With the 2026 Chinese New Year festivities now complete, we at the Mahayana Temple are ready to share with readers all the excitement of the celebrations across our three locations. Chinese New Year is a culturally significant time for Chinese Buddhists to gather with our communities and pray for good wishes upon the year, and we are honored to be a part of the celebration each time. Many members of the community traveled from near and far to join us across the two weeks that our festivities took place.
Throughout our annual Chinese New Year events, participants praise a variety of significant figures in Buddhism, including Maitreya, the 24 devas, and more. Maitreya, the bodhisattva prophesied to become the next Buddha, is celebrated on Chinese New Year because it’s considered to be his birthday. As for the 24 devas, they are venerated as a group of protective deities who defend the Buddhist dharma.
At our two Chinatown temples, we value the opportunity to provide a peaceful space within the bustling city where folks can connect to Chinese culture and practice Buddhism. On February 17th, Chinese New Year’s Day, activities began at 10am with the sutra recitation led by monastics. After recitation, all visitors lined up outside our Canal St. location, with guidance from our volunteers, to strike the bell for good luck and receive a red envelope with various symbolic items representing abundance and fortune. These items included a small bag of rice, a quarter, an apple, peanuts, and an orange. All were welcome to join us in our dining hall during their temple visit, for a meal prepared by our volunteers.
Festivities at the Mahayana Temple Retreat were more elaborate. Parishioners began arriving around 10pm on Chinese New Year’s Eve, performing rituals around the temple grounds at their own pace. Rituals included lighting incense, reciting sutras and mantras, praying to the God of Wealth, and striking the bell in the Grand Buddha Hall. Like in the city temple, each parishioner received a red envelope after striking the bell. The retreat grounds continued to bustle with energy until 4am, with many visitors eager to make their New Year’s wishes as early in the year as they could. In the morning, parishioners were led in reciting sutras in the Grand Buddha Hall. Then, everyone was free to go about their rituals around the temple grounds once again.
Following a short break of a few days, festivities resumed at the retreat on February 28th, beginning with the Avatamsaka Repentance, or Hua Yan Bao Chan in Chinese. During this ritual, monastics guided participants in reciting the Avatamsaka Sutra. Festivities concluded on the final day, March 3rd, by venerating the 24 devas through the Offering to Buddhas and Celestial Guardians, or Gong Fo Zhai Tian in Chinese. Monastics and devoted worshippers gathered in front of an altar full of offerings, constructed and prepared by our meritorious volunteers.
We are grateful for another busy Chinese New Year celebration with the community this year, and for the volunteers who made it possible. We express our thanks to all who participated in chanting sutras, making offerings, and contributing donations. Readers who may have missed our Chinese New Year activities may view our livestreams on the Mahayana Temple YouTube channel and look forward to future gatherings listed on our Events page. Those interested in making a donation may do so via our PayPal or Venmo accounts. Amituofo, and good fortune to all in the Year of the Horse.
