We invite everyone to join us for our 2023 Hanamatsuri service which will start promptly at 10:00 AM on April 2nd. We will also be holding Dharma School this day as well.
Potluck Info
For Hanamatsuri 2023 we are holding a community potluck after the service. We encourage you to bring a potluck item to share based on the first letter of your last name:
A – K Main Dish
L – R Dessert or Fruit
S – Z Side Dish or Salad
What is Hanamatsuri?
This service celebrates the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, who would become the Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha. ‘Hanamatsuri’ means ‘flower festival’, which is a reference to the flowering Lumbini Garden where the Buddha was born. At this time, we put a flower decorated shrine in front of the altar space which houses a small statue of the baby Buddha standing in a bowl of sweet tea. Instead of offering incense at this time, we use a ladle to pour the sweet tea over the baby Buddha. This represents the gentle rain that fell on the Buddha after his birth.
For a schedule of planned services and events, please visit our calendar.