Весак история праздника

This article is about a Buddhist festival. For the unrelated Hindu and Sikh new year festival, see Vaisakhi. For the Buddha’s disciple, see Visakha.

Vesak
Vesak Day celebrations at Borobodur in Central Java, Indonesia
Official name	Vesak, Vesākha, Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, Vaishakh Purnima, Saka Dawa
Also called	Buddha’s Birthday or Buddha Day
Type	Religious
Significance	Commemoration of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Gautama Buddha
Observances	Meditation, observing the Eight Precepts, partaking of vegetarian food, giving to charity, «bathing» the Buddha
Date	Full moon of the lunar month of Vesākha, usually in April, May or June.
2022 date	8 May (China, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam) 15 May (Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand) 16 May (Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Tibet)
2023 date	3 June (Singapore) 4 June (Indonesia)
Frequency	Annual
Related to	Buddha’s Birthday Other related festivals Laba Festival (in China) Rohatsu (in Japan)

Vesak (Pali: Vesākha; Sanskrit: Vaiśākha), also known as Buddha Jayanti,^[1] Buddha Purnima^[2] and Buddha Day, is a holiday traditionally observed by Buddhists in South Asia and Southeast Asia as well as Tibet and Mongolia.^[3] The festival commemorates the birth, enlightenment (Nibbāna), and death (Parinirvāna) of Gautama Buddha in Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism and Navayana.^[4]

The name Vesak is derived from the Pali term vesākha or Sanskrit vaiśākha for the lunar month of Vaisakha, which is considered the month of Buddha’s birth.^[5] In Mahayana 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 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 and Nibbāna Day. In the South Asian tradition, where Vesak is celebrated on the full moon day of the Vaisakha month, the Vesak day marks the birth, enlightenment, and the ultimate passing away of the Buddha.^[6][7][8][9]

History[edit]

Although Buddhist festivals have centuries-old tradition, the first conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists 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:

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.^[10]

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. 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.^[11]

Celebration[edit]

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.^[12]

On Vesak, devout Buddhists and followers alike assemble in their various temples before dawn for the ceremonial and honorable 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 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 to give freedom to those who are in captivity, imprisoned, or tortured against their will. (The practice, however, is 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.)^[13]

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. 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[edit]

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.^{[14][citation needed]}

Paying homage to the Buddha[edit]

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[edit]

The exact date of Vesak is based on Asian lunisolar calendars and is primarily celebrated in Vaisakha, a month of both the Buddhist and Hindu calendars, hence the name Vesak. In Nepal, which is considered the birth-country of Buddha, it is celebrated on the full moon day of the Vaisakha month of the Hindu calendar, and is traditionally called Buddha Purnima, Purnima meaning the full moon day in Sanskrit. In Theravada countries following the Buddhist calendar, 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 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

In Southeast Asia[edit]

In Laos[edit]

The Vixakha Bouxa festival is the Lao version of the Thai Visakha Puja, which it closely resembles. It commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha, 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, poems, parades, processions, deep meditation, theatrical performances, and puppet shows.

Boun Bang Fay[edit]

One part of the Vixakha Bouxa festival is called Boun Bang Fay, or Rocket Festival. As this occurs during the hottest and driest season of the year, large homemade rockets are launched into the sky in an attempt to convince the celestial beings to send down rain. Traditionally, Buddhist monks made the rockets out of hollow bamboo tubes filled with gunpowder (among other things). Nowadays, lay people make the bang fai more like fireworks 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[edit]

This significant and traditional holy day is observed throughout Indonesia, where it is known as Waisak Day.^[28][29] At Borobudur, 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»^[30] 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[edit]

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)[edit]

In Myanmar (Burma), Vesak is known as the Full Moon Day of Kason (ကဆုန်လပြည့် ဗုဒ္ဓနေ့), which is the second month in the traditional Burmese calendar.^[31] 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.^[32]

Throughout the country, the date is also marked by a traditional festival called the Nyaungye-thun or «Bodhi tree water pouring festival» (ညောင်ရေသွန်းပွဲ [my]), whereby devotees visit pagodas or monasteries (kyaung) to pour scented water to sacred Bodhi Trees using clay pots,^[33] to ensure the trees, which hold great significance in Buddhism, do not die during the peak of summer.^[32][34][35]

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.^[31] 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.^[31]

In the Philippines[edit]

In the Philippines, 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.^[36][37]

In Singapore[edit]

In Singapore, Vesak Day was made a public holiday in 1955 after many public petitions, replacing Whit Monday.^[38][39][40] 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.^[41]

In Vietnam[edit]

