| Washing
the Buddha |
 |
| (Translated by Douglas Shaw) |
|
To celebrate the Buddha's birthday, Buddhists
perform a ceremony in which scented water is poured over a statue
of the Buddha. At the Tzu Chi Hospital or during home care visits,
volunteers must often bathe sick or elderly people who cannot
wash themselves. They realize that while on the surface they are
washing these people, they are actually helping to wash away the
impurities and worries in their own hearts. Since all living creatures
may someday become buddhas, helping others attain fulfillment
also helps oneself attain fulfillment. Therefore, this kind of
work is also called "washing the Buddha."
