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 | | | Official Name | Visakah Puja; Buddha Purnima
Visakha Bucha; Wesak; Saga Dawa; "Ceremony of the sixth month of the Hindu lunar calendar" | | Also Called | Buddha's Birthday | | Observed By | Buddhists | | Type | Religious | | Significance | The birth, enlightenment and passing of Buddha | | Begins | {{{begins}}} | | Ends | {{{ends}}} | | Date | First full moon day in May (common years) or first full moon day in June (leap years) | | Gregorian Date (2006) | May 12 | | Celebrations | {{{celebrations}}} | | Observances | Meditation, partaking in vegetarian food, gifting to charity | | Related To | Hanamatsuri | Vesak (from the name of the first month in the Hindu calendar, Vaisakha) is the most holy time in the Buddhist calendar. The word Vesak itself is the Sinhalese language word for the Pali word "Visakha". Vesak is also known as Visakah Puja or Buddha Purnima in India and Nepal, Visakha Bucha in Thailand, Phat Dan in Vietnam Waisak in Indonesia, Vesak (Wesak) in Sri Lanka and Malaysia, and Saga Dawa in Tibet. The equivalent festival in Laos is called Vixakha Bouxa and in Myanmar is called Ka-sone. Vesak is a public holiday in many Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and so on. Image File history File links Wheel-of-dharma. ...
The Hindu calendar used in Vedic times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization, and today there are several regional Indian calendars. ...
Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ...
Bodhi (Pali and Sanskrit. ...
Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ...
A common year is a calendar year of exactly 365 days and so is not a leap year. ...
A leap year (or intercalary year) is a year containing an extra day or month in order to keep the calendar year in sync with an astronomical or seasonal year. ...
May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ...
Meditation is the practice of focusing the mind, often formalized into a specific routine. ...
For animals adapted to eat primarily plants, sometimes referred to as vegetarian animals, see Herbivore. ...
Buddhas Birthday (Traditional Chinese: 佛誕; Pinyin: fó dà n; Cantonese: fÄtdáahn), the birthday of the Gautama Buddha traditionally celebrated in East Asia on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is a holiday in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and South Korea. ...
The Hindu calendar used in Vedic times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization, and today there are several regional Indian calendars, as well as an Indian national calendar. ...
Vaisakha is the second month of the Hindu calendar. ...
A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, SiddhÄrtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by...
A calendar is a system for naming periods of time, typically days. ...
This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...
Pali may refer to: PÄli, a Middle Indo-Aryan language Pali, Rajasthan, a town and district in Rajasthan, western India Pali, a Hawaiian word, meaning cliffs Nuuanu Pali, a region on the Hawaiian island of Oahu Ballaleshwar Pali, the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra This is...
The Vixakha Bouxa festival is the Lao version of the Visakha Puja. ...
History
The decision to agree to celebrate Vesak as the Buddha’s birthday was formalized at the first Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (W.F.B.) held in Sri Lanka in 1950, although festivals at this time in the Buddhist world are a centuries-old tradition. The Resolution that was adopted at the World Conference reads as follows, "That this Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, while recording its appreciation of the gracious act of His Majesty, the Maharaja of Nepal in making the full-moon day of Vesak a Public Holiday in Nepal, earnestly requests the Heads of Governments of all countries in which large or small number of Buddhists are to be found, to take steps to make the full-moon day in the month of May a Public Holiday in honour of the Buddha, who is universally acclaimed as one of the greatest benefactors of Humanity." The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) is arguably the largest and most influential international Buddhist organization. ...
Hence on Vesak Day, Buddhists all over the world commemorate three great events: The birth, enlightenment and the passing away of Gautama Buddha. As Buddhism spread from India to all parts of the world, the teachings were readily assimilated with the cultures of the people who accepted the teachings. As a result, Buddhist art and culture took on a rich variety of forms with profound gentleness and kindness as the Buddha expressly forbade the use of force. The practice of Buddhism was adapted in many ways to suit the nature of the various cultures that accepted it. As a result of this, Vesak is celebrated in many different ways all over the world. But in essence many practices have become universal. This sacred day is purely a religious festival, and not a festive occasion. On this day all Buddhists are expected to reaffirm their faith in the Buddha Dhamma and to lead a noble religious life. It is a day for meditation and for radiating Loving-Kindness. Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ...