In Vietnam, Vesak is also known as Phật Đản. From 1958 to 1975, Vesak was a national public holiday in South Vietnam.^[42] 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. 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.^[43] These events are considered to be the beginning of Vietnam’s Buddhist crisis, 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 day was no longer a public holiday. Since the 2000s, the festival has witnessed a revival across the country.^[44] 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).^[45]

In South Asia[edit]

In Nepal[edit]

Vesak, commonly known in Nepal as «Buddha Jayanti» is widely celebrated all across the country, predominantly, Lumbini – 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. In Nepal, 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[edit]

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.^[46] During this week, the selling of alcohol and fresh meat is usually prohibited, with slaughter houses also being closed.^[47] Celebrations include religious and alms-giving activities. Electrically lit pandals 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.

In addition, colorful lanterns called «Vesak kuudu»^[48] 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.^[49] 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.

In India[edit]

In India, the full moon day of the Vaisakha month of the Hindu calendar is celebrated as Buddha Purnima.^[5] 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. The festival is a public holiday in India.^[5]

In Bangladesh[edit]

Vesak Day is an important festival for all Bengali Buddhists. In Bangladesh, it is celebrated in Chittagong, Dhaka, 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[edit]

In Japan[edit]

In Japan, Vesak or hanamatsuri (花祭) is also known as Kanbutsue (灌仏会), Gōtan’e (降誕会)), Busshōue (仏生会), Yokubutsue (浴仏会), Ryūge’e (龍華会) and Hanaeshiki (花会式). 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 over him.^[50]

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 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 amacha (甘茶), a sweet tea made from Hydrangea macrophylla, 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[edit]

In South Korea the birthday of Buddha is celebrated on the 8th day of the 4th month in the Korean lunar calendar (as well as in Hong Kong, Macau) and is an official holiday. This day is called 석가탄신일 (Seokga tansinil), meaning «Buddha’s birthday» or 부처님 오신 날 (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.^[51] 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.

Yeondeunghoe (연등회) is a lantern-lighting festival in Korea celebrating the Buddha’s Birthday.^[52] It is inscribed in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List from 2020 and enlisted as South Korean Intangible Cultural Property from 2012.^[53]

Outside Asia[edit]

In Canada[edit]

An annual event known as Vesak: Buddha’s Birthday is celebrated in Toronto in its three major three Buddhist temples, that represent the three main branches of Buddhism.^[54] 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.^[55][56][57]

In United States[edit]

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 the community is usually invited to celebrate Vesak Day (the birth of Buddha) on the full moon of Vaisakha 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.
^[58]
The state of Hawaii has officially recognized April 8 of each year as «Buddha Day», which celebrates the birth of Gautama Buddha.

In the Bay Area of California, the Japanese celebration on April 8 has also been significant for several decades. In 1968 the first circumambulation 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.^[59]

New York celebrates the International Lotus Lantern Parade, an annual event held at Union Square Park. 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.^[60]

United Nations[edit]

On 15 December 1999 the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 54/115, entitled ‘International recognition of the Day of Vesak at United Nations Headquarters 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.^[61][62][63]

International celebrations since 2000 included the first Vesak celebration in the UN (New York) on 15 May 2000. 34 countries were represented.^[64] The Day of Vesak is an official holiday for the UN offices in many of the countries in South-East Asia.

International Vesak summit[edit]

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^[64]
• 18-21 May 2005 — 2nd Asian Summit — Bangkok, Thailand^[64]
• 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^[64]
• 2015 — 12th Asian Summit — Thailand^[65]
• 2016 — 13th Asian Summit — Thailand^[66]
• 2017 — 14th Asian Summit — Sri Lanka^[67][68]
• 2018 — 15th Asian Summit — Thailand
• 2019 — 16th Asian Summit — Vietnam

Local renditions[edit]

There are multiple local renditions of the Vesak festival name, varying by local language, including:

