Pali
Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or '' Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of '' Theravāda'' Buddh ...
: ''Vesākha''; sa, Vaiśākha), also known as Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima and Buddha Day, is a holiday traditionally observed by Buddhists in
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...
and
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...
as well as
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa, Taman ...
and
Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
. The festival commemorates the birth, enlightenment (
Nibbāna
Nirvana (Sanskrit: निर्वाण, '; Pali: ') is "blowing out" or "quenching" of the activities of the worldly mind and its related suffering. Nirvana is the goal of the Hinayana and Theravada Buddhist paths, and marks the soteriologica ...
Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...
in
Theravada
''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...
,
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
and
Navayana
Navayana (Devanagari: नवयान, IAST: ''Navayāna'') means "new vehicle" and refers to the re-interpretation of Buddhism by Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar; it is also called Neo-Buddhism and Ambedkarite Buddhism. Ambedkar was a polymath, theol ...
.
The name ''Vesak'' is derived from the
Pali
Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or '' Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of '' Theravāda'' Buddh ...
term ' or
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
, which is considered the month of Buddha's birth. In
Mahayana
''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing br ...
Buddhist traditions, the holiday is known by its Sanskrit name (Vaiśākha) and derived variants of it.
In the East Asian tradition, a celebration of
Buddha's Birthday
Buddha's Birthday (also known as Buddha Jayanti, also known as his day of enlightenment – Buddha Purnima, Buddha Pournami) is a Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of East Asia and South Asia commemorating the birth of the Prince ...
typically occurs around the traditional timing of Vesak, while the Buddha's awakening and passing away are celebrated as separate holidays that occur at other times in the calendar as
Bodhi Day
Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni) is said to have attained enlightenment, also known as ''bodhi'' in Sanskrit and Pali. According to tradition, Siddhartha had recently forsaken years of ...
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...
n tradition, where Vesak is celebrated on the full moon day of the
month, the Vesak day marks the birth, enlightenment, and the ultimate passing away of the
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
.
History
Although Buddhist festivals have centuries-old tradition, the first conference of the
World Fellowship of Buddhists
The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) is an international Buddhist organization. Initiated by Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera, it was founded in 1950 in Colombo, Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka), by representatives from 27 nations. Although Therav ...
held in Sri Lanka in 1950 formalized the decision to celebrate Vesak as the Buddha's birthday across multiple Buddhist countries. The resolution that was adopted at the World Conference reads as follows:
On Vesak Day, Buddhists all over the world commemorate events of significance to Buddhists of all traditions: The birth, enlightenment and the passing away of
Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...
. As Buddhism spread from India it was assimilated into many foreign cultures, and consequently Vesak is celebrated in many different ways all over the world. In India, Vaishakh Purnima day is also known as Buddha Jayanti day and has been traditionally accepted as Buddha's birth day.
In 2000, the United Nations (UN) resolved to internationally observe the day of Vesak at its headquarters and offices.
Celebration
The month of May usually has one full moon, but as there are 29.5 days between full moons, occasionally there are two. If there are two full moons during the month of May, some countries (including Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Malaysia) celebrate Vesak on the first full moon, while others (Thailand, Singapore) celebrate the holiday on the second full moon. The difference also manifests in the observance of other Buddhist holidays, which are traditionally observed at the local full moon.
On Vesak, devout Buddhists and followers alike assemble in their various temples before dawn for the ceremonial and honorable hoisting of the
Buddhist flag
The Buddhist flag is a flag designed in the late 19th century as a universal symbol of Buddhism. It is used by Buddhists throughout the world.
History
The flag was originally designed in 1885 by the Colombo Committee, in Colombo, Ceylon (''no ...
and the singing of hymns in praise of the holy
triple gem
In Buddhism, refuge or taking refuge refers to a religious practice, which often includes a prayer or recitation performed at the beginning of the day or of a practice session. Since the period of Early Buddhism until present time, all Theravad ...
: The
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
Sangha
Sangha is a Sanskrit word used in many Indian languages, including Pali meaning "association", "assembly", "company" or "community"; Sangha is often used as a surname across these languages. It was historically used in a political context t ...
