2014 CHCH Buddha's Birthday – Happiness & Peace

The 2014 Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island New Zealand Buddha's Birthday celebration was grandly held on the 26th of April at Westpac Business and Community Hub with the collaborative effort of both FGS South Island and the Buddha's Light Association (BLIA) South Island New Zealand. Close to a thousand members of the public participated in the bathing of the Buddha ceremony which carries forward the meaning of happiness and peace.

Amongst the distinguished guests attending the gathering were: Christchurch Central MP Nicky Wagner, present on behalf of the Minister of Ethnic Affairs; Port Hill MP Hon Ruth Dyson represented Labour Party; Mayor of Christchurch City Hon. Lianne Dalziel; The People's Republic of China’s Vice Consul General for Christchurch Li Xin; Christchurch Riccarton community board member Helen Broughton; Canterbury District Commander, Superintendent Gary Knowles; and President of BLIA North Island New Zealand Ms. Dolly Tsai to name a few. Religious leaders also attended including representatives from the Christian Methodist Church Reverend Andrew Donaldson; Islamic representative Mr Ibrahim M Abdulhalim; Hinduism representative Dr Surinder Tandon; and Judaism representative Ms Ina de Paauw-Fontein.

The Buddha’s Birthday ceremony was kick started by the festive beat of Japanese drums and melodious tune of Scottish bagpipes leading the national and religious flags into the hub. FGS New Zealand Venerable Abbess Manshin together with the President of BLIA South Island New Zealand Ms See Shen Lee accompanied the guests to enter the proceeding, singing the majestic New Zealand National anthem and Buddhist’s Triple gems theme. It was Venerable Abbess Manshin lead the 200 odd people present to pray for good blessings on this auspicious day. All of the distinguished guests then proceeded to take turns offerings of flower bouquets and bathe the Buddha, with religious representatives there too to pray for blessings together, fostering the relationship of people from different cultural and religious backgrounds.

Two video clips were played to the public on that splendid day. One was 'The Story of Venerable Master Hsing Yun' which gives a brief history into the life of FGS's founder, including some of the honors he had very humbly received these recent years. Another clip titled 'BLIA Activities Report' simply showcases some of the most significant actions the organization has done in countries all over the world. It was certainly very touching to learn about Venerable Master Hsing Yun's compassionate nature, and the many contributions BLIA members had tirelessly given to our global society.

President of BLIA South Island NZ, Ms See Shen Lee, warmly welcomed the public with open hands to visit and enjoy this year's Buddha's Birthday Celebration under the theme ‘Happiness and Peace' as a thoughtful message of good blessings to all residents of Christchurch. She points us to embrace the good natured example of Venerable Master Hsing Yun who has advocated towards the importance of education, culture, charity, and religious cultivation. With this, we are all encouraged to contribute positively to society, and together, our services can allow New Zealand to prosper as a peaceful and harmonious country.

National Party MP Nicky Wagner, Labour Party MP Hon Ruth Dyson, Mayor of Christchurch City Hon Lianne Dalziel, People Republic of China's Vice Consul General for Christchurch Mr. Li Xin and Canterbury District Commander Superintendent Gary Knowles all went on stage separately to deliver their brief speeches. They all expressed how the Buddha’s Birthday celebration's seamless intertwining of religious, educational and cultural aspects exhibits the beauty of New Zealand's cultural and religious co-existence. They also sincerely thanked FGS for introducing humanistic Buddhism to this country, and specially mentioned the often quoted 'Three good deeds and Four gives' whose simple yet meaningful phrases elegantly describes the foundational basis of a harmonious society. Indeed, this optimistic energy is what post-Earthquake Christchurch needs to realize happiness and peace in the long rebuilding process.

Superintendent Gary Knowles himself knows only too well from personal experience, having seen so much misery and misfortune whilst working in the police force that happiness and peace doesn't come from an accumulation of wealth or fame, but from a simple inner peace of the mind. Mayor Hon Lianne Dalziel also acknowledged how the 'Three good deeds' can be easily fulfilled by showing our good side to those around us, and that the 'four gives' is precisely the attitude Christchurch people should positively express in the post-earthquake rebuild period. After watching the film, she said she was not only moved by Venerable Master Hsing Yun's spirit of charity and deep wisdom, but also impressed by the people of BLIA organization who are a leading example in their application of the 'Three good deeds and Four gives' on a global level.

Near the end of the speech, the Venerable Abbess Manshin shared Master Hsing Yun's secret recipe for a ‘Happiness and Peaceful' life, whereby: satisfaction with what we have, being compassion and inclusive of others, putting down things as easily as we pick things up, and choosing to have a personality which is both unselfish and egoless, are all keys to reaching a state of 'peace and harmony’. In this quote, Venerable Master Hsing Yun's had also wished good prospects to everyone in being of a content character, with a compassionate heart, able to let things go with ease, and truly and eventually achieving a state of selflessness.

During the ceremony, the Venerable Abbess had gifted 40 or so copies of books and literature written by Master Hsing Yun to Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology and Dunedin Otago University, providing tertiary education centres a source of literature for the wisdoms of humanistic Buddhism. Afterwards, a donation was also made to the Hohepa Foundation and Christchurch Special Needs Library as a kind gesture in improving the overall community’s wellbeing.

A few performances had been carefully practiced to liven up the ceremony. BLIA South Island performed a colourful Celestial dance; while the BLIA New Zealand Youth Adult Division (YAD) used hand gesture to dazzle the audience with their performance entitled 'Vow to be'. The invited distinguished guests and public members gave a huge round of applause and with that, the ceremony thus concluded on a wonderful note.

Besides the Buddha's birthday ceremony, this year's Buddha's birthday celebration also included other attractions such as ' Venerable Master Hsing Yun's Art and Literature Exhibition', 'Tea Mediation', a 3D Animation video screening titled 'Humanistic Buddha –The Story of Prince Siddhartha's path to Enlightenment', as well as a creative Sand Painting video of describing the early life of Venerable Master Hsing Yun. Through these few simple attractions, the public were certainly well put to experience ease and calmness in the midst of art and literature displays, tranquillity and kindness from the fragrance of tea, and a vivid visual journey back to the time of the Buddha. Another ceremony which took place was a baby blessing ceremony for some 60 babies under their parent's accompanies. The Venerable Abbess Manshin cleansing holy dew water on the babies, and prayers were made so that under the blessings and wisdom of the Buddha, the babies would grow up healthy and lead a true and meaningful life.

The devoted public had not only made flower offerings and bathed the Buddha, but also enjoyed the many multicultural events and performances, visited stalls selling delicious vegetarian food and booths offering free medical consultations besides many others attractions. The public of Christchurch spoke out that they are grateful to FGS South Island for propagating the Dharma's teaching which has brought countless revelations to both their heart and soul, and for organizing the Buddha's Birthday celebration annually as are fresher of the wisdom of Buddhism and the pleasures of life.

Highlights of 2014 Buddha's Birthday - Bathe the Buddha, Tea Meditation, Sutra copy, Animation of Buddha's story and Venerable Master Hsing Yun's Books and literatures stalls