Tzu Chi Celebrates Buddha Day amid Rain, Spreading the Dharma for the Benefit of All

Tzu Chi 59th Anniversary and Buddha Day Celebration 2025 has returned to the Singapore Jing Si Hall, with the first session on 11 May exclusively arranged for volunteers. Everyone gathered in formation to praise the Buddha’s virtues and sincerely thank the Buddha for his grace. (Photo by Tan Cheng Hwa)

“The Buddha looks at us with compassion like a mother, protecting all living beings and teaching us to do good deeds, practise the Dharma and benefit all living beings,” shared Tan Khon Hai, who participated in the Tzu Chi Buddha Bathing Ceremony for the eighth time. He was deeply moved when he sang “Our Earnest Prayers” loudly among the 800 people in the formation. The lyrics of the song moved him deeply and reminded him of his late mother.

11 May 2025 marked Tzu Chi’s 3-in-1 occasion – Buddha Day, Mother’s Day and Global Tzu Chi Day. In the early morning of 11 May, Singapore was hit by a downpour. At dawn, the gentle drizzle resembled heavenly nectar, washing away the world’s dust and leaving the earth as fresh as pure land, marking the beginning of the Buddha Bathing Ceremony.

Tzu Chi volunteers from all over the island gathered at the Jing Si Hall. A total of 791 participants put on raincoats and formed a gray-and-blue Dharma water ripple formation. Everyone chanted sincerely in Buddhist chanting to praise the Buddha's virtues and expressed their gratitude for the Buddha's kindness by following the ritual steps of “bowing at the Buddha's feet, making sincere vows, receiving Dharma fragrance, and receiving blessings”.

Ms Indranee Rajah, the new MP for Pasir Ris-Changi, was invited to participate in the Buddha Bathing Ceremony. In her speech, she said that she was deeply impressed by what Tzu Chi does and what Master Cheng Yen teaches. Compassion, love and care are shared by all human beings regardless of religion. Ms Indranee Rajah hoped that Tzu Chi could actively lead the residents to make the area a peaceful and happy community.

Seizing the long weekend to “meet the Buddha”  

This year, the public holiday for Buddha’s Birthday (Vesak Day) in Singapore fell on the day after Mother’s Day. In order to attract more people to stop by and learn about Buddhism during this rare long weekend, Tzu Chi Merit Organization (Singapore) Ltd. moved the venue from an outdoor setting to Jing Si Hall to hold a two-day Buddha Bathing Ceremony with seven sessions. It also made good use of various spaces in Jing Si Hall to host a charity exhibition on Buddha’s homeland, a filial piety station, a Jing Si products booth, and vegetarian food offerings.

In 2025, in response to the long weekend and the Vesak Day public holiday, Tzu Chi seized the opportunity to hold the Buddha Bathing Ceremony and other fringe activities at Jing Si Hall, and specially held the "Exhibition on Charity & Humanistic Culture in the Buddha's Homeland" to allow more people to have ample time to deeply understand the teachings left by the Buddha to the world. (Photo by Bong Kian Hin)

The six Buddha Bathing Ceremony sessions following the volunteer session were open to the public. More than 1,500 people entered the Jing Si Hall to learn about the Buddha's teachings. They also learned more about the Buddha's footprints in expounding the Dharma and the good deeds of Tzu Chi volunteers in Nepal and India in recent years through guided tours.

Although Li Wenchuan, a member of the public, has never been to India, he has some knowledge of the country because he often interacts with Buddhist groups. After visiting the exhibition, he said, "I think the Pure Land on Earth is here. The Buddha taught us to attain enlightenment and be compassionate, and to improve our quality internally, rather than seeking externally."

Li Wenchuan went to the elder care centre early in the morning and brought his mother Gao Xiuying to bathe the Buddha. Gao Xiuying (pictured below), who was in a wheelchair, said, "I haven't been to Tzu Chi for a long time. My sister is a Tzu Chi volunteer and often tells me about Tzu Chi. But it's not easy for me to go out now, so I haven't been here for a long time. Today my son brought me here, and I'm very happy."  

(Photo by Lai Tong Heng)

In previous years, the Buddha Bathing Ceremony was held in an outdoor stadium, which made it difficult for my mother to attend due to her mobility issues. This year, he said, "I can bring my mother to Tzu Chi to bathe the Buddha, and I can also meet my aunt Gao Meiying. My mother is very happy. This may be the best Mother's Day gift for her!"   