(his disciples). Devotees may bring simple offerings of flowers, candles and joss-sticks to lay at the feet of their teacher. These symbolic offerings are to remind followers that just as the beautiful flowers would wither away after a short while, and the candles and joss-sticks would soon burn out, so too is life subject to decay and destruction. Devotees are enjoined to make a special effort to refrain from killing of any kind. They are encouraged to partake only of vegetarian food for the day. In some countries, notably Sri Lanka, two days are set aside for the celebration of Vesak, and all liquor shops and slaughter houses are closed by government decree during the two days.
Also birds, insects and animals are released by the thousands in what is known as
life release
Life release is a traditional Buddhist practise of saving the lives of beings that were destined for slaughter. This practise is performed by all schools of Buddhism: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana.banned in some countries such as Singapore, as the released animals are unable to survive long-term or may adversely impact the local ecosystem if they do.)
Some devout Buddhists will wear simple white clothing and spend the whole day in temples with renewed determination to observe the eight precepts.
Devout Buddhists undertake to lead a noble life according to the teaching by making daily affirmations to observe the
Five Precepts
The Five precepts ( sa, pañcaśīla, italic=yes; pi, pañcasīla, italic=yes) or five rules of training ( sa, pañcaśikṣapada, italic=yes; pi, pañcasikkhapada, italic=yes) is the most important system of morality for Buddhist lay peo ...
. However, on special days, notably new moon and full moon days, they observe the eight precepts to train themselves to practice morality, simplicity, and humility.
Some temples also display a small statue of the Buddha in front of the altar in a small basin decorated with flowers, and filled with water or sweet tea for devotees to pour over the statue. This is symbolic of the cleansing of a practitioner's bad karma, and to reenact the events following the Buddha's birth, when devas and spirits made heavenly offerings to him.
Devotees are expected to listen to talks given by monks. On this day, monks will recite verses uttered by the Buddha twenty-five centuries ago to invoke peace and happiness for the government and the people. Buddhists are reminded to live in harmony with people of other faiths and to respect the beliefs of other people as the Buddha taught.
Bringing happiness to others
Celebrating Vesak also means making special efforts to bring happiness to the unfortunate like the aged, the disabled, and the sick. To this day, Buddhists will distribute gifts in the form of cash, or volunteering in various charitable homes throughout the country. Vesak is also a time for great joy and happiness, expressed not by pandering to one's appetites, but by concentrating on useful activities such as decorating and illuminating temples, or painting and creating exquisite scenes from the life of the Buddha for public dissemination. Devout Buddhists also vie with one another to provide refreshments and vegetarian food to followers who visit the temple to pay homage to the Enlightened One.
Paying homage to the Buddha
According to tradition the Buddha instructed followers how to pay him homage. Just before he died, he saw his faithful attendant Ananda, weeping. The Buddha advised him not to weep, instead to understand the universal law that all compounded things (including even his own body) must disintegrate. He advised everyone not to cry over the disintegration of the physical body but to regard his teachings (The Dharma) as their teacher from then on, because only the truth of the Dhamma is eternal, and not subject to the law of change. He also stressed that the way to pay homage to him was not merely by offering flowers, incense, and lights, but by truly and sincerely striving to follow his teachings.
Dates of observance
The exact date of Vesak is based on Asian
lunisolar calendar
A lunisolar calendar is a calendar in many cultures, combining lunar calendars and solar calendars. The date of Lunisolar calendars therefore indicates both the Moon phase and the time of the solar year, that is the position of the Sun in the ...
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
and
Hindu calendar
The Hindu calendar, Panchanga () or Panjika is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes. They adopt a ...
s, hence the name Vesak. In Nepal, which is considered the birth-country of Buddha, it is celebrated on the full moon day of the
Hindu calendar
The Hindu calendar, Panchanga () or Panjika is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes. They adopt a ...
, and is traditionally called Buddha Purnima, Purnima meaning the full moon day in Sanskrit. In Theravada countries following the
Buddhist calendar
The Buddhist calendar is a set of lunisolar calendars primarily used in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand as well as in Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam by Chinese populations for religious or official occasions. While t ...
