from kmspks.org :
Most temples hold ceremonial bathing of an image of baby Prince Siddhartha placed in perfumed water with flowers on Vesak day. The perfumed water is scooped with a ladle and poured over the statue. This symbolises the purification of one’s unwholesome deeds with wholesome deeds.
多数寺院都会举行将悉达多太子的圣像置于充满鲜花及香水的盆里，用勺子掬起净水淋在佛像上，为佛沐浴的仪式。 这象征以善行来净化我们的恶业。
The Origin Of Bathing the Buddha
One of the main activities of the festival is the “bathing Buddha” ritual. Legend records that when Prince Siddhartha was born, there were extraordinary and auspicious signs heralding his birth.
They describe the sky as being clear with brilliant sunshine, flowers blooming and birds singing. Dragons also appeared in the sky spurting two streams of purified water (one cool and one warm), that gently cascaded down to bathe him.
At his birth, seven lotus flowers sprung up beneath his feet as he walked – pointing one hand to the sky and ground he said “in the heaven above and the earth below, I vow to liberate all who suffer in these three realms”.
Since then, Buddhists all over the world celebrate the Buddha’s birthday by using fragrant water to bathe the image of baby Prince Siddhartha. This ritual highlights a universal message of “Let’s cleanse our inner dirt’ of greed, hatred and ignorance so as to allow the generosity, love and wisdom within us to shine forth!”
Proper Way Of Bathing the Buddha
Fill ladle & pour water over small Buddha statue three times. While pouring water, recite:
“We are now coming up to bath the Tathagatas.
For accumulating purity, wisdom,dignity, merit and virtue. May all sentient beings be rid of impurity and realise the pure entity of Tathagatas “
浴佛节的起源与意义
两千五百多年前的印度迦毗罗卫国王后摩耶夫人，怀着身孕经过蓝毗尼花园的无忧树下时，生下了悉达多太子，也就是后来拯救众生的伟大佛陀。依据经典说，太子一诞生就能向四方各行七步，每行一步，地上就现出一朵大莲花托着他的脚，并一手指天一手指地说：“天上天下，唯我独尊” 意思是说：「我乃是宇宙最尊贵的觉者，我将广度一切沉沦生死的众生。」也道出对每一个个体的尊重与独特性的肯定。同时有天女散花，空中飘荡美妙的天乐，上空有九条龙吐水为太子沐浴；一切人与诸天无不欢喜和赞叹无上正等正觉的圣人到来。
每年佛陀日的浴佛就是与以上典故有关。浴佛，一来是缅怀佛陀，二来是藉这活动唤醒大众洗尽五欲尘劳，去除贪、瞋、痴等污秽，使身行、语言和心意都能趋向清净； 祈愿社会祥和; 求福增慧，了生脱死，成就佛道。
浴佛时可默念< 浴佛偈>：
我今灌沐诸如来
净智莊严功德海
五浊众生离尘垢
同證如来净法身
1718
1759 munch munch...
1836 getting ready...
1837
1901 ...right after i performed the ritual... so 'malu' the volunteer said 'pour over the shoulder not the head' when i poured the water over the Buddha's head... she said not supposed to pour over the head and i quickly apologised and she said never mind with a big smile :)
1916
1952 @the Dragon Pond
1953
1957 @the bus stop outside kmspks... angel reading one of the books she picked up at kmspks :)
2016 @the bus stop opposite MacRitchie... angel reading the another book she picked up at kmspks :)
2100 @home... these are what we picked up at kmspks :)
