This year, aside from all the corona stuff, the lunar calendar also had a “leap month” that gave us two Buddha’s Birthdays. Normally the second one would be ignored, but with all of the quarantines and people avoiding gathering, the Korean Buddhist orders decided to have two Buddha’s Birthdays. The first was fairly simple, without any emphasis on public ceremonies at the temples, just quiet ceremonies with mostly just monks and nuns.
The hope was that things would have settled down in time to have a more public celebration on the second Buddha’s Birthday. Unfortunately, the latest outbreak has forced the cancellation of those plans. We’re still having a bit bigger celebration, with three nights of the lantern lighting celebration, but it’s a lot more low key than in previous years. Here’s a mix of photos from this year (taken by Hoon Park), and photos from previous years.
I hope you all have a wonderful Buddha’s Birthday! And remember, the point is to discover and brighten the light within us. This light that can show us our way forward and and help ease our suffering while dissolving some of the hindrances before us.
With palms together,
Chong Go
Wake Up and Laugh! 