2015 Cherry Blossom Baby Blessing Ceremony
On the 8th of November, Fo Guang Shan (North Island) New Zealand celebrated the Cherry Blossom festival in conjunction with a Baby Blessing ceremony. About 200 parents and babies turned up at the Main Shrine. Some came from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Israel, India and Sri Lanka. The ceremony was preceded by singing and dancing organised by the BLIA Youth. Abbess Manshin then led a recitation of the Heart Sutra, a study of Master Hsing Yun’s “Prayers and Wishes for Baby Blessing”, and presented “Baby Blessing Certificate, followed by water sprinkling and blessing. The ceremony was solemn but warm and pleasant.
National MP Jami-Lee Ross also attended the ceremony with his wife and their two daughters. Abbess Manshin was happy to see that in this Cherry Blossom season, families brought their little princes and princesses before Buddha, to receive Buddha’s compassionate blessings, and to wish that under the protection and guidance of the many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the children will grow up peacefully with wisdom and inner wealth.
At the end of the ceremony, a series of fun games and family activities followed. Many thanks to the heads, the leaders and the committee members of the various chapters and sub-chapters for organising the fun games for children aged between one and six years old. The fun games were held on the clean green pastures on both sides of the courtyard. The games include ball relay, stop-look-go event using hand-held red, orange and green panels as signals, balloon passing etc. The atmosphere was warm and lively, as if in a New Year celebration. Everywhere it reflected on the happiness and culture of the Humanistic Buddhism. In addition “Vocational Inclination Test Game” offered babies between 8 and 12 months old to crawl and choose their favourite objects. Some happily chose and held on to the statutes of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva or of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, whilst others held on to mobile phones. The scene was hilarious and fun to watch.
Along the East and the West pathway of the courtyard were tea ceremonies, vegetarian food stalls and sutra transcription in the Main Shrine. Participants were able to enjoy tea in a serene environment, to get away momentarily from their busy life style, to take a short break, re-charge and experience the spirit of Humanistic Buddhism. From the public’s feedback, some indicated that having tea underneath the beautiful cherry blossom trees and transcribing sutras in the Main Shrine using the art of Chinese calligraphy reflects peacefulness, serenity and humanity. It enabled them to live in the presence and cultivate the body and mind.
One member of the Sikh community, Louise Singh said whilst her sister brought her children here for the Baby Blessing ceremony, she took the opportunity to bring her whole family here for the first time. She felt welcomed by everybody and friendliness amongst the visitors, all of which were enhanced by the warmth and comforting environment. In copying the sutra and reading the translation, she felt that life’s values and contentment come from ‘giving’ and ‘contributing’. She learnt to treasure cause and effect, and enjoy the presence. Even though she is not a Buddhist, her presence here today made her feel the spirit and happiness of the Fo Guang Shan family.