April 8th is the day we celebrate Buddha's birthday in China and Japan. As you know, Buddha was born as a prince of the Shaka tribe.

[01:13]

A king of the Shaka tribe. And when he was born in the Lumbini Garden, Ananias poured a sweet tea. That is why we pour the sweet tea. But actually, we don't know the historical origin about this. Because we have not much record about the sweet tea. But we have record about the festival we had right now.

[02:25]

So, maybe in Japan, they started to mix this kind of tea for the infant Buddha. And in China and in Japan, the infant Buddha statue is very lovely and very tiny. Actually, the largest one in Japan is maybe 15 inches high. which is in Todai-ji temple, where the big Buddha is. As the Vairocana Buddha in Todai-ji is big, the infant Buddha is also big.

[03:38]

But usually, the infant Buddha for this ceremony is as small as this in Japan. Right now, nowadays, we celebrate around 8th of April on Sunday. Here in America, Japanese people celebrate his birthday mostly also around 8th on Sunday. The other day, when we had a meeting, we had beautiful cake for the birthday.

[04:58]

And some of them celebrated Buddha's birthday right here, singing happy birthday. I think that is the first happy birthday song for the Buddha. Many things are happening here. Zen group in America, including Zen Center, developing so rapidly. And after painting the hall and decorating for our shrine and cleaning up various rooms and hallways,

[06:13]

we have this ceremony. This is, I think, very meaningful thing. The flower shrine and altar we have right now is very tentative one, not permanent one. I think this is very meaningful. The thought of practice is something like this always, has been something like this. We are trying to improve the way we celebrate Buddha. The way we decorate altar.

[07:25]

But if we lose the spirit, maybe this way could be very awful thing to just decorate without taking care of things. Like ambulatory actor goes around various place without much artistic sense. But if we continue to practice like we have been practicing our way in America,

[08:29]

something which is very meaningful and beautiful will result. Celebrating our Zen Center airport. And headquarter of Soto School in Japan promised us to give us another maybe 3,000 dollars. And they allowed me to wear a yellow robe.

[09:37]

That is the robe I wore for the first Buddha's birthday in Zen Center. I don't know why, but I do not like that kind of beautiful, something too beautiful. But today I felt something quite different feeling. I appreciate their appreciation of our effort to develop Buddha's way,

[10:39]

which has been transmitted more than 2,500 years. This is the most meaningful thing. In this way, if we make our effort, something will result in this country. And as the Bodhisattva vow is to continue our way forever. If so, Buddha's teaching, something which was told by Buddha, will be developed forever.

[12:06]

With this spirit, we should celebrate Buddha's birthday. Even the way we celebrate is not perfect. Thank you very much. Thank you.

[12:45]

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