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With lush green grass and blue skies as its backdrop at the Tzu Chi Great Love Garden, a gentle breeze carried the compassion and wisdom found in ordinary nature. On the morning of May 17, 2026, the Tzu Chi Canada Western Headquarters held its first Buddha Bathing Ceremony here to celebrate Buddha’s birthday. About 220 distinguished guests and volunteers gathered to mark Tzu Chi’s 60 years of compassionate service, calming their minds and returning to inner purity through the “Buddha Bathing” ritual to pray for all beings in the world.
Tzu Chi at 60: A Deep Humanistic Heritage
The “Buddha Bathing Ceremony” is not merely a religious ritual but also a significant event that unites wholesome intentions and conveys blessings. Since its founding in 1966, beginning with a bamboo coin bank and the practice of saving fifty cents each day, Tzu Chi’s charitable footprint has now (in 2026) reached 139 countries worldwide. Having traveled through six decades of compassion, Tzu Chi is celebrating its 60th anniversary, while Tzu Chi Canada is entering its 35th year.
Amidst the morning light and Buddhist chants, the Buddha Bathing Ceremony officially began. “Praising and honoring the Three Treasures, paying respect to all Buddhas.” The sound of the Buddha’s name guided everyone toward a path of right faith and mindfulness, sharing blessings of growing wisdom with everyone.
Mac Miao, CEO of Tzu Chi Canada, stated, “We gather everyone’s kindness and goodwill in this solemn Buddha Bathing venue to pray for all sentient beings. The ‘Buddha Bathing Ceremony’ is not only a dignified ceremony; more importantly, it is a way to repay the Buddha’s grace, our parents’ grace, and the grace of all living beings. Through this ceremony, we hope to awaken the inherent Buddha-nature and compassionate heart in everyone, and to bring this pure and wholesome intention back to our families and society.”
Member of Parliament Chak Au also said, “We all know that the world is currently in great turmoil, and people’s minds are unsettled. Through bathing the Buddha, we can pray for our society, our country, and even the world.”
British Columbia MLA Teresa Wat praised Tzu Chi, saying, “Tzu Chi’s six decades represent more than 60 years of volunteers doing good. Participating in the Buddha Bathing Ceremony in such an environment today is exceptionally special. I deeply admire Dharma Master Cheng Yen, and I will also be visiting Hualien this year to pay my respects to her.”
Angel Liu, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver, remarked, “Tzu Chi is a model Buddhist organization from Taiwan. Wherever disasters occur, it responds as quickly as possible and with compassion to help those in need. When past wildfires occurred in the interior of British Columbia, Tzu Chi was always among the first to assist the Canadian government and the Taiwanese community with humanitarian relief efforts. Each of Tzu Chi’s Four Missions is closely related to diplomatic work, making Tzu Chi one of the TECO’s best partners.”
With moving songs and heartfelt sentiments, the ceremony concluded with everyone putting their palms together in sincere reverence. The sound of the song “Prayer” echoed between heaven and earth, gathering more positive energy to pray for the world.
Practicing the Dharma in Daily Life
Bob, a grape expert, and his wife Valentyna, former refugees from Ukraine, encountered Tzu Chi in Vancouver, far from their homeland. With the care and companionship of Tzu Chi volunteers, they gradually emerged from the shadow of war, allowing their love and expertise to continue to flourish at the Tzu Chi Great Love Garden by cultivating different varieties of grapes, and forging a broader path in life. Despite the language barrier, they were still able to complete the Buddha Bathing ritual successfully amidst the solemn chanting of “Namo Shakyamuni Buddha.”
Once a Tzu Ching (Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth) member and now the young father of two daughters, Chun-Yu Lin, carries the deepest love and hopes for his children. He said, “I bring my children to the Buddha Bathing Ceremony so they can learn gratitude and compassion from an early age, and carry on the Tzu Chi spirit.”
Volunteer Lang-Qing Peng reflected, “In the past, when I had not personally done a task, I would see what others did as inadequate. This time, by taking on general affairs duties, I realized that I’m not perfect either. Dharma Master Cheng Yen says to ‘be mindful and attentive,’ and indeed, we must put more care into what we do.”
Tzu Ching members Chun-Chih Lin, Chun-Chen Lin, and Mei-Hsi Hsu attended the ceremony together. Chun-Chih Lin said, “The weather was particularly bad the past few days, but today it has been sunny all along. It feels like home; where there is Tzu Chi, there is warmth. The atmosphere of the Buddha Bathing Ceremony is so solemn, it can truly bring peace to one’s mind.”
After the event, volunteers quietly handled the cleanup, which included dismantling tents and removing every single nail used for positioning markers, restoring the lawn to a clean and safe condition. Volunteer Chien-Yao Lee, who has jokingly called his work “kneeling in thanks to the earth” for nearly 20 years, gladly takes on this task every year.
Chien-Yao Lee shared, “I started ‘kneeling’ when I joined Tzu Chi. Every ground marker is a blessing. Although I’m older now and getting up and down isn’t as easy as it used to be, I can still do it. Walking with love, I am very grateful—grateful for new volunteers joining in to ‘kneel’ with me.”
Tzu Chi’s 60th anniversary is both a completion and a new beginning. Inspired by Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s single thought of compassion, Tzu Chi volunteers have journeyed through the river of time. The charitable footprints formed by countless aspirations have long been deeply rooted in local communities. This relay of love has never stopped; it continues to grow and flourish across Canada, creating a beautiful resonance around the world.