• Assamese: বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা Buddho Purnima
• Bengali: বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা Buddho Purnima, বুদ্ধ জয়ন্তী Buddho Joyonti
• Dzongkha: སྟོན་པའི་དུས་ཆེན་༥ འཛོམས་ Dhüchen Nga Zom
• Burmese: ကဆုန်လပြည့် ဗုဒ္ဓနေ့ «Full Moon Day of Kason»
• Chinese: 佛陀誕辰紀念日; pinyin: Fótuó dànchén jìniàn rì, (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
• Hindi: बुद्ध पूर्णिमा Buddha Pūrṇimā, बुद्ध जयन्ती Buddha Jayantī, वैशाख पूर्णिमा Vaisākh Pūrṇimā
• Japanese: 花祭り Hanamatsuri (Flower Festival)
• Khmer: វិសាខបូជា Visak Bochea
• Kannada: ಬುದ್ಧ ಪೌರ್ಣಮಿ Buddha Pournami
• Korean: 석가 탄신일; Hanja: 釋迦誕辰日; RR: Seokka Tanshin-il (Birthday of the Shakyamuni Buddha), Korean: 부처님오신날 (Buddha’s Day)
• Lao: ວິສາຂະບູຊາ Vixakha Bouxa
• Malay:
  • Hari Wesak (Jawi: هاري ويسک‎, Malaysian)
  • Hari Vesak (Singapore),
  • Hari Waisak or Hari Raya Waisak (Indonesian)
• Malayalam: വൈശാഖ പൗർണമി, ബുദ്ധ പൂർണിമ, ബുദ്ധ ജയന്തി
• Mon: တ္ၚဲကျာ်ဗုဒ္ဓ ဗပေၚ်ပသာ် «Buddha Day Full Moon of Pasāk»
• Mongolian: Бурхан Багшийн Их Дүйцэн Өдөр ᠭᠰᠸᠹᠺᠳᠭᠠᠨ
  ᠪᠣᠰᠠᠹᠰᠣᠨ
  ᠢᠺᠣᠬ
  ᠰᠰᠴᠪᠰᠡᠨ
  ᠳᠰᠷᠳᠥᠷ 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), 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)
• Marathi: बुद्ध पौर्णिमा Buddha Pournima
• Nepali: बुद्ध पुर्णिमा Buddha Purnima, बुद्ध जयन्ति Buddha Jayanti
• Newar: स्वांया पुन्हि Swānyā Punhi
• Odia: ବୁଦ୍ଧ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା Buddha Purnimā
• Sinhala: වෙසක් Vesak, වෛශාක්‍ය Vaishakya
• Tamil: விசாகத் திருநாள் Vicākat Tirunāḷ
• Tagalog: Araw ni Buddha (Buddha’s Day)
• Telugu: బుద్ధ పౌర్ణమి Buddha Pournami or alternatively వైశాఖ పౌర్ణమి Vaisakha Pournami
• Thai: วิสาขบูชา RTGS: Wisakhabucha
• Tibetan: ས་ག་ཟླ་བ་དུས་ཆེན, Wylie: sa ga zla ba dus chen, THL: Sa Ga Dawa Dü Chen
• Vietnamese: Lễ Phật Đản; Chữ Hán: 禮佛誕 (Birthday of the Buddha), Vietnamese: Ngày hội hoa Phật (Buddha’s Lord Flower Festival Day)

See also[edit]

• International Day of Vesak
• Māgha Pūjā

References[edit]

External links[edit]

This article is about a Buddhist festival. For the unrelated Hindu and Sikh new year festival, see Vaisakhi. For the Buddha’s disciple, see Visakha.

Vesak
Vesak Day celebrations at Borobodur in Central Java, Indonesia
Official name	Vesak, Vesākha, Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, Vaishakh Purnima, Saka Dawa
Also called	Buddha’s Birthday or Buddha Day
Type	Religious
Significance	Commemoration of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Gautama Buddha
Observances	Meditation, observing the Eight Precepts, partaking of vegetarian food, giving to charity, «bathing» the Buddha
Date	Full moon of the lunar month of Vesākha, usually in April, May or June.
2022 date	8 May (China, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam) 15 May (Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand) 16 May (Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Tibet)
2023 date	3 June (Singapore) 4 June (Indonesia)
Frequency	Annual
Related to	Buddha’s Birthday Other related festivals Laba Festival (in China) Rohatsu (in Japan)

Vesak (Pali: Vesākha; Sanskrit: Vaiśākha), also known as Buddha Jayanti,^[1] Buddha Purnima^[2] and Buddha Day, is a holiday traditionally observed by Buddhists in South Asia and Southeast Asia as well as Tibet and Mongolia.^[3] The festival commemorates the birth, enlightenment (Nibbāna), and death (Parinirvāna) of Gautama Buddha in Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism and Navayana.^[4]

The name Vesak is derived from the Pali term vesākha or Sanskrit vaiśākha for the lunar month of Vaisakha, which is considered the month of Buddha’s birth.^[5] In Mahayana 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 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 and Nibbāna Day. In the South Asian tradition, where Vesak is celebrated on the full moon day of the Vaisakha month, the Vesak day marks the birth, enlightenment, and the ultimate passing away of the Buddha.^[6][7][8][9]

History[edit]

Although Buddhist festivals have centuries-old tradition, the first conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists 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:

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.^[10]

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. 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.^[11]