, it falls on Uposatha Day, the full moon typically in the 5th or 6th lunar month.
Nowadays, in Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Malaysia, Vesak/Buddha Purnima is celebrated on the day of the first full moon in May in the Gregorian calendar.
For countries using the lunisolar calendar, the date for Vesak or Buddha's Birthday varies from year to year in the Gregorian calendar, but usually falls in April or May; in leap years it may be celebrated in June. In Bhutan it is celebrated on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Bhutanese lunar calendar. In Thailand, Laos, Singapore and Indonesia, Vesak is celebrated on the fourteenth or fifteenth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. In China, Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines,
Buddha's Birthday
Buddha's Birthday (also known as Buddha Jayanti, also known as his day of enlightenment – Buddha Purnima, Buddha Pournami) is a Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of East Asia and South Asia commemorating the birth of the Prince ...
is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. In Japan, Buddha's Birthday is observed on the same date but in the Gregorian calendar, i.e. 8 April.
In Myanmar, Buddha's Birthday is celebrated as Full Moon of Kasun and is a public holiday. It is celebrated by watering the Bodhi tree and chanting. In large pagodas, music and dance is also performed as part of the celebrations
In the following table, year 2021 date as per the
Buddhist calendar
The Buddhist calendar is a set of lunisolar calendars primarily used in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand as well as in Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam by Chinese populations for religious or official occasions. While t ...
In Southeast Asia
In Laos
The Vixakha Bouxa festival is the Lao version of the Thai Visakha Puja, which it closely resembles. It commemorates the
birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring, also referred to in technical contexts as parturition. In mammals, the process is initiated by hormones which cause the muscular walls of the uterus to contract, expelling the f ...
death
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
of the
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
, which are all said to have happened on the same date. It is held around the month of May or ''Vesak'', based on the lunar calendar. Celebrations include
dances
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its reperto ...
,
poems
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings in ...
procession
A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner.
History
Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...
puppet show
Puppetry is a form of theatre or performance that involves the manipulation of puppets – inanimate objects, often resembling some type of human or animal figure, that are animated or manipulated by a human called a puppeteer. Such a performan ...
s.
=Boun Bang Fay
=
One part of the Vixakha Bouxa festival is called Boun Bang Fay, or
Rocket Festival
The Rocket Festival ( th, ประเพณีบุญบั้งไฟ, translit=Prapheni Bun Bang Fai, lo, ບຸນບັ້ງໄຟ, translit= Bun Bang Fai) is a merit-making ceremony traditionally practiced by ethnic Lao people near ...
. As this occurs during the hottest and driest season of the year, large homemade
rocket
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entirely fr ...
s are launched into the sky in an attempt to convince the celestial beings to send down
rain
Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water ...
. Traditionally, Buddhist
monks
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
made the rockets out of hollow bamboo tubes filled with
gunpowder
Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). Th ...
(among other things). Nowadays, lay people make the ''bang fai'' more like
fireworks
Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices ...
and hold competitions for the highest, fastest and most colorful rockets. The event takes place on both sides of the Mekhong River border between Thailand and the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and sometimes teams from the neighbouring countries will compete against each other. Tourists travel long distances to witness this now popular event.
In Indonesia
This significant and traditional holy day is observed throughout Indonesia, where it is known as Waisak Day. At
Borobudur
Borobudur, also transcribed Barabudur ( id, Candi Borobudur, jv, ꦕꦤ꧀ꦝꦶꦧꦫꦧꦸꦝꦸꦂ, Candhi Barabudhur) is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Magelang Regency, not far from the town of Muntilan, in Central Java, Indone ...
, thousands of Buddhist monks will join to repeat mantras and meditate as they circuit the temple in a ritual called "Pradaksina". This is a form of tribute to the temple. Monks celebrate the special day by bottling holy water (which symbolises humility) and transporting flames (which symbolize light and enlightenment) from location to location. The monks also take part in the "Pindapata" ritual, where they receive charity from the people of Indonesia. Waisak Day in Indonesia has been celebrated as a national public holiday every year since 1983.
