Today, the eighth day of the second lunar month, is the day commemorating Buddha’s Renunciation. At 10:45 AM, Than Hsiang Temple held a regular offering to the Buddha in the Main Shrine Hall at the sixth floor. Everyone participated in the offering with delight. Following that, the sanghas led everyone to the San Sheng Dian on the ground floor for the dedication of merit. The ceremony concluded successfully.

Buddha’s Renunciation holds significant meaning in Buddhism. Siddhartha Gautama was the crown prince of Kapilavastu. A sage named “Asita” predicted that Prince Siddhartha would become a Buddha in the future. However, his father, King Suddhodana, hoped for Prince Siddhartha to inherit the throne. Therefore, he provided Prince Siddhartha with a luxurious life and tried to shield him from the suffering of the world. Nevertheless, Prince Siddhartha still observed the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, and death in life.

During several excursions, Prince Siddhartha encountered an old man, a sick person, a deceased person, and a monk at the four gates of the city (east, south, west, and north, respectively). These experiences deeply moved him and strengthened his decision to renounce his worldly life as an ascetic. One night, at the age of twenty-nine, Prince Siddhartha quietly left the palace, abandoning his royal responsibilities and status, and began his spiritual journey.

After becoming an ascetic, Prince Siddhartha wandered, learning from different teachers, and practiced asceticism. However, he discovered that asceticism was not the path to liberation. Eventually, he meditated under the Bodhi tree and achieved enlightenment, becoming the Buddha.

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