Chinese New Year Auspicious Ceremony
新春吉祥法會

Every Chinese New Year, Ocean Sky Chan Monastery celebrates a new beginning with an auspicious ceremony. This 2012, the New Year Guan Yin Auspicious Ceremony was held with the chanting of “Universal Gateway of Guan Yin Bodhisattva Chapter” (普門品) from the Lotus Sutra.

For 2 weeks from lunar New Year to the 15th, various activities were also set up. On the first floor, visitors sincerely prayed and repented before the Buddha, wrote wishes on cards and drew auspicious Dharma-lots. They could also buy any of the genuine Buddhist artifacts from the charity bazaar. On the second floor, they made bowl offerings to the 18 Arhats. On the third floor, the 10 offerings of incense, flowers, lamps, perfume, fruit, tea, food, jewels, pearls and robes were available for anybody who wished to make offerings to the Buddha.

In doing all the good deeds, visitors had the chance to develop good karmic affinity with the Three Jewels, at the same time earned merits, eliminated obstacles and received blessings and merits, in order to enjoy smooth lives for the rest of the new year. What better way to celebrate an auspicious and memorable Chinese New Year than to spend it at Ocean Sky!

Buddha Bathing Ceremony
浴佛節法會

Ocean Sky holds the Buddha Bathing Ceremony to celebrate Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday, which is on the 8th day of 4th lunar month. On the day of ceremony, visitors can bathe the baby Buddha with a special auspicious herbal tea in the 3rd floor Chan Hall, or in the ground floor Great Majestic Hall. This tea is also available in bottles for visitors to take home. The activity is extended for one week to give more people the chance to perform the bathing rites.

It was said that at the time of Buddha’s birth, nine heavenly dragons appeared and showered the baby Siddhartha with the purest of water. Then, the newborn Prince immediately took seven steps, where at each step, a lotus flower sprang from underneath his feet. With one hand pointing towards the sky and the other towards the ground, he said, “I (Buddha Nature) am the most venerated of all that exist in heavens and on earth. I have come to this world to help all sentient beings be free of suffering.”

Every year, by symbolically bathing the baby Buddha, lay disciples purify themselves outwardly by staying away from impure acts, and inwardly by sweeping away all polluted thoughts. Ocean Sky devotees leave the Monastery feeling cleansed and refreshed by this act of inner purification. This is the profound meaning of the Buddha Bathing Ceremony.