In Malaysia
Celebrated by Buddhists to mark three momentous events in Buddha's life – his birth, enlightenment, and his departure from the human world, the Wesak celebration in Malaysia begins at dawn when devotees gather at Buddhist temples nationwide to meditate on the Eight Precepts. Donations – giving food to the needy and offerings of incense and joss sticks – and prayers are carried out. The sutras are chanted in unison by monks in saffron robes. The celebration is highlighted by a candle procession. Wesak Day in Malaysia is a national public holiday.
In Myanmar (Burma)
In
Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
(Burma), Vesak is known as the Full Moon Day of
Kason Kason ( my, ကဆုန်; mnw, ပသာ်) is the second month of the traditional Burmese calendar.
Festivals and observances
* Full Moon of Kason ()
** Bodhi Tree Watering Festival ()
Kason symbols
*Flower: '' Magnolia champaca''
Refere ...
(ကဆုန်လပြည့် ဗုဒ္ဓနေ့), which is the second month in the traditional
Burmese calendar
The Burmese calendar ( my, မြန်မာသက္ကရာဇ်, , or , ; Burmese Era (BE) or Myanmar Era (ME)) is a lunisolar calendar in which the months are based on lunar months and years are based on sidereal years. The calendar is ...
. The date is a public gazetted holiday. Buddhist devotees typically celebrate by offering alms to Buddhist monks, adhering to a more stringent set of Buddhist precepts, practicing meditation, and freeing fish and birds from captivity.
Throughout the country, the date is also marked by a traditional festival called the ''Nyaungye-thun'' or "Bodhi tree water pouring festival" (), whereby devotees visit
pagodas
A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...
or monasteries (
kyaung
A ''kyaung'' (, ) is a monastery ( vihara), comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Buddhist monks. Burmese ''kyaungs'' are sometimes also occupied by novice monks (samanera), lay attendants ('' kappiya''), nuns ('' thilashin''), and y ...
) to pour scented water to sacred Bodhi Trees using clay pots, to ensure the trees, which hold great significance in Buddhism, do not die during the peak of summer.
This tradition dates back to the pre-colonial era and continues to take place at major pagodas such as the Shwekyetyet and Shwekyetkya Pagodas in the former royal capital of Amarapura. A Konbaung era court poet, Letwe Thondara composed a complete set of ''yadu'' poems describing this festival in Meza Hill, near Katha, where he had been exiled by King
Hsinbyushin
Hsinbyushin ( my, ဆင်ဖြူရှင်, , ; th, พระเจ้ามังระ; 12 September 1736 – 10 June 1776) was king of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) from 1763 to 1776. The second son of the dynasty founder Al ...
.
In the Philippines
In the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, the date of Vesak (known as ''Kaarawan ni Buddha'' or ''Araw ni Buddha'') follows the Chinese lunar calendar. Like China and Japan, Filipinos also bathe statues on this day.
In Singapore
In Singapore, Vesak Day was made a public holiday in 1955 after many public petitions, replacing
Whit Monday
Whit Monday or Pentecost Monday, also known as Monday of the Holy Spirit, is the holiday celebrated the day after Pentecost, a moveable feast in the Christian liturgical calendar. It is moveable because it is determined by the date of Easter. I ...
. In the early decades of the 20th century, Vesak Day was associated with the Ceylonese community which then celebrated it along with their National Day in a two-day event. After World War II, there was a movement to make Vesak Day a public holiday, with the Singapore Buddhist Association leading the petitions.
In Vietnam
In Vietnam, Vesak is also known as ''Phật Đản''. From 1958 to 1975, Vesak was a national public holiday in South Vietnam. It was a public festival with floats, and lantern parades on the streets. Under the President Ngô Đình Diệm, a member of Vietnam's Catholic minority, South Vietnamese Buddhists were not allowed to celebrate Vesak, and faced many other restrictions.
