评论
打印
In ancient India, the term "Buddha" was used to describe someone who has awakened from ignorance and gained freedom from suffering.
在古印度，“佛”一词表示从愚昧中觉醒，从苦难中获得自由的人。
Buddha means the "enlightened one."
佛的意思是“开悟的人”。
Today, the names Buddha, Siddhartha, Shakyamuni, Gautama or Ph?t， are used to describe a historical person born around 2,500 years ago.
今天，佛陀、悉达多、释迦牟尼、乔达摩或Ph?t；t这些名字被用来描述一个出生在大约2500年前的历史人物。
His followers started the religion of Buddhism, which is widely practiced in many Asian countries.
他的追随者们开创了佛教，这一宗教在许多亚洲国家得到广泛实践。
Some countries observe his birthday on the fourth month of the Buddhist calendar, which falls on May 15 this year.
一些国家在佛历的第四个月庆祝他的生日，今年是5月15日。
Others celebrate it on the first full moon of May, which falls on May 23.
其他人在五月的第一个满月，也就是5月23日庆祝它。
Buddha, or Prince Siddhartha, was born in Lumbini, an area at the border of what is today India and Nepal.
佛陀或悉达多王子出生在蓝毗尼，这是今天的印度和尼泊尔交界处的一个地区。
His mother, Maya, was the wife of Suddhodana, king of the Shakya families.
他的母亲玛雅是释迦族国王苏多达纳的妻子。
Ancient storytellers said that Queen Maya dreamed of a white elephant entering her womb before giving birth.
古代说书人说，玛雅王后在分娩前梦见一头白象进入她的子宫。
The child took seven steps soon after he was born and received a cleansing bath from the gods, or dragon kings, depending on the country or culture where the story is told.
这个孩子出生后不久就走了七步，接受了众神或龙王的净化沐浴，这一故事内容取决于故事讲述的国家或文化。
Suddhodana tried to keep his son from knowledge of pain and suffering.
苏多达纳试图让他的儿子远离痛苦和苦难。
Before long, the prince witnessed and learned of sickness, old age, death and the impermanence of life.
不久，王子亲眼目睹并了解到疾病、老年、死亡和生命的无常。
At the age of 35, Siddhartha was enlightened and became known as the Buddha.
35岁时，悉达多开悟了，成了佛陀。
Followers use the time of Buddha's birthday to celebrate and to reflect on his teachings and their faith.
追随者利用佛陀生日的时间来庆祝和反思佛陀的教义和他们的信仰。
In many parts of Asia, the day marks the birth, the enlightenment and passing of the Buddha.
在亚洲的许多地方，这一天标志着佛陀的诞生、启迪和逝去。
In most Asian cultures, Buddhists go to their local religious centers, or temples, and take part in chanting, meditation and activities all day.
在大多数亚洲文化中，佛教徒会去当地的宗教中心或寺庙，整天参加诵经、冥想和活动。
Families decorate their homes with lights called lanterns and gather for big meals.
家庭用被称为灯笼的灯装饰他们的家，并聚集在一起吃大餐。
Buddha's birthday is a national holiday in South Korea.
佛陀的生日是韩国的国定假日。
The big celebration in the capital city of Seoul is the lotus lantern festival called Yeondeunghoe.
首都首尔最盛大的庆祝活动是名为 “莲花灯会 ”的莲花灯节。
It is a parade of thousands of colorful, lighted paper lanterns often shaped like lotus flowers.
这是一场由成千上万盏五颜六色的纸灯笼组成的游行，灯笼的形状通常是莲花。
On Buddha's birthday, many temples provide free meals and tea to all visitors.
在佛陀生日那天，许多寺庙为所有参观者提供免费的餐饮。
Other festivities include traditional games and performing arts to mark the light of Buddha's teachings.
其他庆祝活动包括传统游戏和表演艺术，以纪念佛陀的教义之光。
While Buddha's birthday is not an official holiday in North Korea, it has been observed in Buddhist temples there since 1988.
虽然佛陀的生日在朝鲜并不是官方节日，但自1988年以来，朝鲜的佛教寺庙一直在庆祝这一天。
In 2018, Buddhist clergy in North and South Korea held joint services when tensions between their governments eased.
2018年，朝鲜和韩国的佛教神职人员举行了联合仪式，当时两国政府之间的紧张局势有所缓解。
But such exchange programs have been halted in the past few years because of North Korea's nuclear program.
但过去几年，由于朝鲜的核计划，此类交流项目已被叫停。
In China, Buddhists perform a bathing ceremony that involves pouring holy water over a statue of the infant Buddha.
在中国，佛教徒举行沐浴仪式，将圣水倒在婴儿佛像上。
The statue has one right finger pointing up to the sky and one left finger pointing down to the earth.
雕像有一根右指指向天空，一根左指指向地面。
This means that with his birth, Buddha announced that he would have no more rebirths, and the dragons of heaven baptized him with pure water.
这意味着佛陀在出生时宣布他不会再有轮回，天龙用纯净的水给他洗礼。
In Japan, Buddha's birthday is observed on April 8 and celebrated in Buddhist temples as Hana Matsuri, which means flower festival.
在日本，佛陀的生日是在4月8日，在佛教寺庙里被称为Hana Matsuri，意思是鲜花节日。
On this day, a small "flower hall" is set up on the temple grounds and decorated with colorful flowers.
这一天，在寺庙的庭院里会设立一个小“花厅”，用五颜六色的鲜花装饰。
Followers pour sweet tea on the head of a statue of the baby Buddha in a bowl of water.
信徒们将甜茶倒在一碗水中的小佛像头上。
And a cleric performs the Kambutsu-e ceremony recreating Buddha's birth in the garden of Lumbini.
一名神职人员在蓝毗尼花园举行了重现佛陀诞生的Kambutsu-e仪式。
Countries in South and Southeast Asia celebrate Buddha's birthday on the full moon of the second lunar month known as Vesakha or Vaisakha.
南亚和东南亚国家在被称为Vesakha或Vaisakha的农历第二个月的满月庆祝佛陀的生日。
In India and Nepal, sweet rice porridge is served on this day to recall Sujata, a young woman who offered the Buddha a bowl of milk porridge.
在印度和尼泊尔，在这一天供应甜米粥是为了纪念向佛陀献上一碗牛奶粥的年轻女子苏雅塔。
In Sri Lanka, celebrants decorate homes and streets with candles and lanterns.
在斯里兰卡，人们用蜡烛和灯笼装饰房屋和街道。
They sing songs, burn incense and tell stories about Buddha's life.
他们唱歌，烧香，讲述佛陀的生平故事。
In Vietnam, Buddha's birthday is still a popular festival, but no longer a public holiday.
在越南，佛诞仍然是一个受欢迎的节日，但不再是公共假日。
Between 1958 and 1975, in what was formerly South Vietnam, it was a public holiday.
在1958至1975年间的前南越，这一天是公共假日。
In Malaysia, China and many other countries, animals and birds are also set free on Buddha's birthday because people believe it is good karma.
在马来西亚、中国和其他许多国家，在佛诞日也会放生动物和鸟类，因为人们认为这是好的业力。
I'm Gena Bennett.
我是吉娜 · 贝内特。
