大宋僧史略 1.29

1.29

Regarding the bathing of the Buddha: Tripiṭaka Master Yijing of the Tang personally travelled to the Western Regions and witnessed in India that every day at late morning the karmadāna would ring the bell, and in the monastery courtyard they would take statues of bronze or stone, place them in a basin to music, rub incense or mud, and pour water over them, wiping them with fine cotton. Raising two fingers, they would sprinkle water onto their own heads, calling it the water of auspiciousness, hoping to obtain supreme benefit. Question: What does the bathing of the Buddha signify? Answer: It symbolizes the moment of the Buddha's birth when dragons sprayed fragrant rain to bathe the Buddha's body. However, their daily washing there is not with the intention of celebrating the birthday. I suspect that because the Five Indias are very hot, since the monks bathe frequently, the Buddha is also washed diligently. In the Eastern Xia, esteeming the eighth day of the twelfth month, or the eighth day of the second or fourth month, is done specifically for the Buddha's birthday.