In Japan, it is a Buddhist tradition to ring the temple bell 108 times at or around midnight on New Year’s Eve. Why 108 times? The 108 represent the number of blind passions that we humans suffer from which prevent us from realizing the joy of the Buddha Dharma and enlightenment.
Mathematically this is from: 6x3x2x3=108
6 = The Buddhist number of senses: (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell and the
unconscious of the unenlightened mind)
3 = The states of experience (pleasant, unpleasant or neither pleasant or unpleasant/neutral) 2 = The dimensions of attachment (attached or unattached)
3 = The time frame (past, present or the future)
By ringing the bell 108 times, we symbolically acknowledge these 108 passions and bring ourselves into a greater awareness so that we can start the New Year with a more conscious mind of the Buddha’s workings in our lives.
Please come to our Bell Ringing Service at the Toronto Buddhist Church to help strike our temple bell (Kansho) 108 times. We welcome all ages and families! Our service will start at 11:30pm, followed by the invitation to take a turn to strike our temple bell at midnight.
PLEASE NOTE THE BELL RINGING IS AT TORONTO BUDDHIST CHURCH AND NOT AT ONTARIO PLACE THIS YEAR