Sponsored by the city of Perth, the International Buddhist Association of Western Australia and Buddha’s Light Association of Western Australia have jointly organized the Buddha’s Birthday Festival at the Supreme Court Gardens on Sunday, 16 May 2004.

Buddha’s Birthday Festival is the most important day in the Buddhist calendar. It represents the birth of Sakyamuni Buddha His supreme enlightenment and his attainment of Nirvana more than 2500 years ago. This day is celebrated on a grand scale in all Buddhist countries. The Buddhists in Western Australia are indeed very fortunate that this important event is celebrated in this county. This is possible due to the embracing of multiculturalism in this great country of ours.

The Buddha’s Birthday Festival is a free event that involves ceremonies in the main Buddha Pavilion, cultural dances from various ethnic groups, displays of things Buddhist significance and a multicultural vegetarian food fair. This year, Hon. Mr. John Hyde, representing the Premier of Western Australia Hon. Dr. Geoff Gallop to attend the occasion, Mr. Michael Sutherland, representing the mayor of City of Perth, mayors of surrounding city councils, leaders of religious groups that include Christmas, Hindu, Islamic, Bahais, leaders of many ethnic communities and welfare groups. The coming together of the carious religious leaders is to foster religious harmony and peaceful coexistence among various ethnic groups in multi-cultural Australia. Our Grand Master Hsing Yun has always emphasized the coming together people of the different religious and races for world peace. It is envisaged that more than 20,000 visitors attended the event. One of the highlights was the bathing of the Buddha which exemplifies that “it is easy to wash away the physical dirt, but it is hard to wash the inner (mental) dirt of anger, greed, and ignorance.” With the purified mind we can recite the three vows to eliminate the evil thought, to cultivate the good deeds and to help all living beings when bathing the Buddha.

Part of the proceeds of this festival was donated to the Cancer Council of WA, Heart Foundation of WA, Fremantle Hospital Cardiac Service and Children’s Hospice Association.

The theme of the day’s festivities is to celebrate the birthday of Buddha and to promote peace and harmony throughout the world. All activities are non-political in nature with emphasis on family values, friendship, loving-kindness, compassion, multi racial and multi cultural harmony that brings together people of diverse racial, religious and cultural groups. It is also a fun day, a family day, and a way when people come to enjoy the food, activities and festivities of the event.