- Bathing of the Buddha

Most temples hold ceremonial bathing of an image of baby Prince Siddhartha placed in perfumed water with flowers on Vesak day. The perfumed water is scooped with a ladle and poured over the statue. This symbolises the purification of one’s unwholesome deeds with wholesome deeds.

The Origin of Bathing the Buddha

One of the main activities of the festival is the “bathing Buddha” ritual. Legend records that when Prince Siddhartha was born, there were extraordinary and auspicious signs heralding his birth.

They describe the sky as being clear with brilliant sunshine, flowers blooming and birds singing. Dragons also appeared in the sky spurting two streams of purified water (one cool and one warm), that gently cascaded down to bathe him.

At his birth, seven lotus flowers sprung up beneath his feet as he walked – pointing one hand to the sky and ground he said “in the heaven above and the earth below, I vow to liberate all who suffer in these three realms”.

Since then, Buddhists all over the world celebrate the Buddha’s birthday by using fragrant water to bathe the image of baby Prince Siddhartha. This ritual highlights a universal message of “Let’s cleanse our inner dirt’ of greed, hatred and ignorance so as to allow the generosity, love and wisdom within us to shine forth!”

Proper Way of Bathing the Buddha

Fill ladle & pour water over small Buddha statue three times. While pouring water, recite:

Reverently I hereby bathe the blessed Tathagathas
With magnificent wisdom and merits vast as the ocean
May all beings with the Five Impurities be cleansed
And attain the Tathagatha’s Dharma body (Teachings)

Benefits of Bathing the Buddha

“Noble son, the consequence of performing this bathing of the Buddha image is that you and the great multitude of men and gods will presently receive wealth, happiness, and long life without sickness; your every wish will be fulfilled. Your relatives, friends, and family will all be at ease. You will bid a long farewell to the eight conditions of trouble and forever escape the fount of suffering. You will never again receive the body of a woman and will quickly achieve enlightenment.”