Celebration[edit]

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.^[12]

On Vesak, devout Buddhists and followers alike assemble in their various temples before dawn for the ceremonial and honorable 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 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 to give freedom to those who are in captivity, imprisoned, or tortured against their will. (The practice, however, is 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.)^[13]

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. 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[edit]

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.^{[14][citation needed]}

Paying homage to the Buddha[edit]

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[edit]

The exact date of Vesak is based on Asian lunisolar calendars and is primarily celebrated in Vaisakha, a month of both the Buddhist and Hindu calendars, hence the name Vesak. In Nepal, which is considered the birth-country of Buddha, it is celebrated on the full moon day of the Vaisakha month of the Hindu calendar, and is traditionally called Buddha Purnima, Purnima meaning the full moon day in Sanskrit. In Theravada countries following the Buddhist calendar, 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 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

In Southeast Asia[edit]

In Laos[edit]

The Vixakha Bouxa festival is the Lao version of the Thai Visakha Puja, which it closely resembles. It commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha, 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, poems, parades, processions, deep meditation, theatrical performances, and puppet shows.

Boun Bang Fay[edit]

One part of the Vixakha Bouxa festival is called Boun Bang Fay, or Rocket Festival. As this occurs during the hottest and driest season of the year, large homemade rockets are launched into the sky in an attempt to convince the celestial beings to send down rain. Traditionally, Buddhist monks made the rockets out of hollow bamboo tubes filled with gunpowder (among other things). Nowadays, lay people make the bang fai more like fireworks 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[edit]

This significant and traditional holy day is observed throughout Indonesia, where it is known as Waisak Day.^[28][29] At Borobudur, 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»^[30] 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[edit]

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)[edit]

In Myanmar (Burma), Vesak is known as the Full Moon Day of Kason (ကဆုန်လပြည့် ဗုဒ္ဓနေ့), which is the second month in the traditional Burmese calendar.^[31] 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.^[32]

Throughout the country, the date is also marked by a traditional festival called the Nyaungye-thun or «Bodhi tree water pouring festival» (ညောင်ရေသွန်းပွဲ [my]), whereby devotees visit pagodas or monasteries (kyaung) to pour scented water to sacred Bodhi Trees using clay pots,^[33] to ensure the trees, which hold great significance in Buddhism, do not die during the peak of summer.^[32][34][35]

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.^[31] 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.^[31]

In the Philippines[edit]

In the Philippines, 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.^[36][37]

In Singapore[edit]

In Singapore, Vesak Day was made a public holiday in 1955 after many public petitions, replacing Whit Monday.^[38][39][40] 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.^[41]

In Vietnam[edit]

In Vietnam, Vesak is also known as Phật Đản. From 1958 to 1975, Vesak was a national public holiday in South Vietnam.^[42] 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. 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.^[43] These events are considered to be the beginning of Vietnam’s Buddhist crisis, 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 day was no longer a public holiday. Since the 2000s, the festival has witnessed a revival across the country.^[44] 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).^[45]

In South Asia[edit]

In Nepal[edit]

Vesak, commonly known in Nepal as «Buddha Jayanti» is widely celebrated all across the country, predominantly, Lumbini – 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. In Nepal, 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[edit]

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.^[46] During this week, the selling of alcohol and fresh meat is usually prohibited, with slaughter houses also being closed.^[47] Celebrations include religious and alms-giving activities. Electrically lit pandals 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.

In addition, colorful lanterns called «Vesak kuudu»^[48] 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.^[49] 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.

In India[edit]

In India, the full moon day of the Vaisakha month of the Hindu calendar is celebrated as Buddha Purnima.^[5] 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. The festival is a public holiday in India.^[5]

In Bangladesh[edit]

Vesak Day is an important festival for all Bengali Buddhists. In Bangladesh, it is celebrated in Chittagong, Dhaka, 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[edit]

In Japan[edit]

In Japan, Vesak or hanamatsuri (花祭) is also known as Kanbutsue (灌仏会), Gōtan’e (降誕会)), Busshōue (仏生会), Yokubutsue (浴仏会), Ryūge’e (龍華会) and Hanaeshiki (花会式). 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 over him.^[50]

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 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 amacha (甘茶), a sweet tea made from Hydrangea macrophylla, 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[edit]

In South Korea the birthday of Buddha is celebrated on the 8th day of the 4th month in the Korean lunar calendar (as well as in Hong Kong, Macau) and is an official holiday. This day is called 석가탄신일 (Seokga tansinil), meaning «Buddha’s birthday» or 부처님 오신 날 (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.^[51] 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.

