2025-05-16 Buddha Bathing Ceremony in the Norton Museum Garden – Bringing the 108 Aspects of Life to Completion
Imagine this: around 565 BCE, Lady Māyā, while traveling by carriage, passed through the Lumbini Garden. Enchanted by the garden's rare flowers, auspicious plants, and fragrant, pure waters, she stepped down to bathe. It was there that Prince Siddhartha was born.
The Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida—renowned as a “museum in a garden” with its exotic subtropical flora—echoes this sacred setting. Invited by the museum, the Buddha's Light International Association (BLIA) Miami Chapter set up a Buddha bathing pool in the garden on May 16 to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday. Alongside other related festivities, the event welcomed over 600 community members to the museum.
From the moment the museum opened, many community members lined up in the vibrant garden to participate in the Buddha bathing ritual. Excited museum staff remarked that they hoped the lush, tropical gardens of West Palm Beach would help visitors imagine the splendor of Lumbini Garden from millennia ago. After the ceremony, many guests received a Buddha birthday cake. Upon reading the “108 Aspects of Life” card attached to the cake, several expressed how the messages answered personal life challenges that had recently troubled them. The cakes were offered for self-selection, prompting laughter and reflection: “Did I choose the cake, or did the cake choose me?” They marveled at the mysterious relevance of the “108 Aspects of Life.”
BLIA volunteers explained that the “108 Aspects of Life” cards were based on Dharma teachings shared by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founding patriarch of Fo Guang Shan. Drawn from his own life experiences, the 108 aphorisms aim to inspire mindfulness and encourage individuals to take charge of their own lives.
Volunteers also informed guests about other activities: on the museum’s first floor, a screening room featured an English-language animation The Life of the Buddha at scheduled times. On the second floor, coordinated with the museum’s calligraphy exhibition, visitors could engage in cultural experiences such as folding fan calligraphy, painting, and Bodhi leaf rubbings. Guests could either copy a calligraphy piece or paint and write directly onto a folding fan. Bodhi leaves were also available for rubbings or as decorative seals for their calligraphy works.
Venerable Ruyuan, the abbot of Fo Guang Shan Miami, noted that attendance at this year’s Buddha bathing was significantly higher than last year. Just as the association was considering how to expand the experience to more community members, they received an enthusiastic invitation from the museum. Quincy Bruckerhoff, Director of Adult Education at the Norton Museum, said that many visitors left heartfelt feedback last year—especially praising the tea meditation sessions—and hoped for more such events. Some responses also reflected curiosity about authentic Buddhism. As a result, the museum hopes to continue its partnership with BLIA Miami for the annual “Museum Night” each May (Buddha’s Birthday Month), offering activities like Buddha bathing, mindfulness, and meditation to benefit the wider community.
