Today, May 17th, 2020, with the “Shelter in Place” still in place, we celebrated Wesak (Vesak ~ Festival for Buddha’s Birthday) at the Priory with forty-five members and friends joining via Zoom. Rev. Kinrei as the celebrant offered incense, with candles, flowers and fruit, to our Original Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha; and we chanted the Wesak songs for this special occasion. The offertory sang by our monk expressed our deep gratitude for the Buddha’s great teachings:

“The birth of Shakyamuni brought the sun to a world of darkness and illuminated the whole universe. He took upon Himself the form of a human being, was born with the thirty-two marks of a buddha, and for immeasurable time pursued works of great compassion. He found and transcended the cause of suffering; all beings, whether saints or ordinary beings, praise this magnificent understanding. His three hundred sermons are for us as rain is for trees and grass. Just as rain causes drooping flowers to flourish, so His words touch our heavy hearts. At this very moment the Rain of the Dharma pours into the lake of Kindness. The merit of His life may be likened to the wind which, as it bends the grass and fans the leaves, blows the good seed of the Dharma to take root in the hearts of people all over the world even after more than twenty-five hundred years, and will continue to do so not only in this world but also in the next. We, the followers of our Great Master Shakyamuni, bow in gratitude to Him for his goodness and compassion as we celebrate His Birthday. We pray that His halo, which is the Light of the Dharma, will illuminate the darkness of the delusion of those beings of this world who have not yet heard His Name. We pray that all beings may be saved and thus prosper for all eternity. We pray that the Seed of Buddhahood will bud and blossom into the Flower of Enlightenment so that its beauty may fill the universe.”

We offer the merit of this ceremony to all: May they be well, healthy, and peaceful!

The ceremony followed by a Dharma Talk by Rev. Kinrei.