KUALA LUMPUR: More than 3,400 devotees and volunteers of Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia took part in a large-scale Buddha bathing ceremony to mark Mother’s Day, Wesak Day and Global Tzu Chi’s Day at Kuala Lumpur Tzu Chi Jing-Si hall today.
The ceremony began at 7.30am with 28 Buddhist monks and invited guests performing the Buddha bathing ceremony. Selected volunteers then made their offerings of fragrant water and flowers. It ended with prayers and the singing of songs promoting Buddha’s virtues and vegetarianism.
It was an eye opener for Belgium’s ambassador to Malaysia Pascal Grégoire, who said he had not witnessed such a ceremony anywhere else in the world.
“This kind of day in Kuala Lumpur is transcending the boundaries between religions and humans. This is also celebrating diversity, harmony beyond your religion and also promoting interfaith dialogue, mutual respect, peace and harmony,“ he told reporters after the ceremony.
He was glad to meet Tzu Chi Foundation founder Master Cheng Yen in Hualien, Taiwan, on the invitation of Berjaya Group chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan.
“We have the opportunity to be blessed by meeting Master Cheng Yen and also have the opportunity to attend the early Sutra recitation prayer ceremony at the abbot in Taiwan at 4am with the sisters and brothers there,“ he said.
Meanwhile, Tan, who also brought his mother, Low Siew Beng, for the third consecutive year to attend the Buddha bathing ceremony, said she likes to come for Tzu Chi events and is a strong supporter of the foundation.
“I think Tzu Chi is an incredible organisation. It was started by a nun and is now a worldwide organisation, which has done so much charity and helped so many people around the world. They have offices in 60 countries and helped over 90 countries. If there’s a flood and earthquake, Tzu Chi will be one of the earliest to arrive, so we support this great organisation,“ he said.
He also said meeting Master Cheng Yen three years ago prompted him to adopt a vegetarian diet.
“I’ve been a vegetarian for three years now, and it is good for health and environment. Now with companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods everyone is talking about vegetarianism, it has now come in fashion for the western world,“ he said.
Top Glove Corp founder Tan Sri Lim Wee Chai, who was also at the ceremony, said this is his fifth time attending this event.
“We must do more good things and participate in charitable activities so that the world can be a better place. We hope more people will participate in events like this.”