On 8 May 1963, the day of Vesak in Vietnam, more than 3000 Vietnamese Buddhists were protesting President Diệm's ban on the Buddhist flag in the city of
Huế
Huế () is the capital of Thừa Thiên Huế province in central Vietnam and was the capital of Đàng Trong from 1738 to 1775 and of Vietnam during the Nguyễn dynasty from 1802 to 1945. The city served as the old Imperial City and admi ...
. Tensions rose throughout the day, and as protesters gathered around a government radio station, the Vietnamese army and police were called in to disperse the crowd. Soon after, the army started to shoot and throw grenades into the crowd. Nine were killed, and four were seriously injured. These events are considered to be the beginning of Vietnam's
Buddhist crisis
The Buddhist crisis ( vi, Biến cố Phật giáo) was a period of political and religious tension in South Vietnam between May and November 1963, characterized by a series of repressive acts by the South Vietnamese government and a campaign o ...
, which culminated in a governmental coup and the assassination of President Diệm. Successive South Vietnamese Governments recognized Vesak as a public holiday and allowed the celebrations to go on.
However, after the
Fall of Saigon
The Fall of Saigon, also known as the Liberation of Saigon by North Vietnamese or Liberation of the South by the Vietnamese government, and known as Black April by anti-communist overseas Vietnamese was the capture of Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon, t ...
, the day was no longer a public holiday. Since the 2000s, the festival has witnessed a revival across the country. The Vesak Celebration is officially held by the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha every year and it aggregated international delegates for great events in 2008, 2014, 2019 (the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak Celebration).
In South Asia
In Nepal
Vesak, commonly known in
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
as "Buddha Jayanti" is widely celebrated all across the country, predominantly,
Lumbini
Lumbinī ( ne, लुम्बिनी, IPA=ˈlumbini , "the lovely") is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Lumbini Province in Nepal. It is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth ...
– the birthplace of Buddha, and Swayambhu – the holy temple for Buddhists, also known as "the Monkey Temple". The main door of Swayambhu is opened only on this very day, therefore, people from all over Kathmandu valley are stimulated by the event. Thousands of pilgrims from various parts of the world come together to celebrate Buddha's birthday at his birthplace,
Lumbini
Lumbinī ( ne, लुम्बिनी, IPA=ˈlumbini , "the lovely") is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Lumbini Province in Nepal. It is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth ...
. In
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
, Buddha is worshipped by all religious groups, therefore "Buddha Jayanti" is marked by a public holiday. People donate foods and clothes to the needy and also provide financial aid to monasteries and schools where Buddhism is taught and practised.
In Sri Lanka
Vesak is celebrated as a religious and a cultural festival in Sri Lanka on the full moon of the lunar month of Vesak (usually in the Gregorian month of May), for about one week, and this festival is often celebrated by people of different religions in Sri Lanka. During this week, the selling of alcohol and fresh meat is usually prohibited, with slaughter houses also being closed. Celebrations include religious and alms-giving activities. Electrically lit
pandal
A ''pandal'' in India and neighbouring countries, is a fabricated structure, either temporary or permanent, that is used at many places such as either outside a building or in an open area such as along a public road or in front of a house. This ca ...
s called ''thoranas'' are erected in locations mainly in Colombo, Kandy, Galle and elsewhere, most sponsored by donors, religious societies and welfare groups. Each pandal illustrates a story from the
Jataka tales
The Jātakas (meaning "Birth Story", "related to a birth") are a voluminous body of literature native to India which mainly concern the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form. According to Peter Skilling, this genre is ...
.
In addition, colorful lanterns called ''"Vesak kuudu"'' are hung along streets and in front of homes. They signify the light of the Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha. Food stalls set up by Buddhist devotees called "''dansälas"'' provide free food, ice-cream and drinks to passersby. Groups of people from community organizations, businesses and government departments sing ''bhakti gee'' (Buddhist devotional songs). Colombo experiences a massive influx of people from all parts of the country during this week.
Hindu calendar
The Hindu calendar, Panchanga () or Panjika is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes. They adopt a ...
is celebrated as Buddha Purnima. The festival is commonly known as Buddha Purnima, as Purnima means full moon day in Sanskrit and Hindi languages. It is also called Buddha Jayanti, with Jayanti meaning birthday in
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
. The festival is a public holiday in India.
