Doesn't Buddhism celebrate birthdays ❔

I'm a Soto Buddhist monk.

We celebrate Buddha's birthday as a flower festival.
(I'm talking about not my real birthday...)

Also, we have birthday parties with our family.

I congratulate you, but basically it has been strongly influenced by Christianity since the Meiji period. It wasn't that long ago that the full age to be one year old on your birthday became commonplace. The generation of my grandparents, that is, Pikkoro's great-grandparents, clearly counted years. My grandmother (Taisho 2nd grader) said that since everyone is one year old now, birthdays were not regarded as important. So, I don't know the birthday of our founder Shinran Shonin, who was an aristocrat for the time being. That's because it wasn't important.

Also, rather than being born on the day Ogyah was born, Ogyah is less important when considering that she enjoyed her life when she was in her mother's womb. I was reading a book by a famous Buddhist scholar before, and I thought that was true.

That's why, although there was a birth memorial service for Buddha (starting with the founder), Buddhism was not active in celebrating birth before becoming aware of Christianity.

However, after the Meiji period, Buddha's birthday was regarded as a flower festival and became a grand celebration. The memorial services for the birth of the ancestors of the various purposes are also held in a grand manner.

Buddhism is a changing teaching. We also celebrate our kids' birthdays at my house. I think that's fine.

1. A memorial service is held to celebrate the birthdays of various ancestors, Sentoku, including Buddha. I'm sure the flower festival, where sweet tea is sprinkled on Buddha's statue, is also held at a temple near Mr. Pikkoro. Buddha's birthday is 4/8, but depending on the region, they celebrate it on 5/8, which is a month late.

Incidentally, when Edo blacksmiths failed, they “became Oshaka” means “don't do it, the fire was strong” → “it was strong” → “it was 4/8” → “it was Oshaka.”
It is said to be the etymology.

2. Whether or not to celebrate the birthday of a child, wife, or lover doesn't have much to do with religious events, and isn't it different for each person?

Pikkoro is a woman in her 20s, so I was wondering if there were any concerns about the monk's attitude towards birthdays or anything else.

Actually, the expression “celebrating” birth is not used in sutras.
This is because in Buddhism, “life” is the beginning of “suffering,” so it is not about “celebrating.”

Instead, many expressions such as “rejoicing” are used in Buddhist scriptures instead of “celebrating” birth.

So why rejoice if suffering begins? You might think so.

It makes me happy to be able to meet good “causes” and good “relationships” given by those who were born.

It is said that when Buddha was born, all people and animals were happy to dance, plants and trees were happy to bloom untimely flowers, celestial people were happy to rain honeydew, and even the earth shuddered with joy.

Even now, on Buddha's birthday, it's called a “flower festival,” and they hold a grand “nativity reward party” to rejoice and thank them for the relationship they have received.

In Buddhism, in order to rejoice at meeting that person and appreciate the relationship with that person, “joy” is expressed grandly rather than “celebration” as commonly called.

So,

“Happy birthday”

It's not,

It's “thank you for being born” isn't it?

If someone has a birthday, please be sure to tell them how you feel.

Thank you for being born.

Thanks for meeting me.