Yeondeunghoe (연등회) is a lantern-lighting festival in Korea celebrating the Buddha’s Birthday.^[52] It is inscribed in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List from 2020 and enlisted as South Korean Intangible Cultural Property from 2012.^[53]

Outside Asia[edit]

In Canada[edit]

An annual event known as Vesak: Buddha’s Birthday is celebrated in Toronto in its three major three Buddhist temples, that represent the three main branches of Buddhism.^[54] 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.^[55][56][57]

In United States[edit]

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 the community is usually invited to celebrate Vesak Day (the birth of Buddha) on the full moon of Vaisakha 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.
^[58]
The state of Hawaii has officially recognized April 8 of each year as «Buddha Day», which celebrates the birth of Gautama Buddha.

In the Bay Area of California, the Japanese celebration on April 8 has also been significant for several decades. In 1968 the first circumambulation 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.^[59]

New York celebrates the International Lotus Lantern Parade, an annual event held at Union Square Park. 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.^[60]

United Nations[edit]

On 15 December 1999 the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 54/115, entitled ‘International recognition of the Day of Vesak at United Nations Headquarters 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.^[61][62][63]

International celebrations since 2000 included the first Vesak celebration in the UN (New York) on 15 May 2000. 34 countries were represented.^[64] The Day of Vesak is an official holiday for the UN offices in many of the countries in South-East Asia.

International Vesak summit[edit]

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^[64]
• 18-21 May 2005 — 2nd Asian Summit — Bangkok, Thailand^[64]
• 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^[64]
• 2015 — 12th Asian Summit — Thailand^[65]
• 2016 — 13th Asian Summit — Thailand^[66]
• 2017 — 14th Asian Summit — Sri Lanka^[67][68]
• 2018 — 15th Asian Summit — Thailand
• 2019 — 16th Asian Summit — Vietnam

Local renditions[edit]

There are multiple local renditions of the Vesak festival name, varying by local language, including:

• Assamese: বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা Buddho Purnima
• Bengali: বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা Buddho Purnima, বুদ্ধ জয়ন্তী Buddho Joyonti
• Dzongkha: སྟོན་པའི་དུས་ཆེན་༥ འཛོམས་ Dhüchen Nga Zom
• Burmese: ကဆုန်လပြည့် ဗုဒ္ဓနေ့ «Full Moon Day of Kason»
• Chinese: 佛陀誕辰紀念日; pinyin: Fótuó dànchén jìniàn rì, (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
• Hindi: बुद्ध पूर्णिमा Buddha Pūrṇimā, बुद्ध जयन्ती Buddha Jayantī, वैशाख पूर्णिमा Vaisākh Pūrṇimā
• Japanese: 花祭り Hanamatsuri (Flower Festival)
• Khmer: វិសាខបូជា Visak Bochea
• Kannada: ಬುದ್ಧ ಪೌರ್ಣಮಿ Buddha Pournami
• Korean: 석가 탄신일; Hanja: 釋迦誕辰日; RR: Seokka Tanshin-il (Birthday of the Shakyamuni Buddha), Korean: 부처님오신날 (Buddha’s Day)
• Lao: ວິສາຂະບູຊາ Vixakha Bouxa
• Malay:
  • Hari Wesak (Jawi: هاري ويسک‎, Malaysian)
  • Hari Vesak (Singapore),
  • Hari Waisak or Hari Raya Waisak (Indonesian)
• Malayalam: വൈശാഖ പൗർണമി, ബുദ്ധ പൂർണിമ, ബുദ്ധ ജയന്തി
• Mon: တ္ၚဲကျာ်ဗုဒ္ဓ ဗပေၚ်ပသာ် «Buddha Day Full Moon of Pasāk»
• Mongolian: Бурхан Багшийн Их Дүйцэн Өдөр ᠭᠰᠸᠹᠺᠳᠭᠠᠨ
  ᠪᠣᠰᠠᠹᠰᠣᠨ
  ᠢᠺᠣᠬ
  ᠰᠰᠴᠪᠰᠡᠨ
  ᠳᠰᠷᠳᠥᠷ 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), 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)
• Marathi: बुद्ध पौर्णिमा Buddha Pournima
• Nepali: बुद्ध पुर्णिमा Buddha Purnima, बुद्ध जयन्ति Buddha Jayanti
• Newar: स्वांया पुन्हि Swānyā Punhi
• Odia: ବୁଦ୍ଧ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣିମା Buddha Purnimā
• Sinhala: වෙසක් Vesak, වෛශාක්‍ය Vaishakya
• Tamil: விசாகத் திருநாள் Vicākat Tirunāḷ
• Tagalog: Araw ni Buddha (Buddha’s Day)
• Telugu: బుద్ధ పౌర్ణమి Buddha Pournami or alternatively వైశాఖ పౌర్ణమి Vaisakha Pournami
• Thai: วิสาขบูชา RTGS: Wisakhabucha
• Tibetan: ས་ག་ཟླ་བ་དུས་ཆེན, Wylie: sa ga zla ba dus chen, THL: Sa Ga Dawa Dü Chen
• Vietnamese: Lễ Phật Đản; Chữ Hán: 禮佛誕 (Birthday of the Buddha), Vietnamese: Ngày hội hoa Phật (Buddha’s Lord Flower Festival Day)

