Somewhere I read that in a 2007 book, Living Buddhist statues in early medieval and modern Japan by Sarah J. Horton; it is stated that many monasteries celebrate the anniversary of Buddha's birth in a highly formal, ritualized manner which I suppose is true. Rituals have been said to have been a significant aspect of Buddhist practice even since the time of the Buddha. Though not sure if Buddha encouraged it, that rituals help create community and mutual support is undeniable. Then, I suppose there are rituals in all religious ceremonies and in non religious ceremonies too; as in the case of them inaugurations of kings and queens; and they do permeate our everyday life too if you care to scrutinize. In the book, it is stated too that during the celebration of Buddha's birth, the Buddha's statue is treated as if it was Buddha himself and it would be bathed and fed as if alive. Personally, I haven't come across rituals of Buddha's statue being fed but the bathing of the Buddha is a common practice. Scented water would be poured over an image of an infant Buddha, who has his right forefinger pointed upwards and left forefinger directed downwards. This, I read commemorates Buddha's birth. When Queen Maya gave birth to her prince, she was leaning against a sal tree. Her baby sprang clean and radiant from her side, landing right on the ground and the story goes that he walked the four points of the cardinal directions. Wherever he set his feet, lotuses sprang up and blossomed. His right forefinger pointing up to the sky, his left down to the grass; he spoke: Above heaven and below heaven, none are equal to me. This is my last birth. There will be no more rebirths...Maybe, you'd like to see it as representing something instead of taking an actual bath...
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