A child is a gift of hope, a promise of a future to us and to the world at large; a continuation of the miracle of life expressed in the new little face you hold before you.
Babies enter the world surrounded by the hopes, dreams, joys and most importantly love of their parents, family and friends. Every parent has hopes and aspirations that their child grows in good health physically and mentally; that they live a meaningful and fulfilling life; that they develop a kind and loving heart and that they become wise and are blessed with good fortune. Amidst all this, do we wonder who they will become?
The Venerables of Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Melbourne (International Buddhist College of Victoria Inc) will bless the children so that they may live a happy and fulfilled life under the protection and guidance of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. It is hoped that the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas will guide the little ones throughout life.
The Baby Blessing Ceremony will be followed by “Future Within Thy Hands” ceremony, which is a special highlight event at the annual 2017 Buddha’s Birthday and Multicultural Festival. Following last year’s success in attracting a good response from parents, we are proud to organise this event again this year. “Future within thy hands” is based on ancient traditional Chinese custom, where children will seek out from an assortment of articles as their item of interest. It is believed that the item(s) grasped can determine the child’s future interests, career path or capabilities.
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