with those of folk tradition.
For many years, Fo Guang Shan vigorously promoted the festivals of the Triple Gem in the hope that they would one day become national holidays. In 1999, the Taiwanese government designated the second Sunday of May as a national holiday to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday. This day combines the celebration of the Buddha’s birthday with Mother’s Day. It is our hope that this national holiday will bring different Buddhist organizations together, and make the public more aware of Buddhism and the role it has in society.
Fo Guang Shan organizes various Buddhist celebrations and activities throughout the year. This exhibit shows how these are integrated into our daily lives. The goal is to encourage people to learn and practice the vows and virtues of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
2020/12/25 - 2100/12/25
Main Hall First Level
Free
Other Information
In Buddhist monasteries, spring cleaning before the Chinese New Year is a must. In addition, reunion dinners on New Year's Eve, paying respect to ancestors and worshipping the Buddhas, and year-end Dharma services are also carried out. The first day of the Chinese New Year coincides with the birthday of Maitreya Buddha, so after the morning chanting, the “Worshipping a Thousand Buddhas” Dharma Service is held for three to five days. Thus, it is a tradition to visit the monastery in prayer for peace during the Chinese New Year.
The word “Maitreya” has the connotation of “bringing happiness to everyone.” For this reason, Maitreya is also referred to as the “Happy Buddha,” and often sits at monastery gates. It also means that the first step to practicing Buddhism is to be able to appreciate Maitreya Buddha’s sense of joy, open-mindedness, and tolerance. Therefore, the best way to celebrate the birthday of Maitreya Buddha is to spread his spirit of joyfulness, which carries the same meaning as “Gongxi Facai” (congratulations on your good fortune) during the New Year Festival.
How do Buddhists bring joy to themselves and others on Maitreya’s birthday? What kind of fortune is worth making? We might enjoy delicious food, but if it brings harm to our stomach, it may not bring joy after all. We might tire ourselves out from dancing, or we might lose money if we gamble. The only way we can bring about joy is to listen to the Dharma, to meditate, to be of service, to give compliments to others, to be compassionate, to be patient, to practice giving, to help others, and to take up responsibilities. What kind of fortune do you want to make? Tangible fortunes such as money, stocks, and investments are not necessarily reliable, they are considered external forms of fortune. In Buddhism, we can make internal forms of fortune, such as cherishing our blessings, making good connections with others, being kind, being regretful of our negative deeds, being grateful, being diligent, being content, being wise, being compassionate, and being generous. In such a way, the new year will be auspicious and prosperous.
- Venerable Master Hsing Yun, “Buddhism and Folk Religions”