In Bangladesh
Vesak Day is an important festival for all
Bengali Buddhists
Bengali Buddhists ( bn, বাঙালি বৌদ্ধ) are a religious subgroup of the Bengalis who adhere to or practice the religion of Buddhism. Bengali Buddhist people mainly live in Bangladesh and Indian states West Bengal and Tripura.
...
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city i ...
, and other Buddhist regions in the country. In the Bangla language, it is known as Buddho Purnima. It is also a public holiday in Bangladesh.
In East Asia
In Japan
In Japan, Vesak or is also known as , ), , , and . It is not a public holiday. It is based on a legend that nine dragons appeared in the sky on the Buddha's birthday and poured
amṛta
''Amrita'' ( sa, अमृत, IAST: ''amṛta''), ''Amrit'' or ''Amata'' in Pali, (also called ''Sudha'', ''Amiy'', ''Ami'') is a Sanskrit word that means "immortality". It is a central concept within Indian religions and is often referred to ...
over him.
It used to be celebrated on the 8th day of the fourth month in the Chinese calendar based on one of the legends that proclaims the day as Buddha's birthday. At present, the celebration is observed on 8 April of the Solar Calendar since the
government of Meiji Japan
The was the government that was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain in the 1860s. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan.
Politicians of the Meiji government were known as the Meiji oli ...
adopted the western solar calendar as the official calendar. Since the 8th day of the fourth month in the lunar calendar commonly falls in May of the current solar calendar, it is now celebrated about a month earlier.
In Japan, Vesak celebrations include pouring , a sweet tea made from ''
Hydrangea macrophylla
''Hydrangea macrophylla'' is a species of flowering plant in the family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of ...
'', on statues. In Buddhist religious sites such as temples and viharas, more involved ceremonies are conducted for lay Buddhists, priests, and monks and nuns.
In South Korea
In
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
,
Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a p ...
) and is an official holiday. This day is called (Seokga tansinil), meaning "Buddha's birthday" or (Bucheonim osin nal) meaning "the day when the Buddha came". It has now grown into one of the nation's biggest cultural festivals. Lotus lanterns cover the entire temple throughout the month which are often flooded down the street. On the day of Buddha's birth, many temples provide free meals and tea to all visitors. The breakfast and lunch provided are often sanchae
bibimbap
Bibimbap
* ( , from Korean , literally "mixed rice"), sometimes romanized as bi bim bap or bi bim bop, is a Korean rice dish. The term "bibim" means "mixing" and " bap" refers to cooked rice. ''Bibimbap'' is served as a bowl of warm white ri ...
.
Yeondeunghoe
Yeondeunghoe (Korean: 연등회; Hanja: 燃燈會; Korean pronunciation: ʌndɯ̽ŋɦø is a lantern-lighting festival in Korea celebrating the Buddha's Birthday. The date of the celebration is marked on the Chinese Lunar calendar as the eig ...
(연등회) is a lantern-lighting festival in Korea celebrating the
Buddha's Birthday
Buddha's Birthday (also known as Buddha Jayanti, also known as his day of enlightenment – Buddha Purnima, Buddha Pournami) is a Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of East Asia and South Asia commemorating the birth of the Prince ...
. It is inscribed in
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List
UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.Compare: This list is published by the Intergove ...
An annual event known as ''Vesak: Buddha's Birthday'' is celebrated in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
in its three major three Buddhist temples, that represent the three main branches of Buddhism. Held at Mississauga Celebration Square, it features a number of Buddhist-themed events and activities, as well as cultural acts from Asia, including China, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
In United States
The celebration of Vesak or Buddha's Birthday in the United States differs among different Buddhist communities, depending on their ethnicity and nationality.
In Maui,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
the community is usually invited to celebrate Vesak Day (the birth of Buddha) on the full moon of
at Chua Tu Hanh Buddhist Temple in Kahului, where there is guided sitting meditation and dharma talk by a Zen master; which is followed by the bathing ceremony of the baby Buddha and a joyful meal to end the evening.
