Today is the Buddha Bathing Festival on the eighth day of the fourth month, which is a festival of great significance and is celebrated accordingly in many places. However, the old saying "the most afraid of the rain on the eighth day of April" makes people afraid of the rain on this day. So, why is there such a statement? What's so scary about rain?
The origin of the Buddha Bathing Festival on the eighth day of April
The Buddha Bathing Festival on the eighth day of April, also known as the Buddha's Birthday, is one of the important festivals of Buddhism. It is said that this day is the birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and Buddhists celebrate this great figure in honor of this great figure. The main customs of the Buddha Bathing Festival are bathing the Buddha, offering flowers, fruits, praying for blessings, etc., which are intended to express people's respect and gratitude to the Buddha.
The old saying "I am most afraid of the rain on the eighth day of April" originates from the dependence of ancient people on agricultural production. In ancient times, agricultural production was an important source of people's livelihood, and rainwater was a key factor in agricultural production. However, if it rains on the eighth day of April, it will have a detrimental effect on agriculture. On the one hand, rains may wash away crops in the field, leading to reduced yields. On the other hand, rainy days are not convenient for farmers to carry out agricultural activities, which will affect the progress of agricultural production. As a result, the ancient peasants developed a fear of rain on the eighth day of the fourth month.
The terrible thing about the rain
1. Affect agricultural production: As mentioned earlier, rains on the eighth day of April may wash away crops, leading to reduced yields. For the ancient peasants, this was undoubtedly a disaster.
2. Obstructing traffic: Roads are slippery on rainy days, making it difficult for people to travel. In ancient times, transportation was inconvenient, and the rainfall on the eighth day of April would make it impossible for people to participate in the celebrations on time, affecting the atmosphere of the festival.
3. Increased cost of living: Rains can lead to an increase in prices, especially for agricultural products such as vegetables and fruits. This undoubtedly increased the burden of life for the ancient inhabitants.
4. Safety hazards: Rainy days can easily cause natural disasters, such as flash floods, landslides, mudslides, etc. These disasters can threaten people's lives.
Despite the old saying "the most afraid of the rain on the eighth day of April", the celebration of the Buddha Bathing Festival on the eighth day of April is still colorful. On this day, Buddhist temples perform a Buddha bathing ceremony, and devotees place the Buddha image in a basin and rinse it with water as a sign of respect for the Buddha. In addition, there are activities such as offering flowers, fruits, and blessings. There are also many celebratory customs among the people, such as flower viewing, garden tours, and eating vegetarian food. These activities aim to promote Buddhist culture and convey the beautiful meaning of auspiciousness, harmony and peace.
The Buddha Bathing Festival is a festival of great significance, and despite the old saying that "the eighth day of April is the most afraid of rain", the celebration is still rich and colorful. By understanding the origin of this festival and the customs of its celebration, we can better inherit and promote Buddhist culture and feel the beautiful atmosphere of auspiciousness, harmony and peace.