21-year-old Voon Cha Woei and his father, Voon Huaguang (pictured below), attended Tzu Chi's Buddha Bathing Ceremony for the first time. They listened attentively to volunteer Lim Kim Yan’s guided tour and learned about Tzu Chi’s charitable and medical efforts in Nepal. Voon Cha Woei said, "Tzu Chi helped the little girl get a prosthesis. When the prosthesis didn't fit, they went to her home to treat her wound and even helped her find a job. Tzu Chi didn’t just help once but showed continuous care. I was very touched!"

(Photo by Bong Kian Hin)

They felt the same way about this spirit of great love. Last December, the Voon family of four returned to Malaysia to visit relatives. Unfortunately, they were involved in a car accident. Voon Cha Woei’s mother passed away at the scene, and his younger brother and him were injured and hospitalised.

"My younger brother is in serious condition and unable to move. He is currently staying in Malaysia with my father for the time being, while I returned to Singapore for treatment," he shared.  

As his mother’s relatives were Tzu Chi volunteers, the Voon family came into contact with Tzu Chi. Voon Cha Woei recalled, "When I was hospitalised, Tzu Chi volunteers brought me home-cooked food every day." His father, Voon Huaguang, added with tears in his eyes that Tzu Chi volunteers in Malaysia also visited the hospital every day to show their care, which touched them deeply.   

The sudden loss of his mother left a pain that was hard to soothe. "I want to accumulate blessings for my mother. The love of Tzu Chi senior volunteers has not stopped, and they have stayed in touch and continued to care for us." Voon Cha Woei said that this touched them and made them want to pass on this love to more people.  

Voon Cha Woei and his father were silently inspired by the kindness and love of Tzu Chi volunteers. Last month, they participated in the new volunteer training, taking the first steps to joining the ranks of Bodhisattvas. They hoped to learn to practice the great love shown by Tzu Chi volunteers, do good deeds, and carry on the love of his mother in this world.  

Bathing the Buddha purifies one’s mind

Tzu Chi around the world will mark its 60th anniversary next year. Master Cheng Yen hopes that Tzu Chi disciples will study the Sutra of Infinite Meanings in depth and that every household will be able to do traditional Buddhist chanting and delve into the Buddhist sutras. Tzu Chi volunteers in Singapore have been hosting a monthly community book club since October 2023 and has incorporated Buddhist chanting practice into it. At this Buddha Bathing Ceremony, Tzu Chi volunteers presented three video clips from the event and led the public to perform Buddhist chanting and hand gestures for the part on "Heavenly Fragrance and Heavenly Clothes" at the sessions for members of the public.

(Photo by Lai Tong Heng)

The true meaning of Bathing the Buddha is to help everyone feel the existence of the Great Enlightened One, the Buddha, in the world. Through wisdom, the Buddha guides people, helping them cleanse their inner afflictions, awaken compassion and wisdom, and love all living beings equally.

This year, Tzu Chi held a small exhibition themed "The True Essence of the Buddha’s Footsteps. Practising the Bodhisattva Path in the Human World". Within the limited space of the Cultural Hall, the left side presented the eight sacred sites where the Buddha "taught the Bodhisattva Dharma" and the right side showcased the charity and poverty relief work carried out by today’s Tzu Chi volunteers in Nepal and India as they "practise the Bodhisattva Path".

In the limited space of the Cultural Hall, the eight sacred sites where the Buddha "taught the Bodhisattva Dharma" are presented on the left, and the charity and poverty relief work carried out by Tzu Chi volunteers in Nepal and India are showcased on the right. For more stories on docents, please click here https://www.facebook.com/tzuchimeritsg/posts/. (Photo by Donn Tan)

Tzu Chi volunteers who had traveled to Nepal and India at their own expense were invited to serve as docents, sharing their personal experiences with the public to offer a deeper, more personal understanding of the charitable efforts in Nepal, allowing visitors to feel as if they were witnessing the Bodhisattva spirit of relieving suffering and bringing joy to the world.

