How Do Buddhists Celebrate Birth? 3 Primary Rituals Explained

Although Buddhism does not endorse celebrating a birthday much, it does not reject the idea of celebrating it once and for all. 

Once a child comes into this world, a Buddhist family can celebrate its birthday according to the rituals of the specific area they are living. 

In general, there are three primary rituals involved within the Buddhist religion, and that include Blessing, Naming Rights, and Dedication Ceremony. 

We are going to talk about these primary rituals, followed by some other confusions regarding the way Buddhists celebrate birth as follows:

Three Primary Rituals for Celebrating Birth in Buddhist Culture 

The coming of a child in Buddhism is a notion of happiness and parents may celebrate it simply. 

However, if you want to stay strict with the rituals of Buddhism, then you should know the following rituals: 

Ritual 1: Blessing Ceremony

As soon as the baby boy or baby girl is born, you should take them to a nearby monastery or a Buddhist temple and get them blessed by the monks or Buddhist nuns. The standard words to bless the child are: “May the child grow up to be well-behaved, and to live securely; May the child not be blinded and confused by vanity; May the child not be misled by temptation of the senses.” 

Source: Nan Tien Temple

Taking blessings from the pious nuns and monks ensures happiness, good fortune, and balance in every walk of life for the child. 

Ritual 2: Naming Ceremony 

This is a big deal for those devoted to Buddhism. Parents who want to celebrate the birth of their child in Buddhist culture may initiate a Naming Ceremony for their child.

The Naming Ceremony ensures that the child possesses a positive energy, remains happy, and has a well-balanced life ahead. 

Bhikkhus (Monks) may name the child and some rules and regulations are also followed in this regard. For instance, in Sri Lanka and other Theravada countries, parents may invite the monks to come to their homes to find the horoscope of their newborn baby and name it accordingly. 

Considering the change of rituals in different localities, Tibetan Monks are invited to the home for a naming ceremony after about 10 days. In Tibet, the baby should stay in its home for about a month before going to a local monastery. 

In Japan, the naming ceremony takes place 7 days after the birth of the baby. After the naming ceremony, the child when taken to the local monastery for the first time is blessed by the monks after greeting them. The monks will also hand over a scroll to the baby’s parents where they can record the life events of their baby.

Ritual 3: Dedication Ceremony 

Right after naming the child, the 3rd ritual involves the commitment of parents. 

Parents take an oath or they promise to take care of their child in every possible way. Not only that, but they should also take care of the well-being of the child followed by meeting its spiritual needs. 

Source: www.edu.gov.mb.ca

Other Ways of Child Birth Celebrations

The birth of a child is usually celebrated at a local temple. That said, some other rituals of celebrating childbirth are also followed in different countries. Let’s take a look at them: 

Child Celebration in Tibet

After a child is born in a Buddhist family, the parents put flags on the roofs of their homes giving a signal of childbirth. After a few days, relatives and friends of the parents will come and greet the family and also bring food and clothes. Note that the parents are not allowed to take the baby out of the home at least for a month. They can take their child to a local monastery after a month, though. 

Celebrations in Sri Lanka and Theravada Countries

Within one month after the birth of a newborn, parents may take the baby to a local temple and ask for the blessing in front of the statue of Buddha. 

They also ask for the blessings of Three Refugees, namely the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. After that, the parents make an offering to a temple in the form of a donation or food as a thanksgiving token for the birth of their child. 

Celebrations in Thailand

In some localities such as in Thailand, parents may celebrate the birth of their newborn by tying sacred knots on the wrists of the baby. They do so to welcome the Khwan spirit that is known for keeping the baby safe and protected. After a month or so, the monk at a local Buddhist temple dressed modestly, will shave the hair of the baby. 

What Do Buddhists Do When a Baby Is Born?

A child’s birth is marked by various religious rituals as well. Families invite Buddhist monks after a child’s birth. The monks then recite verses from the holy books of Buddhism. 

A newborn is generally expected to spend his first few days at home in preparation for a formal ceremony welcoming him into the religious life.

Buddhist celebration commonly involves having a gathering of family and friends to commemorate the occasion. The whole ceremony is done with solemnity and has both festive and serious elements to it.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Is it a MUST to celebrate the birth of a baby in Buddhism? 

It is not necessary to celebrate the birth of a baby in Buddhism. Medieval Chinese Buddhism condones the birth of a baby stating that it’s the start of suffering and impurity thus delivering pessimism. However, the modern Buddhist culture does follow some basic rituals to welcome the birth of an infant in the family. 

Can a Buddhist family celebrate the birth of their child according to the norms of their locality? 

Well, they can celebrate the birth of their child. But if they are devoted to Buddhism, they should at least perform the 3 primary rituals for celebrating the birth of a new soul in this world. 

What happens to a Buddhist baby boy at one month of age? 

In Tibet, a baby boy is only allowed to enter the monastery one month after he is born. When a child reaches this age, he surpasses the illness of evil spirits. In some areas, the baby’s head is shaved by a local monk a month passes since its birth. 

Parting Words

Last but not least, Buddhism condemns abortion as a threat to life, even though there are still some disagreements in modern Buddhism regarding abortion. 

In contrast, all schools of Buddhism view birth as a joyous event and encourage their adherents to celebrate it as joyfully as possible.