The state of
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
has officially recognized April 8 of each year as "Buddha Day", which celebrates the birth of Gautama
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, the Japanese celebration on April 8 has also been significant for several decades. In 1968 the first
circumambulation
Circumambulation (from Latin ''circum'' around and ''ambulātus ''to walk) is the act of moving around a sacred object or idol.
Circumambulation of temples or deity images is an integral part of Hindu and Buddhist devotional practice (known in S ...
of Mt. Tamalpais to celebrate Buddha's Birthday was conducted. Starting in 1969 at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, ''Hana-Matsuri (花ーまつり - flower festival)'' was celebrated each spring. Dressed in formal black robes, the roughly 70 monks and students form a formal procession to the Horse Pasture with the leader periodically ringing a small, clear bell. A temporary stone altar was built under a huge oak tree in a gorgeous field of green grass and abundant wildflowers; a small statue of a baby Buddha was placed upon it in a metal basin. Then each person, in turn, approaches the altar, and ladle one thin-lipped bamboo dipperful of sweet green tea over the statue, bow, and walk to one side.
New York celebrates the ''International Lotus Lantern Parade'', an annual event held at
Union Square Park
Union Square is a historic intersection and surrounding neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City, located where Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway and Bowery, the former Bowery Road – now Park Avenue, Fourth Avenue – came together in ...
. The event celebrates the Buddha's birthday and ''Yeon Deung Hoe'' (연등회,燃燈會), a Korean lantern celebration that is held during ''Vesak''. The festival features a number of Buddhist themed events and is started off by numerous Buddhist centers of Japanese, Korean and Sri Lankan origins for example.
United Nations
On 15 December 1999 the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
General Assembly
A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company.
Specific examples of general assembly include:
Churches
* General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presb ...
adopted resolution 54/115, entitled 'International recognition of the Day of Vesak at
United Nations Headquarters
zh, 联合国总部大楼french: Siège des Nations uniesrussian: Штаб-квартира Организации Объединённых Наций es, Sede de las Naciones Unidas
, image = Midtown Manhattan Skyline 004.jpg
, im ...
and other United Nations offices'. The proposal to declare Vesak as an international public holiday was tabled at the United Nations General Assembly by Sri Lanka. The resolution internationally recognized the Day of Vesak to acknowledge the contributions that Lord Buddha and Buddhism have made for over two and a half millennia. It also called for annual commemoration of the day at the UN Headquarters, in New York, UNESCO and other UN offices around the world.
International celebrations since 2000 included the first Vesak celebration in the UN (New York) on 15 May 2000. 34 countries were represented.Mahinda Deegalle. 2018. ''Vesak, Peace and Harmony: Thinking of Buddhist Heritage, ch. 1''. The Day of Vesak is an official holiday for the UN offices in many of the countries in South-East Asia.
International Vesak summit
Thailand has hosted an international Vesak summit 11 times, Vietnam 3 times and Sri Lanka 1 time.
