The world of Tzu Chi June 2020 (Vol.123)

TZU CHI 123 35 Volunteer Yong Mun Fei’s kind gesture of preparing a replica of the Buddha statute for the Buddha bathing setup enabled fellow volunteer Yap May Peng and her family to observe the ritual despite being unable to attend the event in person. Reliving the joy of basking in the Buddha’s grace “T his replica of the Buddha statute looks as ceremonious as the real one!” exclaimed volunteer Yap May Peng in pleasant surprise as she intently observed the paraphernalia for the Buddha bathing ritual prepared by fellow volunteer Yong Mun Fei. Mun Fei created his own replica of the Buddha statute by using cardboard and a printed template of the Buddha statute. He spent seven hours moulding a three-dimensional paper sculpture that bore an uncanny resemblance to the actual statute. Next, he crafted artificial flowers from plastic bags as offerings, as well as cardboard cut-outs of red apples and a model of the Earth made out of recyclable items. He positioned the Earth model before the replica of the Buddha statute to replicate the image of the Buddha gently caressing the Earth, calming the hearts of the suffering. May Peng was looking forward to following the online ceremony on the morning of May 10, but she experienced some technical glitches that disrupted her from participating wholeheartedly. Just as she was frustrated by the intermittent internet connection, Mun Fei arrived at her house with the handcrafted replica of the Buddha statute, lifting her spirits as memories of past ceremonies came flooding back. May Peng anticipated a different vision for the ceremony this year, yet her hopes were dashed by the pandemic. Furthermore, she was admitted to the hospital in April due to By Tan Kim Hion gastritis. She stayed in the ward for a week and was unable to eat for five days. “I couldn’t do anything when I fell ill. I was unable to venture outdoors due to the MCO, so I was worried about missing out on opportunities to help others and becoming complacent. Thankfully, I’m able to reunite with the Buddha today. Participating in the Buddha bathing ritual gave me strength to move on,” she shared. May Peng was grateful to Mun Fei for his thoughtful gesture, which led to a joyous and memorable occasion for her family. Above all, she hoped to recover sooner in order to resume her involvement in Tzu Chi’s charitable causes. Yap May Peng (far left) observed a memorable Buddha Bathing Ceremony with her family. [Photograph by Yong Mun Fei] A Special Take on Tradition