匯流新聞網

CNEWS Reporter Hu Chao-hsin & Lin You-wei / Taipei

Taiwan’s most significant annual Buddhist event has arrived. Bringing together more than thirteen eminent masters representing the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions to preside over the Dharma assembly and offer prayers for the world, the **”2026 International Buddha’s Birthday Cultural Festival — National Protection, Blessing, and Grand Buddha Bathing Ceremony”** opened today (May 1st) at the Yuanshan Expo Garden of Hope Hall, showcasing the harmonious co-practice of all three Buddhist traditions.

The presiding chairman of the event, Most Venerable Dahuei — President of the Taichung City Buddhist Association and Abbot of Guangxiu Chan Monastery — remarked: “The West has Christmas; we, too, must make the Buddha’s birthday a cultural festival that captures the world’s attention. This is not merely a celebration for Buddhists — it is a global call to awaken compassion, care, and peace.”

This year’s event was jointly organized by Guangxiu Chan Monastery, the R.O.C. Hongyáng Pure Land Right Dharma Association, Cifa Chan Monastery, One Buddha One World, and Chengxing International Exhibition Co., Ltd. Eminent masters and elders from both domestic and international Buddhist communities were invited to gather and celebrate the birth of the Buddha together. Attendees included Most Venerable Dahuei; Most Venerable Bore, President of the Australian-Chinese Buddhist General Association; Venerable Anuruddha, Secretary-General of the Sri Lanka Buddhist Sangha Council; Most Venerable Guojun, Abbot of Singapore’s Pho Thi Monastery; Most Venerable Huichang, President of the Taiwan Buddhist Association; and numerous other elders and Dharma luminaries.

The morning program began with merit patrons formally welcoming the masters to the altar, followed in sequence by the **Sprinkling of the Ambrosia Dharma Water**, the **Grand Offering Before the Buddha**, and the **Grand Buddha Bathing Ceremony**. Sutra recitation filled the hall in a continuous stream, as Sanskrit chants and the Buddha’s name echoed throughout the venue in an atmosphere of solemn reverence. Most Venerable Bore, Dharma Master Fashen, and Khenpo Rinzin Chempo Rinpoche jointly offered prayers for the auspicious completion of the Dharma assembly. A dignified Buddha Bathing Area was open to the public, inviting participants to personally take part in the bathing ritual — experiencing the profound meaning of the Buddha’s descent into the human realm and the purification of the mind. After bathing the Buddha, longevity peaches were presented as gifts, symbolizing auspiciousness and blessing. A Water Lantern Blessing Area was also set up, where flickering lights danced across the water’s surface, carrying the meaning of light and the continuity of hope.

In the afternoon, Most Venerable Huichang delivered a Dharma lecture entitled “A Discussion of Buddhist Theory and Practice of Peace.” The assembly also solemnly recited the **”Chapter on the Vows and Practices of Samantabhadra”** from the *Avatamsaka Sutra*, dedicating the merits to all sentient beings and praying for the flourishing of blessings and wisdom. Additionally, the Julia Dance Troupe — recipients of the First Excellence Award at the Taipei City Dance Competition and the National Excellence Award — performed an **”Offering of Joyful Dance,”** presenting the beauty of faith and its fusion with contemporary art through devotional movement.

The centerpiece of this year’s International Buddha’s Birthday Cultural Festival was the **”Thousand Bowl Offering to the Buddha,”** led by a team of Vajrayana lamas who guided the faithful in making offerings and prayers — a scene of solemn and profound grandeur. Simultaneously, a **Mañjuśrī Empowerment and Blessing** ceremony was conducted, in which masters of all Three Traditions and Vajra teachers held Dharma instruments to bless the assembly and confer the wisdom empowerment. This was among the most enthusiastically attended and beloved segments of the entire event.

The cultural exhibition zone featured the collective results of the **”Flower of Life”** thousand-person collaborative art project — an assemblage of one thousand artworks from contributors across different regions, forming a large-scale exhibition wall that presented a moving tableau of converging aspiration and vow. Adjacent to the main hall, a **Vegetarian Food Expo** was held simultaneously, promoting ideals of health and environmental stewardship. The event will continue through **May 4th**; the public is warmly invited to seize this opportunity and take part.

Photo Credit: CNEWS

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