See also[edit]

• International Day of Vesak
• Māgha Pūjā

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Весак 16 мая празднует рождение Будды, а также его просветление и смерть в некоторых традициях. Праздник официально отмечается с 1950 года, когда Всемирное братство буддистов официально объявило его днем ​​рождения Будды. Буддизм исповедуют около 500 миллионов человек по всему миру в десятках стран. Весак — праздник, общий для всех буддистов, но отмечается по-разному в соответствии с местными обычаями. Поскольку Весак основан на азиатском лунно-солнечном календаре, этот день обычно приходится на полнолуние в григорианском месяце мае, но это сильно различается в зависимости от традиций каждой страны. Весак буддийский праздник, как отмечают Весак в разных странах мира, узнайте в следующей статье на kakogo-chisla.ru.

Какого числа Весак буддийский праздник

Какого числа отмечают буддийский праздник Весак? Узнайте, на какой день выпадает Весак в 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 и 2026 годах.

День рождения Будды и его учения отмечаются в Весак 8 апреля. Дата может быть изменена по лунному календарю.

История буддийского праздника Весак

Весак, также известный как Весак, санскрит Вайшакха и Пали Весакха, является одним из самых важных буддийских праздников, поскольку он празднует рождение, просветление и уход Будды в нирвану. Дата праздника меняется в зависимости от того, когда полнолуние приходится на лунный месяц весакха, обычно в апреле или мае. Преданные проводят день в служении и практикуют дела и правила, установленные Буддой, такие как раздача еды или освобождение птиц из плена.

В 490 г. до н.э. Гаутама Будда, или принц Сиддхартха Гаутама, как его назвали при рождении, родился в Непале в семье вождя племени. Достигнув совершеннолетия, Гаутама создал секту аскетов, которая после его смерти превратилась в целую религию. Распространено заблуждение, что имя Гаутамы было Будда, но на самом деле это титул, означающий «просветленный». На протяжении всей своей жизни он сосредоточился на обучении и распространении посланий о мире, сострадании и доброте по отношению к другим. Сегодня миллионы преданных по всему миру практикуют учения Будды. Весак — это особый день, посвященный рождению Будды, его учению, просветлению и смерти.

В 1999 году Организация Объединенных Наций признала День Весак на международном уровне и признала вклад одной из древнейших религий в мире, буддизма, в укрепление мира на протяжении более 2500 лет. Весак также ежегодно отмечается в офисах и штаб-квартире ООН, наряду с другими организациями и буддийскими общинами по всему миру. Традиции в этот день включают культурные песни и танцевальные представления, публичные обращения лидеров общин и украшение храмов. Акты доброты и благотворительности также практикуются в День Весак чаще, чем обычно.

Как праздновать Весак буддийский праздник

Узнайте о международных традициях

Японцы поливают статуи амачей, сладким чаем из цветков гортензии. Жители Шри-Ланки вешают разноцветные фонари перед домами и вдоль улиц. Индонезийские буддийские монахи вместе повторяют мантры и медитируют, кружа вокруг своих храмов.

Насладитесь вегетарианской едой

В некоторых странах одним из ритуалов Весак является выпуск тысяч птиц, насекомых и животных, что символизирует освобождение тех, кто находится в неволе. Если вы любитель мяса, возможно, вы могли бы попробовать питаться как вегетарианец только в течение дня, чтобы повысить собственное осознание драгоценной природы всей жизни.

Празднуйте, даже если вы не буддист

Поскольку суть праздника Весак заключается в праздновании жизни, просто подумайте о чем-то, что кажется вам жизнеутверждающим. Это может быть просто длительная прогулка и наблюдение за всей красотой природы вокруг вас, пение, приготовление пищи — все, что приглашает вас полностью присутствовать во время этого опыта, когда ваши чувства обостряются и вы испытываете радость от жизни. Затем разделите эту радость с кем-нибудь еще.

