A Chance to CELEBRATE with YOUR FAMILY: Hanamatsuri (Vesak) 2026! Buddha's Birthday!!

[Shujin]

Vesak & Hanamatsuri are approaching! You can find resources for these holidays here: https://www.treeleaf.org/2025/12/bud...-family/#vesak. What a great opportunity to introduce a bit of Buddhist lore and traditions to your family, especially to young children! It is the Buddhist Spring holiday! We have put together some small activities for this time, easy to do at home, such as a simple "bathing the Baby Buddha" ceremony, maybe a little fun "birthday party for the Buddha," some enjoyable activities for kids like making lanterns, taking walks in nature, and more! Please have a look, especially if kids at home.

You and your family are also invited to our Spring Retreat on April 4th, which commemorates Hanamatsuri. If you can't make the retreat live, it will be available to sit with in recorded form afterwards.


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A bit about Hanamatsuri from our teacher, Jundo:

April 8th is traditionally celebrated as Buddha's Birthday in Japan, where the day is known as Hana Matsuri (花祭り), or the "Flower Festival"!
The event is marked on a different day from most of the rest of Asian Buddhism, where the date varies year by year according to the lunar calendar, usually late April or in May in most other countries. However, having two or more birthdays is no problem for a Buddha! Truly, his/her/their birthday is your birthday, and all is born every moment.... In Japan, at many temples, a small stature of the Baby Buddha is placed, and adults and children bathe the child in sweet tea.

Vesak is also a celebration of the Buddha's birthday, although it is part of Theravadan and Tibetan traditions. This year it will be observed on the first of May. Some of the same practices, such as bathing the baby Buddha are shared with Hanamatsuri, while lantern parades are particular to Vesak. If you're curious about our Buddhist cousins, Plum Village has a nice essay with photos here.

I'm looking forward to listening to your accounts of the Buddha's Birthday celebrated in your own family!

Gassho,
Shujin

[Kanshin]

Yesterday, my wife, our son, and I sat down together and planned how we will celebrate Vesak, which this year coincides with the beginning of Greek Easter and the school holidays.

Over three days, our son will create three drawings — one each day: an elephant on a cloud (Queen Māyā’s dream), a palace (Siddhartha’s home), and a small Buddha in the familiar pose with one hand pointing up and one down. After each drawing, he will place it in his room, and we will light a small candle beneath it.

Each evening, we will also watch a video from a Theravada sangha that has created animated stories from the Pali Canon, mainly about the life of the Buddha. Today we will choose the first three episodes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea8-9gUlulo&list=PLVuzoIVk88hhJTjHs3yrmTjf7oBouYAg_

On Saturday, I will participate in the Treeleaf retreat, and my family will try to join for a sitting, the service, and the Dharma talk.

On Sunday, we will go together to a Japan Festival (with manga's, anime etc) here in Athens. After returning home, we will do the Baby Buddha bath and perhaps chant a simple song or a short sutra suitable for his age.

Of course, our son will also choose a sweet (a good excuse for a little extra sugar ), and we will visit a local orphanage to offer gifts for Greek Easter.

In the evening, we will join Ryaku Fusatsu as a closing to these three days.

Photos of the drawings — and the sweet, of course — will follow!

Gassho,
Kanshin
sat/lah

[Jundo]

Kanshin

[Kanshin]

Day 1!

We watched a video about the life of the Buddha, describing Queen Māyā’s dream, his family environment, and his birth (with a few mythological elements, gently explained to the young one ).

Then, his own drawing of Māyā’s dream with the elephant.

We closed with a short reading from the Dhammapada.

Practice begins at home.

Gassho,
Kanshin
sat/lah

[Shujin]

Day 1!

We watched a video about the life of the Buddha, describing Queen Māyā’s dream, his family environment, and his birth (with a few mythological elements, gently explained to the young one ).

Then, his own drawing of Māyā’s dream with the elephant.

We closed with a short reading from the Dhammapada.

Practice begins at home.

Gassho,
Kanshin
sat/lah

I love the drawing!! Thank you for sharing, and for practicing together with your family. It's a wonderful gift.
**edit** I've been learning a bit about Greek Orthodox Easter - tsoureki looks delicious. Our American Christian traditions need better food.

Gassho,
Shujin
st/lah

[Kanshin]

Dear Shujin, Thank you so much for your kind words!

Yes, tsoureki is indeed delicious — the secret is mastiha, a natural resin that comes from a single Greek island. If you ever find some, I’ll gladly send you the recipe!

