With the help of Tzu Chi volunteers and his son, Grandpa Cheng partakes in the Buddha Bathing Ceremony. (Photo by Feng Gui Qiong)
“Please wait outside for a while as we want to take a group photo with Grandma.”
26 April 2015 was the 80th birthday of Grandma Cheng and all her relatives had come to visit her and celebrate the event. Her husband, Grandpa Cheng, was Tzu Chi’s medical home care beneficiary and the medical team had also arrived to conduct the mobile Buddha Bathing Ceremony at their home. Not only was the occasion an advance celebration of the Buddha’s birthday, it was also in honour of Mother’s Day and Tzu Chi’s anniversary. Together, four generations of the Cheng family celebrated Grandma Cheng’s birthday by partaking in the Buddha Bathing Ceremony as well as presenting flowers and engaging in the feet washing ritual to show respect for elders.
Prior to this, the medical team’s nurse had enquired if the Cheng family would like to participate in the Buddha Bathing ceremony. The family initially rejected the offer as they had wanted to celebrate Grandma Cheng’s birthday. However, they finally agreed when the nurse explained that their main objective was to bring blessings to Grandpa Cheng.
When the medical team arrived, the house was already filled with more than 30 people. The atmosphere was upbeat as the family sang the birthday song and cut the birthday cake. Grandma Cheng said happily that she herself had lost count of how many grandchildren and great grandchildren she had.
Bathing the Buddha With Family
Though his house was bustling with people, Grandpa Cheng was unperturbed and lay quietly in bed with his eyes closed. Since having had a fall many years ago, Grandpa Cheng has been confined to a wheelchair. He was subsequently unable to take in solid foods and relied on a feeding tube and milk for his nutritional needs. From August 2014, Tzu Chi home visit volunteers would deliver the milk supplies to his home every month.
Since November 2014, the bedsores that plagued Grandpa Cheng made it difficult for him to go for medical appointments and so the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) passed his case to the Tzu Chi medical home care team. Nurses would check on Grandpa Cheng’s blood pressure at his home weekly, and the doctor would pop by for a review every month.
“When we bathe the Buddha, we are in actual fact cleansing our inner hearts. For example, which one of us doesn’t get angry in our daily lives? Therefore we hope that we can make use of today’s opportunity to cleanse away our afflictions and anger.” Nurse Lim Kim Yan explained the objective and procedures of the Buddha Bathing Ceremony to all present after they were seated on the chairs which volunteers had arranged in orderly rows. The atmosphere quietened down as she spoke; everyone listened intently and the Cheng’s youngest daughter Li Qing repeatedly nodded her head in agreement.
The ceremony began with Grandpa Cheng as the first participant—though he was in deep slumber on his bed, the medical team brought the water and magnolia flowers to his bedside so that he could also receive blessings from the ritual. The rest of the Cheng family lined themselves up from the eldest to the youngest, as they too, partook in the ceremony.
Washing Feet in a Show of Filial Piety
“It is a rare opportunity to have all four generations gathered here today. After the Buddha Bathing Ceremony, we hope that the children can wash their parents’ feet in a show of filial piety.” Nurse Huang Yun Shan suggested to Grandpa Cheng’s son. The Cheng’s third daughter Li Hua who lives in Malaysia with her husband’s family was the first to do so, followed by the sons, grandchildren and finally the great grandchildren.
“I’ve never washed my parents’ feet before, my children, too, have never done so for me. It feels rather good!” said Li Hua shyly as she washed her mother’s feet carefully.
The Cheng siblings make it a point to visit their parents once a week, and one of the brothers also lives in the same flat. Li Qing has also hired a domestic helper to lighten the load of her brother and mother in taking care of her father. The second sister Li Xin shared that when she was bathing the Buddha, she had wished for everyone in her family to be safe and healthy. She also expressed her gratitude towards the medical team who had helped them so much in taking care of her ailing father.
“Actually our older sister who was to turn up at our parent’s home to join in the celebrations was suddenly admitted to hospital. We didn’t tell our mother as we didn’t want her to worry.” Troubled by this, Li Xin could not control the tears that fell from her eyes and Tzu Chi volunteers immediately offered her some comforting words and a hug.
As a Chinese saying goes: “seldom does a man live to be seventy”. Grandpa and Grandma Cheng are already in their twilight years and have many descendants ─ they are considered a rare minority in our society. The four generations of the Cheng family truly cherished the opportunity afforded by the Buddha Bathing Ceremony, thus showering the old couple with boundless blessings.
As it happened to be the 80th birthday of Grandma Cheng, her family celebrated the event with a birthday cake. (Photo by Feng Gui Qiong)
Nurse Lim Kim Yan (first from left) explains the meaning of the Buddha Bathing Ceremony while Tzu Chi volunteer Fu Xiu Zhen (second from left) demonstrates the three actions of paying respect at the Buddha’s feet, offering flowers and blessings. (Photo by Feng Gui Qiong)
Volunteer Li Li Fang guides Grandpa Cheng’s grandchild to put his palms together during the ceremony. (Photo by Feng Gui Qiong)
Grandpa Cheng’s second daughter Li Xin (left) urges her father to awake from his deep slumber and presents him with a carnation. (Photo by Feng Gui Qiong)
Third daughter Li Hua (left) presents a bouquet of carnations to her mother. (Photo by Feng Gui Qiong)
A child, a fourth generation offspring of the Cheng family, is pictured here washing the feet of his father, a member of the third generation. (Photo by Feng Gui Qiong)
That day, the entire gathering of more than 30 people sang the song “Three Sincere Vows” and offered their blessings to Grandpa and Grandma Cheng. (Photo by Feng Gui Qiong)
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