Почему важен буддийский праздник Весак

Очень значительный

Буддисты всего мира отмечают рождение, просветление и уход из жизни Гаутамы Будды.

Весак напоминает нам, что нужно делать других счастливыми

Во время Весак многие практикующие прилагают особые усилия, чтобы осчастливить пожилых людей, инвалидов и тех, кто страдает от болезней, но это также время подарить себе счастье, создавая красоту вокруг.

Это прежде всего праздник жизни

Подарки в виде цветов, свечей и амулетов, которые буддисты преподносят на Весак, символизируют временный характер жизни, а также напоминают о том, что нужно уважать всех живых существ, поэтому во время этого праздника поощряется употребление вегетарианской пищи.

Интересные факты о Будде

Три правила

Тремя главными учениями Будды были: не быть в неведении, не ненавидеть и не гневаться.

Будда не был таким, как изображен

Вопреки тому, как его обычно изображают, Будда не был пухлым, и он проводил большую часть своего времени, гуляя и регулярно постясь.

Его просветление было предсказано

Один старик предсказал через несколько дней после рождения Будды, что он станет великим святым, который изменит мир.

Средства и методы

В отличие от большинства религий, буддизм распространялся ненасильственно из уст в уста и через практику.

Знаменитые последние слова

Последними словами Будды к своим последователям были: «Все составные вещи в мире изменчивы». Они недолговечны. Упорно трудись, чтобы обрести собственное спасение».

Советуем почитать: Праздник Макха Буча

Весак — это еще один повод стать лучше!

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«Хочешь изменить мир? Начни с себя» — такой смысл несет в себе День Весак (Vesak Day). Этот праздник приходится на майское полнолуние и является самым священным днем для миллионов буддистов всего мира.

Считается, что именно в день Весак 2,5 тысячи лет тому назад, в 623 году до нашей эры, родился Будда. В этот же день Будда достиг просветления, и в этот же день он покинул мир на 80-м году жизни.

Утверждение Будды — «Для того, чтобы изменить мир, необходимо изменить природу человека», — стало основной концепцией праздника. В этом утверждении — глубинная суть того, как можно улучшить жизнь нашей планеты и ее обитателей.

В 1999 году была принята резолюция Генеральной Ассамблеи ООН о «международном признании дня Весак». Она была поддержана многими азиатскими буддийскими странами, а также другими странами, включая Россию и США. А в соответствии с резолюцией Генеральной Ассамблеи ООН 54/115 от 8 февраля 2000 года этот день ежегодно празднуется ООН в знак признания вклада, который буддизм – одна из старейших религий в мире – внес на протяжении двух с половиной тысячелетий и продолжает вносить в настоящее время в духовное развитие человечества.

Учение Будды и его призыв к состраданию, миру и доброй воле увлекли миллионы людей во всем мире, и они следуют учению Будды и отмечают в день Весак его рождение, достижение просветления и уход из этого мира.

Этот день празднуется ежегодно в Центральных учреждениях Организации Объединенных Наций и в других ее отделениях в консультации с соответствующими отделениями ООН и постоянными представительствами.

«Предлагаю всем, кто исповедует буддизм и другие религии, в связи с празднованием Дня Весак задуматься о том, каким образом мы можем изменить свои действия, с тем чтобы проложить путь к более поступательному развитию в будущем», — обратился в своем послании 8-й генеральный секретарь ООН Пан Ги Мун к жителям планеты.

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День рождения Будды (Buddha’s Birthday), или Весак (Hari Raya Waisak) – буддийский праздник, распространенный практически по всей Юго-Восточной Азии. Он является официальным в Индонезии, хотя буддистов в стране совсем немного. В этот день, только в разные года и в разных местах, произошло три знаменательных события: появление на свет Будды, достижение им просветления и его уход в паринирвану.

В этой статье я подробно расскажу о самом Будде, а также об истории и традициях праздника Весак. Опишу, что происходит в этот день на улицах и в храмах Бали. Желающие посмотреть и поучаствовать в праздничных мероприятиях смогут это сделать, испытав необычные эмоции.

История и значение праздника

«Будда» в переводе означает «просветленный». Это аналогично слову «Христос» («помазанный»), присоединенному к «Иисусу» много позднее. Говоря в наше время о празднике Весак, подразумевают день рождения Будды Шакьямуни, чье имя в полном переводе означает «отшельник из рода Шакья, достигший просветления».

В Непале, на родине Будды, день его рождения отмечали с незапамятных времен. С XIX века этот праздник чтут уже во многих буддистских странах. В 1950 году Всемирное Братство Буддистов проводило в Коломбо свою первую конференцию. Там определили дату этого праздника и его название Весак.

