Taking place on Monday 16 May (at the time of the first full moon of the lunar month Vesakha) and celebrated by Buddhists around the world, Vesak is one of the most important Buddhist festivals.
Also known as Wesak or Buddha Day, the festival commemorates Gautama Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing into Nirvana and is a time for reflection, meditation, doing good deeds and giving to charity.
To celebrate, many Buddhists go to their local temples to pray, listen to sermons, meditate and chant. Many bring offerings to the temple such as candles, incense, flowers and vegetarian food (to mark the beginning of the day with an act of purity).
Celebrations also include decorating the house with lanterns, wearing white clothes, and sending cards to friends and family.
A ritual called ‘Bathing the Buddha’ also takes place, when a statue of the infant Buddha is bathed in fragrant water to remind Buddhists to purify their own mind from greed, hatred and ignorance.
Wishing a Happy Vesak Day to everyone celebrating from all of us at DMU.
Posted on Friday 6 May 2022