*25 May 2004 - 1st Asian Summit - Buddhamonthon, Thailand
*18-21 May 2005 - 2nd Asian Summit - Bangkok, Thailand
*2006 - 3rd Asian Summit - Thailand
*2007 - 4th Asian Summit - Thailand
*2008 - 5th Asian Summit - Vietnam
*2009 - 6th Asian Summit - Thailand
*2010 - 7th Asian Summit - Thailand
*2011 - 8th Asian Summit - Thailand
*2012 - 9th Asian Summit - Thailand
*2013 - 10th Asian Summit - Thailand
*2014 - 11th Asian Summit - Vietnam
*2015 - 12th Asian Summit - Thailand
*2016 - 13th Asian Summit - Thailand
*2017 - 14th Asian Summit - Sri Lanka
*2018 - 15th Asian Summit - Thailand
*2019 - 16th Asian Summit - Vietnam
Local renditions
There are multiple local renditions of the Vesak festival name, varying by local language, including:
* as, বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা ''Buddho Purnima''
* bn, বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা ''Buddho Purnima'', ''Buddho Joyonti''
* dz, སྟོན་པའི་དུས་ཆེན་༥ འཛོམས་ ''Dhüchen Nga Zom''
* my, ကဆုန်လပြည့် ဗုဒ္ဓနေ့ "Full Moon Day of Kason"
* , (Buddha's Birthday or Birthday of the Gautama Buddha), 佛誕 (''Fódàn'', Birthday of the Buddha), 浴佛節 (''Yùfójié'', Occasion of Bathing the Buddha), 衛塞節 (''Wèisāi jié'' Vesak Day), 偉大的衛塞節花節偉大的滿月 (''Wěidà de wèi sāi jié huā jié wěidà de mǎnyuè'' Great Vesak Day Flower Festival Full Moon of Flower Moon)
* french: Vesak
* hi, बुद्ध पूर्णिमा ''Buddha Pūrṇimā'', ''Buddha Jayantī'', ''Vaisākh Pūrṇimā''
* ja, 花祭り ''Hanamatsuri'' (Flower Festival)
* km, វិសាខបូជា ''Visak Bochea''
* kn, ಬುದ್ಧ ಪೌರ್ಣಮಿ ''Buddha Pournami''
* (Birthday of the Shakyamuni Buddha), ko, 부처님오신날 (Buddha's Day)
* lo, ວິສາຂະບູຊາ ''Vixakha Bouxa''
* Malay:
**''Hari Wesak'' (Jawi: ,
Malaysian
Malaysian may refer to:
* Something from or related to Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia
* Malaysian Malay, a dialect of Malay language spoken mainly in Malaysia
* Malaysian people, people who are identified with the country of Malaysia regard ...
)
**''Hari Vesak'' (
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
),
**''Hari Waisak'' or ''Hari Raya Waisak'' ( Indonesian)
* ml, വൈശാഖ പൗർണമി, ബുദ്ധ പൂർണിമ, ബുദ്ധ ജയന്തി
* Mon: တ္ၚဲကျာ်ဗုဒ္ဓ ဗပေၚ်ပသာ် "Buddha Day Full Moon of Pasāk"
* mn, Бурхан Багшийн Их Дүйцэн Өдөр ''Burkhan Bagshiin Ikh Düitsen Ödör'' (Lord Buddha's Great Festival Day)
* russian: День рождения Гаутамы Будды ''Den' rozhdeniya Gautamy Buddy'' (Birthday of the
Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...
), russian: День Гаутамы Будды (''Den' Gautamy Buddy'' Gautama Buddha's Day), russian: Великий День Цветов Весак (''Velikiy Den' Tsvetov Vesak'' Great Vesak Flower Day), russian: День Весака (''Den' Vesaka'' Vesak Day), russian: День Будды (''Den' Buddy'' Buddha's Day), russian: Буддийское рождество (''Buddiyskoye rozhdestvo'' Buddhist
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
)
* mr, बुद्ध पौर्णिमा ''Buddha Pournima''
* ne, बुद्ध पुर्णिमा ''Buddha Purnima'', ''Buddha Jayanti''
* new, स्वांया पुन्हि ''Swānyā Punhi''
* or, ବୁଦ୍ଧ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା ''Buddha Purnimā''
* si, වෙසක් ''Vesak,'' වෛශාක්ය Vaishakya
* ta, விசாகத் திருநாள் ''Vicākat Tirunāḷ''
* tl, Araw ni Buddha (''Buddha's Day'')
* te, బుద్ధ పౌర్ణమి ''Buddha Pournami'' or alternatively వైశాఖ పౌర్ణమి ''Vaisakha Pournami''
* th, วิสาขบูชา
*
* vi, Lễ Phật Đản; Chữ Hán: 禮佛誕 (Birthday of the Buddha), vi, Ngày hội hoa Phật (Buddha's Lord Flower Festival Day)
Māgha Pūjā
Māgha Pūjā (also written as Makha Bucha Day) is the second most important Buddhist festival after Vesak, celebrated on the full moon day of the third lunar month in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Sri Lanka and on the full moon day of Tabaung in ...