The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.111)

TZU CHI 111 23 O n May 12, 2019, Tzu Chi KL & Selangor organized a Buddha Bathing Ceremony in conjunction with the joint celebration of Buddha’s Day, Mother’s Day and Global Tzu Chi’s Day at the KL Tzu- Chi Jing Si Hall in Kepong. This year’s event was themed “Nurture a love for life, a heart of gratitude and respect for one another; foster the spirit of harmony, prevent conflicts and create blessings hand in hand”. It was a message from Master Cheng Yen that carried the hope of spreading compassion, encouraging peaceful and harmonious relationships among mankind, and highlighting the significance of respecting and protecting all sentient beings by adopting a vegetarian diet. The main objectives of this annual triple celebration are to cultivate an appreciation of the essence of Buddhist teachings, to provide an opportunity for the expression of gratitude to the Buddha and our parents, and to inspire kindness and compassion in all. Vegetarianism for all The volunteers participating in the event began arriving at the venue as early as dawn. They were then assigned their respective positions in the group formation and waited patiently for the event to commence at daybreak. Two hundred and twenty-seven Lucite sculptures of the Buddha were lined up atop an extended platform for the Buddha bathing ritual, while a fruit and vegetable-themed decorative setup was installed on the platform to reflect the focus on vegetarianism. The Buddha Bathing Ceremony was conducted with utmost piety and reverence for the Buddha’s benevolent spirit, led by Dharma Masters from various schools of Buddhism. The solemn proceedings and symbolic gestures in paying tribute to the Buddha embody the positive values Tzu Chi upholds and exemplify the dignified grace of spiritual devotion. The event was graced by the presence of dignitaries from Belgium, Sweden, Italy and Croatia, as well as a representative from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia. A total of 3,456 volunteers from Tzu Chi’s various missions and members of the public gathered to form the words “Go Green, Go Vege” and four Chinese characters representing the core concept of “protecting lives through vegetarianism” to drive home the message on the advantages of vegetarianism and the A Triple Celebration of Compassion