Buddhists, politicians and diplomats gathered in front of the Presidential Office yesterday to celebrate Mother’s Day and the 2,633rd birthday of Sakyamuni Buddha.
Thousands gathered on Ketagalan Boulevard on what was the third time the annual event had been held outside the Presidential Office.
This was also the first time President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) did not personally attend the event.
Photo: Patrick Lin, AFP
Ma, who was in Greater Tainan in the morning, phoned in and gave his greetings, which were broadcast to the crowd.
Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長), who attended the event on Ma’s behalf, said the occasion held profound significance as it commended the benevolence of Sakyamuni Buddha and recognized the devotion of all mothers.
“We also want the world to see Taiwan’s democracy, freedom and vibrant development of religion,” he said.
The legislature approved a proposal in 1999 to designate the birthday of Sakyamuni Buddha — which falls on the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar — a national holiday and to celebrate the special occasion concurrently with International Mother’s Day, which is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.
Siew urged the public to practice the “three acts of goodness” and the “five harmonies,” adding that if such universal values could reach every corner of the planet, the world would be a better place.
The “three acts of goodness” refer to doing good deeds, saying good words and having good intentions. The “five harmonies” refer to being kind to oneself, sensitive to one’s family, generous to friends, devoted to social harmony and committed to world peace.
The event was organized by the Fo Guang Shan Foundation.
Marking the Bathing Buddha Festival, Master Hsing Yun (星雲法師), founder of the Fo Guang Shan Monastery, led participants in performing the “bathing Buddha” ritual where he held a wooden ladle and poured water over a small statue of the Buddha.
Bathing a statue of the Buddha symbolizes a fresh start in life and the care given to newborns. Legend has it that when the Supreme Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, was born, there were auspicious signs heralding his birth. They describe the sky as blue and clear on his birth, with dragons spurting purified water to bathe him. Since then, Buddhists have celebrated their religion’s founder’s birthday by using fragrant water to bathe the image of Buddha.
Master Hsing Yun said people bathing today were cleansing the impurities of anger and hatred from their minds.
Master Hsing Yun said that Sakyamuni Buddha is a human being, not a god, as a god has emotions.
A god punishes and rewards, “but a Buddha does not do that,” he said.
What a mother gives to her child, he said, is compassion, wisdom, tolerance, generosity and the ability to discipline and guide oneself. As long as a person can discover these treasures, that person could make the best of himself or herself, he said.
A Japanese lawmaker from Yamanashi Prefecture presented a thank-you certificate to Master Hsing Yun issued by Sadakazu -Tanigaki, president of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party, to thank Taiwan for the NT$5.8 billion (US$1.8 billion) in cash donations and 500 tonnes of provisions given to the country in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
A Chinese freighter that allegedly snapped an undersea cable linking Taiwan proper to Penghu County is suspected of being owned by a Chinese state-run company and had docked at the ports of Kaohsiung and Keelung for three months using different names. On Tuesday last week, the Togo-flagged freighter Hong Tai 58 (宏泰58號) and its Chinese crew were detained after the Taipei-Penghu No. 3 submarine cable was severed. When the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) first attempted to detain the ship on grounds of possible sabotage, its crew said the ship’s name was Hong Tai 168, although the Automatic Identification System (AIS)
An Akizuki-class destroyer last month made the first-ever solo transit of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship through the Taiwan Strait, Japanese government officials with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. The JS Akizuki carried out a north-to-south transit through the Taiwan Strait on Feb. 5 as it sailed to the South China Sea to participate in a joint exercise with US, Australian and Philippine forces that day. The Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami in September last year made the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s first-ever transit through the Taiwan Strait, but it was joined by vessels from New Zealand and Australia,
SECURITY: The purpose for giving Hong Kong and Macau residents more lenient paths to permanent residency no longer applies due to China’s policies, a source said The government is considering removing an optional path to citizenship for residents from Hong Kong and Macau, and lengthening the terms for permanent residence eligibility, a source said yesterday. In a bid to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from infiltrating Taiwan through immigration from Hong Kong and Macau, the government could amend immigration laws for residents of the territories who currently receive preferential treatment, an official familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said. The move was part of “national security-related legislative reform,” they added. Under the amendments, arrivals from the Chinese territories would have to reside in Taiwan for
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
RSS