The celebration of Vesak The full moon for May 2006 is the 13th, which is a Saturday. In Thailand, May 12, a Friday, is taken as the Visakha Bucha public holiday this year. [1] May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ...
Public holidays in Thailand Categories: | | ...
On Vesak day, devout Buddhists are expected to assemble in various temples before dawn for the ceremonial hoisting of the Buddhist flag and the singing of hymns in praise of the holy triple gem: The Buddha, The Dharma (his teachings), and The Sangha (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 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. Birds and animals are also released by the thousands in a symbolic act to liberation, of giving freedom to those who are in captivity. However, it is not recommended that birds be released in the heart of crowded cities, because by doing so we may cause harm to the poor bewildered birds which are unable to fly far after a long period of captivity. Unscrupulous bird dealers would recapture such birds for resale to well meaning devotees. If birds are to be released it is recommended that this be done in rural areas where the birds can achieve real freedom. Some devout Buddhists will wear a simple white dress and spend the whole day in temples with renewed determination to observe the observance of the Eight Precepts. Buddhist flag The Buddhist flag is a flag designed to symbolise Buddhism. ...
Dharma (Sanskrit धरà¥à¤®) or Dhamma (PÄli) means Natural Law or Reality, and with respect to its significance for spirituality and religion might be considered the Way of the Higher Truths. ...
It has been suggested that bhikkhu be merged into this article or section. ...
Devout Buddhists understand how to lead a noble life according to the teaching by making a daily affirmation to observe the eight Precepts. However, on special days, notably new moon and full moon days, they observe additional disciplines to train themselves to practice morality, simplicity and humility.
The Eight Precepts are:
- Not to kill
- Not to steal
- Not to engage in improper sexual activity
- Not to indulge in wrong speech
- Not to take intoxicating drinks and drugs
- To abstain from taking food at unreasonable time
- To refrain from sensual pleasures such as dancing, singing and self-adornment
- To refrain from using high and luxurious seats in order to practice humility.
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 had taught.
Bringing happiness to others Celebrating Vesak also means making special efforts to bring happiness to the unfortunate like the aged, the handicapped and the sick. To this end, Buddhists will distribute gifts in cash and kind to various charitable homes throughout the country. Vesak is also a time for great joy and happiness. But this joy is expressed not by pandering to one’s appetites but by concentrating on useful activities such as decorating and illuminating temples, 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 devotees who visit the temple to pay homage to the Blessed One.
Paying homage to the Buddha The Buddha himself has given invaluable advice on how to pay homage to him. Just before he died, he saw his faithful attendant Ananda, weeping. The Buddha advised him not to weep, but 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 Dhamma) as their teacher from then on, because only the Dhamma truth 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. This is how devotees are expected to celebrated Vesak: to use the opportunity to reiterate their determination to lead noble lives, to develop their minds, to practise loving-kindness and to bring peace and harmony to humanity. Ananda(Ch:阿難) was one of many principal disciples of the Buddha, a devout attendant and was renowned as the Ananda was the first cousin of the Buddha, and was devotedly attached to him. ...
Related holidays A similar holiday, called Hanamatsuri or "Flower Festival", is celebrated in Japan on April 8. However, Hanamatsuri commemorates only the Buddha's birth. In Hong Kong, Macao and South Korea, the 8th day of the fourth moon in the Chinese calendar is a public holiday, as the "Buddha's Birthday". Buddhas Birthday (Traditional Chinese: 佛誕; Pinyin: fó dà n; Cantonese: fÄtdáahn), the birthday of the Gautama Buddha traditionally celebrated in East Asia on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is a holiday in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and South Korea. ...
April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ...
The Chinese calendar (Traditional Chinese:農曆; Simplified Chinese: 农历; pinyin: nónglì) is a lunisolar calendar incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. ...
Buddhas Birthday, the birthday of the Gautama Buddha, is traditionally celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese calendar. ...
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