農曆四月初八是釋迦牟尼佛的聖誕，這一天佛教徒浴佛慶祝。萬佛聖城則在初三（陽曆五月十九日），星期日這一天慶祝浴佛節。
為什麼要浴佛？浴佛這是一種紀念，紀念釋迦牟尼佛出生這一天。釋迦牟尼佛成佛的時候，為什麼有這麼多人奉行這個浴佛節呢？就因為他在無量無量劫以前，已經浴過很多佛了。
所以這個浴佛，也可以說是，就為自己 將來成佛做打算。佛他是個大覺者，是個真正明白的人。本來，也不須要我們浴，佛的身體是清靜的，為什麼又要來浴佛呢？「浴」就是舉行個紀念，慎終追遠這種孝念，這也是一種孝道。釋迦牟尼佛出生那一天！九龍吐水，所以，以後佛教徒就傳留下來這一個儀式來浴佛。我們是佛教徒，對於我們的師父就應該有一種孝念，所以就「浴佛」。 |
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The eighth day of the fourth lunar month is Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday. On this day Buddhists celebrate by bathing a statue of the baby Buddha. The Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas will be holding its Bathing the Buddha Ceremony on Sunday, May 19, 1996.
Why do we bathe the Buddha? Bathing the Buddha is a way of commemorating the day Shakyamuni Buddha was born. Why do so many people remember Shakyamuni Buddha‘s birthday? It’s because in limitless eons in the past he bathed many other Buddhas.
Bathing the Buddha now is for the future when you become a Buddha. The Buddha is greatly enlightened and truly understands everything. Basically, the Buddha‘s body is perfectly clean and he doesn’t need a bath. Why do we bath him then? The The ceremony is a manifestation of our filial thoughts toward the Buddha. When Shakymuni Buddha was born nine dragons came to bathe him, and so we follow their example and bathe the Buddha. We are Buddhist disciples, and so we should remember our teacher and be filial to him.
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