"Rescuing the suffering is not just empty talk." Volunteer Fu Xiaoyan went to Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha, twice to participate in local charity and education work. Inspired by the compassion of Master Cheng Yen, she decided to repay the Buddha's kindness and her teacher's kindness. Accompanying Nepali volunteers, she came to realise that witnessing suffering reminds us of our blessings, and living a simple life is beautiful. Most local houses were crude and shabby, with very few made of bricks, which made her appreciate her life in Singapore even more. Fu Xiaoyan said that although she was there to help others, she is actually the one who benefited. The experience allowed her to feel the Buddha's compassion, grasp the vastness of the Dharma, gain a deeper understanding of suffering, and walk the Bodhisattva path, ensuring that her life in this world is not lived in vain.

Goh Lam Kia, a volunteer based in Nepal, is like a "walking history book". For more than three years, recording the good deeds of local people with photos and written stories has been his mission. During the guided tour, he shared his personal experiences with the public in simple language, as if he was walking through the development process of Tzu Chi's mission in Nepal again. He is a participant, a witness, and a storyteller.

Goh Lam Kia hopes to convey that everyone has a pure nature and a compassionate heart to help others. Through the guided tour, more people came to understand the truth pursued by the Buddha, inspiring everyone to cultivate good thoughts and gather strength bit by bit to transform the Buddha’s homeland.

Love should be expressed, and parent’s kindness should be repaid promptly

In addition to the solemn Buddha Bathing Ceremony, Jing Si Hall also held a heartwarming filial piety tea offering activity, allowing the public to express their gratitude to their elders through the simple act of offering tea.

"Thank you, Tzu Chi, for organising such a meaningful event. When the children bowed and offered tea, and the elders sipped it slowly, followed by embracing each other, I was moved by the sincerity of their emotions," said Chen Yuqin with tears in her eyes. Since there is no custom of offering tea at home, this day became a special moment for the mother and daughter to share an emotional hug, expressing a love that words often cannot convey.

As Pee Bee Eng had just undergone chemotherapy for cancer and was unable to participate in the entire Buddha Bathing Ceremony, she and her son only paid respect to the Buddha at the Cultural Hall and participated in the tea offering session, spending a happy and meaningful day. For more stories on filial piety tea offering session, please click https://www.facebook.com/groups/tzuchibuddies/. (Photo by Pong Lai Ping)

Taking advantage of the Vesak Day holiday, Pee Bee Eng asked her son, Hu Weixiang, to drive her to Tzu Chi. More than a decade ago, Pee Bee Eng helped prepare vegetarian meals at the Tzu Chi office in Chinatown. A few years ago, she visited the Tzu Chi Free Clinic in Redhill for treatment of a toothache. Grateful for Tzu Chi's help, she said she wanted to "fulfill her vow" and donate the money she saved to Tzu Chi to help other people in need.  

As Pee Bee Eng had just undergone chemotherapy for cancer, she could not attend the entire Buddha Bathing Ceremony. The mother and son only paid respect to the Buddha at the Cultural Hall and participated in the tea offering session. They thanked Tzu Chi for its assistance and expressed their joy for spending a pleasant and meaningful day.  

For Tng Soe Peck, many years ago her daughter wanted to give her the best Mother’s Day gift and took her to Bedok Stadium to participate in the Tzu Chi Buddha Bathing Ceremony. She still vividly remembers the moving emotions that arose as people gathered with kind thoughts. This year, she specially invited her sister, Tng Say Whie, to accompany her to the ceremony. They both said that the warm hospitality of Tzu Chi volunteers made them feel truly at home.

(Photo by Lim Suan Chu)

The two sisters were deeply moved during the Buddha Bathing Ceremony. They couldn’t hold back their tears upon hearing Master Cheng Yen’s teachings. They were even more moved to tears when they sang “Our Earnest Prayers”.

Master Cheng Yen once said that everyone has the same pure Buddha nature as the Buddha, but due to moments of ignorance, greed, and anger, delusions are generated, and personal habits are gradually formed. Spiritual cultivation is about returning to the pure and untainted nature. Every year on Vesak Day, we bathe the Buddha to express our gratitude to the Buddha, and more importantly, put the Buddha's teachings into practice in our daily lives.

Click here for more photos:

• Tzu Chi 59th Anniversary and Buddha Day Celebration (2025)
• Tzu Chi 59th Anniversary and Buddha Day Celebration - Preparations (2025)

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