A 12-year-old youth places a flower garland on the statue of Prince Siddhartha during the Buddha’s Birthday celebration, showcasing the participation and cultural inheritance of the younger generation.

Families pause to admire the rows of hand-painted lanterns, sharing a warm and heartwarming moment together.

Following the successful conclusion of the Buddha's Birthday service, vocalists and musicians capture a playful jump shot, spreading the joy of Buddha’s Birthday and Fo Guang 60.

Director Lei Qi of the TECO Culture Center in Chicago, along with his wife and 3-year-old child, participates in bathing the Buddha to experience the compassion and blessings of the festival.

YAD members collaborate on making handcrafted cold beverages to form wholesome connections with attendees.

An American multi-generational family—from grandmother to son and grandchildren—donated all of their family-made 3D digitally modeled and printed crafts for the temple expansion fundraiser.

At the outdoor Buddha bathing station, a mother guides her child while reading the instructions together, illustrating the warm and welcoming atmosphere of Buddha’s Birthday.

Ethnic Chinese-Vietnamese devotees cook authentic Vietnamese noodles at the food fair, sharing the joy of the festival through familiar flavors of home.

Distinguished guests gather for the grand ribbon-cutting opening of the special exhibition "60 Years of Passing the Lamp: Honoring a 100-Year Legacy."

Parents and children create lasting memories together through the multi-layered Venerable Master Hsing Yun postcard stamping workshop.

 

In celebration of Buddha’s Birthday, to promote the spirit of filial piety, and to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of Fo Guang Shan, the Fo Guang Shan Chicago Buddhist Temple hosted a series of events titled “Celebrating Buddha’s Birthday & Repaying Mother’s Grace” on May 24. Co-organized by the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Chicago Chapter and Sub-chapters, the program combined a Buddha Bathing Dharma Service, a special exhibition titled “60 Years of Passing the Lamp: Honoring a 100-Year Legacy,” and a Three Acts of Goodness Cultural Fair, drawing over 200 devotees and community members.

The event opened with a traditional welcoming dance by Buryat Heritage Chicago. Distinguished guests in attendance included Abbess Venerable Yong Han, Venerable Bhante Ukkamsa, Illinois State Representative Anne Stava-Murray, Director Lei Qi of the Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago, and BLIA Chicago Chapter President Ke-Ying Wang, showcasing the vibrant, multicultural dialogue within the community.

May is a month filled with profound significance, encompassing Fo Guang Day, Mother’s Day, and Buddha’s Birthday—symbolizing the founding of Fo Guang Shan, the spirit of filial love, and the birth of the Buddha, respectively. Together, these three occasions created an atmosphere rich in gratitude, compassion, and hope.

Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of Fo Guang Shan and the centennial birth anniversary of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, this year’s event placed special emphasis on the spirit of “repaying the grace of the Buddha, parents, and spiritual teachers.” Venerable Yong Han led the assembly in the Main Shrine for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the “60 Years of Passing the Lamp: Honoring a 100-Year Legacy” memorial exhibition, symbolizing six decades of passing down the torch of Humanistic Buddhism.

Devotee representative Bin Wang shared that through the special exhibition—featuring interactive puzzles, multi-layered postcard stamping, and the complete 395-volume Complete Works of Venerable Master Hsing Yun—the public could revisit Fo Guang Shan’s journey of building the order from the ground up. He noted that it allowed everyone to appreciate the far-reaching global impact of Humanistic Buddhism and feel the precious connection of spiritual inheritance.

The solemn Buddha Bathing ceremony commenced with a piano and bassoon duet playing “Lighting the Lamp.” Little bodhisattvas scattered flower petals as the assembly reverently welcomed the statue of Prince Siddhartha onto the lotus pedestal, filling the hall with a warm and sacred atmosphere. BLIA officers and devotee representatives offered Dharma treasures—including Master Hsing Yun’s English and Chinese publications—symbolizing the continuation of wisdom and the Dharma lineage.

BLIA Chicago Chapter President Ke-Ying Wang noted that bathing the Buddha is not only about commemorating the Buddha’s birth, but also about cleansing one’s inner afflictions and reflecting on the purity of one’s own mind. He emphasized that by promoting “Celebrating Buddha’s Birthday & Repaying Mother’s Grace” over the years, Fo Guang Shan aims to extend the spirit of filial respect into broader social care.

In her spiritual address, Venerable Yong Han shared that the convergence of Buddha’s Birthday, Mother’s Day, and Fo Guang Day makes May a month dedicated equally to gratitude and practice. She pointed out that the true meaning of bathing the Buddha lies in returning to a pure mind, facing daily life with kind words and right mindfulness, and practicing the Master’s Humanistic Buddhist spirit of “giving others joy and forming wholesome affinities,” so that our words may warm others like sunshine.

Venerable Bhante Ukkamsa encouraged the assembly to embrace the Noble Eightfold Path and practice the “Middle Way” in daily life. Representative Anne Stava-Murray affirmed that “love” is the most vital value in the world, urging everyone to cherish family and community connections. Director Lei Qi shared the concept of the “Four Givings,” highlighting the practical wisdom that Buddhism brings to daily life.

The festival fair featured vegetarian food stalls, cultural performances, and hands-on DIY workshops, drawing many families and creating a joyful atmosphere. Blending culture, art, and educational exchange, the event allowed the compassion and wisdom of Humanistic Buddhism to flow continuously through the community, injecting warmth and hope into the city.