The life and times of Siddhartha Gautama, otherwise known as the Buddha or the Enlightened One, is highly regarded by the followers of his teachings. Milestones of his life are celebrated each year, and devotees would dedicate their time and self to the traditions and festivities.
Vesak is one such holy day that is highly anticipated by Buddhists the world all over. It is popularly known as the Buddha’s birthday, but it actually marks three milestones of the his life: his birth, his enlightenment and his death.
This holiday is observed in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka as well as several Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. However, not all countries mark this as a public or national holiday.
Vesak Day Occurrence
The actual date of Vesak varies each year, depending on the particular country or the sector of Buddhism that is being followed. Some countries follow the Buddhist calendar, while some countries, like China or Singapore, follow the Chinese lunar calendar. It falls around April or May on the western Gregorian calendar, but in leap year it jumps to June.
In 2017, Vesak falls on May 10 for Singapore and Malaysia.
Vesak is known by different names in the countries where it is celebrated. It’s most known name is based on the Sanskrit vaiśākha, which is the name of the month that encompasses April to May. “Vesak” or variations of it is commonly used.
Old and New
While festivals celebrating the life and times of the Buddha have been a long and rich tradition of his devotees, it is interesting to note that the formal resolution to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday happened only in 1950, during the first Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists. Here, the fellowship asked world leaders of countries with a Buddhist population to declare Vesak as a public holiday.
Vesak Celebrations
The core traditions of Vesak celebrations are similar across Buddhist sects and countries. The observance begins early, with devotees gathering in various temples at dawn to perform hymns praising the three treasures of Buddhism: The Buddha, the Dharma or his teachings and the Sangha, his followers. Offerings such as candles, flowers and incense are brought by the faithful, and are symbols that remind the people that their life here on earth is temporary.
Most temples will also have monks talk about the teachings of Buddha, and devotees are encouraged to listen and spread peace to other communities.
Good Karma
While doing good deeds for others is one of the core Buddhist teachings, it is believed that doing so during Vesak will bring back rewards many times over.
Do No Harm
On Vesak, devotees are strongly reminded of the principles of Buddhism and are urged to practice them even more. They should take special effort not to harm or kill any living being. Eating vegetarian food for the day is highly encouraged. While on a daily basis most Buddhists try to follow the Five Precepts, on Vesak they observe the Eight Precepts in order to elevate themselves spiritually.
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Vesak in Singapore
In Singapore, Vesak often falls on May and usually occurs on the 15th day of the Chinese Lunar calendar’s fourth month. Celebrations start of similarly as with other countries, but differ minutely depending on the sector. Buddhism in Singapore is made up of various sectors, the most predominant of which are Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism. The former is mostly practiced by Chinese Singaporeans, while the former is followed predominantly by the Burmese and Sri Lankan Singaporeans.
Following the belief of doing good deeds, many of Singapore’s youth would hold activities that promote doing services for their fellowman.
Visitors during Vesak in Singapore should visit the Lian Shan Shuang Lin Temple, the country’s oldest Buddhist temple. It is also Asia’s second largest.
Vesak in Malaysia
In Malaysia, this holiday is known as Hari Wesak and is a public holiday. Celebrations begin at dawn where devotees would gather in the various Buddhist temples scattered all around the country, among of which is the Vihara Temple in Kuala Lumpur. People do good deeds for others, such as donating food to the poor, or presenting offerings of incense and saying prayers. Monks chant sutras throughout the day, and celebrations end with a candlelit procession.
Vesak pays homage to the Buddha. It is also a time for devotees to reestablish their dedication in following his teachings, enabling them to grow spiritually and help promote goodwill and harmony all over the world.