We are happy to share these small moments of practice at home.

Gassho,
Kanshin
sat/lah

[Jundo]

Dear Shujin, Thank you so much for your kind words!

Yes, tsoureki is indeed delicious — the secret is mastiha, a natural resin that comes from a single Greek island. If you ever find some, I’ll gladly send you the recipe!

We are happy to share these small moments of practice at home.

Gassho,
Kanshin
sat/lah

I just want to say, Kanshin, that you really have the spirit of this. I wish more people would do something like this with their kids. Lovely.

You are making the entire "family holidays" experiment a success for our Sangha!

Just make sure the kids enjoy the experience, that they think of it as fun and positive ... keep things light and enjoyable, just like you are doing ... even as a little drop of Buddha gets into their hearts. Great! You are providing a wonderful example for others.

Gassho, Jundo Dad
stlah

[Kanshin]

Dear Jundo,

Thank you very much for your kind words.

We try to keep things very simple, without a “religious” tone. Living in a strongly religious country, we don’t wish to introduce another metaphysical belief system with a more “exotic” flavor.

The Buddha and the ancestors are presented as awakened human beings who show us how to bring forth the best version of ourselves — somewhat like the ancient philosophers, who are widely taught to children here.

Other figures from the Buddhist tradition (Bodhisattvas, etc.) are approached within their mythological context, serving more as teaching stories rather than as transcendent beings with a transactional nature.

The whole ritual becomes an expression of gratitude and joy for the path, while ethical cultivation takes a central role.

The other day, I even heard my son say: “What would the Buddha say now that you are angry?”

Gassho,
Kanshin
sat/lah

[Kanshin]

Day 2! A drawing of the palace where the Buddha was born.

We watched a related animation about Siddhartha’s journey outside the palace and his encounters with sickness, old age, and death.

Then we read the Metta Sutta — a beautiful and deeply instructive text.

Gassho,
Kanshin
sat/lah

[Bion]

Day 2! A drawing of the palace where the Buddha was born.

We watched a related animation about Siddhartha’s journey outside the palace and his encounters with sickness, old age, and death.

Then we read the Metta Sutta — a beautiful and deeply instructive text.

Gassho,
Kanshin
sat/lah

How lovely!

gassho
sat lah

[Kanshin]

Day 3! In the morning, I joined the retreat, while my wife and our son followed the service from the recording.
We shared lunch together, each of us taking part in preparing the table.

After the retreat, we visited a local orphanage, bringing chocolate eggs and bunnies. We sang together, we cried quietly, and reflected on how fortunate we are to have peace, love, a home to shelter us — and peace (at least for now).

Returning home, our son drew a small Siddhartha. We placed a small statue in a bowl and performed a simple baby Buddha bath (and splashed water all around ).

We revisited the precepts as guides for a more compassionate, wiser, and joyful life. We also read and discussed the Noble Eightfold Path, and talked for quite some time.

Deep gratitude to all the teachers and to the Sangha for inspiring us to bring this celebration into our home, and to remember the teachings as we walk the path from being human… to becoming more fully human.

Gassho,
Kanshin
sat/lah

[Bion]

Day 3! In the morning, I joined the retreat, while my wife and our son followed the service from the recording.
We shared lunch together, each of us taking part in preparing the table.

After the retreat, we visited a local orphanage, bringing chocolate eggs and bunnies. We sang together, we cried quietly, and reflected on how fortunate we are to have peace, love, a home to shelter us — and peace (at least for now).

Returning home, our son drew a small Siddhartha. We placed a small statue in a bowl and performed a simple baby Buddha bath (and splashed water all around ).

We revisited the precepts as guides for a more compassionate, wiser, and joyful life. We also read and discussed the Noble Eightfold Path, and talked for quite some time.

Deep gratitude to all the teachers and to the Sangha for inspiring us to bring this celebration into our home, and to remember the teachings as we walk the path from being human… to becoming more fully human.

Gassho,
Kanshin
sat/lah

Kanshin! Thank you for shring this with us. I feel like I'm almost part of your celebration! Wonderful

gassho
sat lah

[Shujin]

Kanshin I was happy to see you when I joined the last few minutes of the spring retreat (Part 1). You are an inspiration to me and others with your acts of service and contemplation.

My youngest son (Shusei) say the second part of the retreat with me, and I attended sunrise service with my wife and oldest son this morning. It's a rainy day, but we're in a bit of a drought so I'm grateful.

Gassho,
Shujin