Rev. Taihaku - One Year Memorial

Altar in Cemetery

Processing slowly up to the Cemetery while chanting the Dharma lineage with each step.

Sunday, May 22nd, Shao Shan Temple honored our beloved founding abbot, Taihaku Nishiren Daiosho with a One-year Remembrance Ceremony.  A facet of the ceremony was the interment of her cremated remains in the Shao Shan Temple Cemetery.  Despite humidity, black flies and impending thunderstorms, people gathered, veiled by nets and masks, to remember Rev. Taihaku's dedication, laughter and caring.  With a gentle breeze the light and shadows danced through the spring green leaves and a raven circled overhead accompanying the closing chant.

Chanting "Kanzeon" in the Cemetery

Interment

Taihaku's memorial quartz rock in the background
with the azalea that began blooming that day

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, abiding in all directions

Endowed with great compassion, Endowed with great wisdom, Endowed with great love,

Extending protection to myriads of sentient beings, Accept our offerings of heart and mind.  

Dharma ancestors, Great Compassionate ones, possessing powers of divine deeds and protecting in incomprehensible ways; 

Our beloved founding abbot, Taihaku Nishiren Priest, has departed from this world and has absorbed into the ineffable. 

She has taken the Great Leap.

Completely supported in the embrace of Great Universal goodness, she is protected by all compassionate ones.

Within the vast luminous silence, she is at home within the great ocean of light, beyond the portals of birth and death.

Trusting in our ancient vows, she has pierced through the veil and become one with the boundless light.

May Universal Brilliance Prevail. 

 

Buddha's Birthday Celebration!

 

On a perfect weather spring day, Sunday, May 1, 

Shao Shan Temple celebrated Buddha’s birthday! 

IN-PERSON

In the afternoon, a festive celebration was held outside under crystal blue skies - the first in-person Buddha's Birthday in several years. 

An enthusiastic group gathered including many children. 

All nature seemed to celebrate the occasion, with woodpeckers echoing the Han and an eagle circling overhead. 

Participants were invited to join in a noble procession carrying parasols, walking sticks decorated with colored streamers, bubble wands and little bells. The procession was accompanied by bells, drums, and a conch. 

 Everyone had the opportunity to ladle sweet tea over a statue of the baby Buddha. 

The ceremony was followed by a delicious potluck of savory and sweet treats. During refreshments, Franklin treated everyone to a few tunes on his fiddle – a sprightly end to a joyous occasion!

ONLINE

To make the celebration more accessible, there was also an online morning program with participants joining from as far away as India! 

 During the morning program, after Rev. Kenzan’s welcome and opening blessing, 

Heather read a story of Buddha’s birth while showing illustrations. 

There was a camera close-up of ladling sweet tea over a statue of the baby Buddha accompanied by a Baika song (a Japanese Buddhist Hymn). 

Members of the sangha were also invited to make a virtual offering to the baby Buddha - these included beautiful spring flowers and fruit.