..Monthly and Annual Celebrations

Annually, the Red Maple Sangha holds celebration activities to mark four traditional seasonal events (listed to the right).

Monthly, during our MahaSangha Saturday event, the Red Maple Sangha also celebrates:

~ the traditional practice of fusatsu, the renewal of precept vows, monthly, as close to the full moon as convenient; and

~ our Hungry Planet Food Offering, during which we collect and dedicate food, human and animal, for the relief of hunger in our communities; this is followed by our community brunch.

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• New Years
  This is a traditional time for acknowledging one's past actions and rededicating practice. We also use it to consider plans and programs for the coming year. This is held on the third weekend following January 1st ;

• Wesak
  This is a central celebration in all Buddhist countries. It marks the birth of Prince Siddartha, his awakening as the Buddha and the physical passing of Shakyamuni Buddha. It is scheduled close to the full-moon in May ;

• Bodhisattva Day / Planting the Maple
  This celebrates the four Bodhisattvas:
  ~ Kannon (Kwan Yin), the embodiment of loving kindness and compassionate activity;
  ~ Jizo, Earth Protector and the embodiment of vow-taking
  ~Manjushri, the master of penetrating insight, and
  ~Kokuzo, the Lord of creative possibilities.
  It is celebrated on the 3rd weekend in August, close to Jizo Day, the 24th, and this event acknowledges the 2500 years of the Dharma community (sangha) and the founding of the Red Maple Sangha in 2004.

• Pilgrimage Day
  
• This is our Annual Pilgrimage Walk on a weekend in late October, usually the weekend following Canadian Thanksgiving.