17th May, 2011
Also known as Buddha's Birthday, Vesak Day is celebrated by Buddhists of all traditions across the world. It marks the Birth, Enlightenment and the Great Passing Away of Gautama Buddha representing the Buddha and His universal message of peace, love and compassion. Vesak offers Buddhists an opportunity to reflect on the life and teachings of the Buddha. Vesak signifies:
- The Buddha's birth as Prince Siddhartha took place on this day at Lumbini in Kapilavatthu (modern Nepal).
- Ascetic Siddhartha Gautama attained Supreme Enlightenment on this day at Bodhgaya under the sacred Bodhi Tree.
- The Supreme Buddha's Great Demise (Parinibbana) happened on Vesak Full Moon day at Kusinara.
The exact date of Vesak varies according to the various lunar calendars used in different traditions. For example, in countries practicing Theravada Buddhism, and following the Buddhist calendar, it falls on the full moon Uposatha day (typically the 5th or 6th lunar month). The date varies from year to year in the Western Gregorian calendar but falls between April and May. In 2011, Vesak Day falls on 17th May in Australia.
As Buddhism spread from its place of origin, India, it was assimilated into many foreign cultures, and consequently Vesak is celebrated in many different ways all over the world. Underlying differing traditional and cultural practices, Buddhists gather to venerate the Buddha, the Dharma (His Teaching) and the Sangha (His Noble Followers) and to reaffirm their commitment to living a moral and compassionate lifestyle. Traditional and cultural practices include gathering at temples, the lighting of lights and candles, early morning chanting of the Buddha's teachings (sutras) led by monastics, listening to talks delivered by monastics, construction of flower shrines and the symbolic bathing of the Buddha image with perfumed water, abstinence from eating meat, sharing food with the poor, visiting and making donations to charitable institutions, and ceremonial release of small animals or caged birds to symbolise humanity and compassion.
Vesak is known by different names in different countries. The word Vesak itself is the Sinhalese language word for the Pali variation, Vesakha. Vesak is also known as Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti in India, Bangladesh and Nepal; Hanamatsuri in Japan; Seokka Tanshin-il in Korea; Fódàn in Chinese-speaking communities; Saga Dawa in Tibet, Visak Bochéa in Cambodia, Visakah Puja (or Visakha Bucha) in Thailand, Waisak in Indonesia, Vesak (Wesak) in Sri Lanka and Malaysia. The equivalent festival in Laos is called Vixakha Bouxa and in Myanmar is called Ka-sone-la-pyae meaning "Fullmoon Day of Kasone" which is also the second month of the Myanmar Calendar.
On Vesak Day, your Buddhist friends and neighbours would appreciate the greeting 'A Peaceful & Joyful Vesak'.