From news.scruz.net!bulb.garlic.com!news.vbc.net!vbcnet-west!knews.uk0.vbc.net!vbcnet-gb!azure.xara.net!xara.net!news-feed.inet.tele.dk!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news.cis.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!not-for-mail Wed May 7 12:43:08 1997 Path: news.scruz.net!bulb.garlic.com!news.vbc.net!vbcnet-west!knews.uk0.vbc.net!vbcnet-gb!azure.xara.net!xara.net!news-feed.inet.tele.dk!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news.cis.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!not-for-mail From: "Saki Zenzaki" Newsgroups: talk.religion.buddhism Subject: Re: Water and Buddhism? Date: 7 May 1997 15:14:57 GMT Organization: WordWorks Lines: 43 Message-ID: <01bc5af9$edd2c120$b370fe8c@mulder.8.acs.ohio-state.edu> References: <3370217E.3841@bconnex.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: ts10-12.homenet.ohio-state.edu X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1155 Bill wrote in article ... > In article <3370217E.3841@bconnex.net>, sandyc wrote: > What is the Buddhist relation to water? I ask this > > in the same sense that Christians baptize; and, similarly, that ancient > > Romans had to cross a body of water before they could enter the underworld. Are there potent symbols of water in Buddhism? Here is a Buddhist ritual using water: "I will now introduce you to the Japanese custom for celebrating the Buddha's birthday. On the eighth of April, we Japanese Buddhists decorate the altar for the statue of the baby Buddha with many flowers and pour sweet tea over its head. The altar is called hanami-do or "flower pavillion" and the ceremony is called kambutsue, meaning "to give a bath to the baby Buddha." We think of the flower garden of Lumbini where Buddha was born, and the sudden shower of sweet fragrant rain which gave the baby a natural bath. So each Buddhist temple, no matter to which sect it belongs, has an alter for the baby Buddha, covered with flowers and the statue is placed in a bowl inside the flower pavillion. "The sweet tea, called amacha, is poured into this bowl. There is a ladle in the bowl, so that visitors may pour the sweet tea over the head of the baby Buddha. "Some of you may be wondering what the sweet tea is. In botany, the sweet tea belongs to the genus hydrangea. Its leaves are picked and dried well before soaking them in the hot water. It was used as a cold beverage all over Japan in olden times. Before Japanese people ever saw sugar, which came from Europe, they used this sweet tea." Like a Dream Like a Fantasy Nyogen Sensaki I hope this helps you determine your answer. Saki Zenzaki