Commemoration of the Buddha’s Birthday
Friday, May 26th, 2023, will be the 8th day of the 4th month on the traditional East Asian lunar calendar. This is the date for Vesakha-puja (in Korean, Bul-tan-il), the annual celebration of the birth of the Buddha. In South Korea, where this event is one of the biggest public holidays of the year, part of the celebration involves visiting a Buddhist temple to “bathe the Buddha” by pouring water over a statue representing the infant Buddha. Click here to watch a short video from the BZC YouTube channel.
The next Buddha’s Birthday celebration will be May 26, 2023
Commemoration of the Buddha’s Enlightenment
Friday, December 30th, 2022, was the 8th day of the 12th month on the traditional East Asian lunar calendar. This is the date for Sambodhi-puja (in Korean, Seong-do-jae-il), the commemoration of the enlightenment of the Buddha almost 2,600 years ago.
A common practice on this occasion is an all-night meditation, ending early the next morning, just as tradition says the Buddha achieved enlightenment with the rising of Venus, the morning star.
We had hoped to be in our new space in time to have a public event, but unfortunately we will not be able to do so this year.
To celebrate the occasion last time, there were two Facebook Live events broadcast on the BZC Facebook page — one at 9pm on Sunday Jan. 9th, and another at 6am on Monday Jan. 10th.
Link to a video of the January 2022 Evening Service
Link to a video of the January 2022 Morning Service
Click here to download BZC Buddha’s Enlightenment Liturgy (PDF)
The next Buddha’s Enlightenment commemoration will be Jan. 18, 2024
Lunar New Year Mini-Retreat
Saturday, January 21st, 2023, was the eve of New Year’s Day on the traditional East Asian lunar calendar. A special mini-retreat washeld at the Center, which included sitting and moving meditation, chanting, refreshment breaks, and culminated in 108 bells at midnight.