Vesak: The Day that Commemorates Buddha

“There is no path to happiness. Happiness is the path.”– Gautam Buddha

The day of Vesak is the most important day in the Buddhist Calendar. Buddhists all around the world celebrate it with much vigor and compassion. The sound of mantras with the rising sun purifies the atmosphere during the day while the flying lanterns brighten up the night sky. The beautiful sight can leave you mesmerized.

Different Buddhist cultures around the world celebrate the festival in their own unique way. But before we tell you how Vesak is celebrated in different parts of the world, let’s see why the day holds so much importance for the Buddhists.

Vesak Day

Vesak Day of Buddhism commemorates three important events in the life of Buddha, “The Awakened One”. These three events are Buddha’s birth, the day he gained enlightenment, and the day of his passing away (parinirvana). Vesak Day is celebrated once in a year and is called so because it is observed during the lunar month of Vesakha. As Buddhists follow the lunar calendar, the date of the holy Vesak Day varies each year. In the first conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, it was declared that the first full-moon day of May will be celebrated as Vesak Day to honor Buddha. As such many countries like China, Singapore, HongKong, usually observe the eighth of the fourth month of the lunar calendar as the day of Buddha. In 2000, the UN passed a resolution to observe the International Vesak Day to honor Buddha and acknowledge the contribution of Buddhism as one of the oldest faiths in the world.

How is the day Celebrated?

Buddhism is widely followed all through the South-Asian countries, however, the local cultures of these regions have influenced the way it is practiced. Thus, locals of various countries from Singapore, Thailand, China to Japan as well as India celebrate the Day of Buddha in their unique style.

Usually, on this day, all the Buddhist temples are decorated with flowers. The devotees gather in the temples before dawn and carry out various ceremonial activities like hoisting flags, chanting mantras, and doing good deeds. Some places also follow the ritual of bathing the buddha as it is believed that when Buddha was born, the sages arrived at the place and bathed him in the scented water. Devotees believe that pouring water on Buddha’s shoulders reminds people of clearing their minds of negative thoughts.

Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha is flocked by Buddhist devotees to celebrate the holy day. Vesak in Singapore is celebrated by hoisting flags and chanting hymns. Flowers and candles are offered by the worshippers and candlelight processions are carried out in the streets during the dusk. Indonesia observes special festivities during Vesak as it sites the world’s oldest Buddhist temple Borobudur. Buddhists light lanterns and release them into the sky while visiting the renowned temple. In Sri Lanka, people decorate their houses with lanterns and offer prayers in the temples while in South Korea devotees decorate the temples with lotus lanterns as it is believed that when Buddha was born, he took seven steps and a lotus flower arose from each footstep.

Buddha had himself told his devotees, how to pay homage to him. He said that they should show him respect and honor by sincerely following his teachings and doing good deeds. Vesak, the day of Buddha celebrates love, peace, and harmony in the world and reminds us of the importance of humility and integrity.