Happy Birthday Buddha

It makes sense.  In America, we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  In Korea, they celebrate the birth of Buddha.  I am not quite sure what that entails for practitioners of the faith, but for me, it meant a day off work and a three day weekend.  I've never understood why so many of the figures in Buddhism are pudgy, because from what I know, the founder starved himself under a tree until he reached enlightenment and even afterwards didn't really indulge himself.  I digressed, but I did go to a temple to celebrate his birth.  To me, it seemed more like a family day than a religious ceremony, however, there were aspects or some kind of rites occurring.  On another side note, I think the temples make a poop ton of money on Buddha's big day.  We were lucky enough to learn how to bow properly to Buddha as well as how to meditate.  The same temple is actually going to do a 'temple stay' at the end of this month and I think Katrina and I are going to go.  Enough writing - here are the photos:

(Yep, he's got a few years on Jesus.  I do believe we were celebrating his 2556th birthday...)

 

(Some entertainment outside the temple.  There were a few stalls with food and beverages for sale.)

 

(Lots of lanterns up - perhaps it's similar to candles)

 

(The temple we went to was packed.  Here is what I mean when I said I think it was more of a family day.  A lot of families brought blankets to lounge on.)

 

 (Spenser checking out a little shrine)

(Spenser, myself, and Katrina enjoying our holiday)

 

(Again, with this picture and the last, you get a sense of the madness at the temple)

 

 (So, one way to make money, people donate it, and then their names are put on these tags hanging from the lotus lanterns)

 (A little bit of prayer and lots of Buddhas)

 (More lantern, more tags, more money and lots of people waiting in line for...)

(... this.  I have no clue what it is or what people did when they arrived at this little statue but it seemed to me to be the main event.  The only possible thing in my experience I could compare it to is communion; although, I have a feeling it is nothing like that.)

 

(A sea of lanterns...)

 

 (Liked this ornament...)

 (Myself and Katrina)

 (Again, no idea what this was, but it almost seemed like a wishing wall.  People would get Post-It notes from somewhere, write something on them, and then put it on this pillar.)

(Yep, those are all Post-It notes...)

 

(One of the major temple guardians...)