May 3, 2017, the 8th Day of the 4th Month in Lunar Calendar, is Shakyamuni Buddha's Birthday. Shakyamuni Buddha (also spelled as Sakyamuni) was born as Princess Siddhartha Gautama of Shakya Clan in the eastern part of ancient India, about 2500 years ago. As an ultimately enlightened one, Shakyamuni Buddha established the first Buddhist monastic order in our human history and taught what we learn as Buddhism today. Buddhists pay tributes to him by calling “Namo (homage to) our original teacher Shakyamuni Buddha” and vowing to learn from Buddha to help all sentient beings, eliminate all afflictions, pursue thorough understanding of Buddhadharma, and attain Buddhahood.

In accordance with Mahayana Buddhist tradition, The Buddhist Association of Canada Cham Shan Temple respectfully hosts a celebration ceremony for Shakyamuni Buddha's birth every year. Wesak at Cham Shan Temple has become a landmark annual event in local community.

This year, thousands of people and many distinguished guests joint the celebration. Mr. Huo Feng and Ms. Jing Shan Yuan are two pop stars from China. They travelled a long way to Toronto, not only for attending the celebration ceremony at Cham Shan Temple, but also for offering their tributes to Buddha in a special way. They brought to Toronto audiences with beautiful songs and talented performance for charitable fundraising exclusively for the Wutai-Shan-Buddhist-Garden-in-Canada Project, which is under construction in eastern Ontario now.

Ms. Jing Shan Yuan, performing at the 9th Wesak Festival Vegetarian Banquet on the night of May 3, 2017 at Premiere Ballroom & Convention Centre

Mr. Huo Feng, performing at the 9th Wesak Festival Vegetarian Banquet on the night of May 3, 2017 at Premiere Ballroom & Convention Centre

“Generosity” is one of the Six Paramitas that Bodhisattvas practice. In order to encourage people to emulate Bodhisattvas, Ven. Dayi Shi and all the Dharma masters in Cham Shan compassionately designed an offering program in the celebration. By practicing generosity and giving to others, one can gradually reduce selfishness in their mind, and eventually eliminate “self and others”.

People often cite the following verses to praise Buddha:

Above and below the sky, nothing is comparable to a Buddha;

Even in the ten dimensions of the world, Buddha is the paramount existing.

I could see and understand everything of the universe in Buddhahood;

Nothing could bear comparison with a Buddha.

Namo our original teacher Shakyamuni Buddha!

Namo our original teacher Shakyamuni Buddha!

Namo our original teacher Shakyamuni Buddha!