Роль буддизма в развитии культуры человечества признана Организацией Объединенных Наций. 8 февраля 2000 года Генеральная Ассамблея ООН вынесла постановление о праздновании Дня рождения Будды, что очень порадовало население стран с этой религией.

Даты проведения праздника на Бали

Дата праздника по григорианскому календарю получается разной из года в год. Это восьмой день (полнолуние) четвертого лунного месяца – Весака (индийского вешакха).

Даты празднования Весака:

• 2018 год – 29 мая
• 2019 год – 19 мая
• 2020 год – 7 мая
• 2021 год – 26 мая

В Индонезии этот праздник учрежден как официальный в 1983 году. Весак является нерабочим днем и в других азиатских странах, таких как Бангладеш, Камбоджа, Шри Ланка, Сингапур, Таиланд, Гонконг, Южная Корея, Макао. Кое-где его отмечают в первое полнолуние мая, а в Японии — всегда 8 апреля, и называют не Весак, а Ханамацури (Фестиваль цветов).

Чуть выше я говорил о незапамятных временах. Давайте вернемся к ним и узнаем, с чего все началось. За долгие века история приобрела много версий развития событий. Одну из них я и приведу.

Будда Шакьямуни

В далеком VI веке до нашей эры в городе Капилавасту на севере Индии (ныне – Непал) в королевской семье родился мальчик Сиддтхартха Гаутама (имя означает «исполнивший свое предназначение»). Его отец Шуддхотхана возглавлял род Шакья. Его мать, царица Махамайя, была принцессой соседнего королевства. Когда приблизился срок родов, она направилась, по древнему обычаю, в родительский дом. Однако, дойти туда не успела и родила ребенка по дороге, в роще, под деревом ашока. На этом месте позже установили храмовый комплекс, названный в честь той рощи – Лумбини. По всей вероятности, Махамайя умерла вскоре после родов.

К новорожденному пригласили мудрецов и ведунов, чтобы с самого начала готовить из мальчика наследника и великого правителя. Один из гостей установил, что Гаутама обладает свойствами сверхчеловека, о чем говорили особые формы и размеры частей его тела. Насчитали 32 таких свидетельства. И станет он, якобы, великим властителем либо священным (буддой). А другой мудрец после долгих размышлений предсказал младенцу отречение от престола.

Отец-король не знал, что думать, расстроился, но решил сохранить стране будущего правителя любой ценой. Он стал воспитывать сына в изоляции от внешней жизни, не давая возможности увидеть настоящий мир со всеми его бедами и невзгодами. Юноша знал лишь великолепные дворцы, роскошь, изысканную еду, общение только самого высокого уровня… В общем, наш Гаутама был jet set, как говорят сегодня: сливки общества, золотая молодежь.

Не дав сыну как следует повзрослеть, отец женил его на хорошей девушке королевских кровей, принцессе Яшодхаре. Вскоре у молодых появился малыш Рахула. Казалось, все идет, как и было задумано, если бы не одна прогулка верхом.

Однажды Сиддхартха поехал кататься на лошадях со своим слугой Чанном. И так вышло, что им, сбившимся с пути, встретился старец, дряхлый, истощенный и немощный. Судя по всему, он очень страдал. Гаутама впервые в жизни увидел, что у мира есть другая сторона. Он был потрясен. Проехав дальше по дороге, всадники встретили больного проказой человека. Это произвело на молодого наследника еще большее впечатление. Вот где страдание!

Похоронная процессия и покойник, которых Гаутама заметил еще через какое-то время, повергли его в шок. Наш юноша остановился, спешился и стал расспрашивать слугу о том, что они сегодня видели. Тому пришлось объяснить господину, как все устроено. Выслушав длинный невеселый рассказ, Гаутама глубоко задумался. И тут он пересекся взглядом с путником. Это был отшельник, навеявший мысли о том, что пора покинуть золотые стены дворцов и рассмотреть хорошенько мир за ними.

Итак, в 29 лет Гаутама Сиддхартха покинул родительский дом, оставив в нем свою молодую жену и ребенка. Надо заметить, в образе отшельника явился ему демон, суливший целую империю за отказ от познания мира. Но тщетно. Бродя по разным странам, встречаясь с разными людьми, Гаутама видел бесконечное море страдания.

Он понял: все беды – от слишком больших желаний, страстей. Тогда Гаутама стал аскетом. Но это тоже плохо: однажды он чуть не умер от голода. Его спасла селянка, дав еды и питья. Он сел медитировать под фикус, который потом стали называть деревом Бодхи. Во время медитации являлся дух смерти, но так и ушел обратно.

На 49-й день (это было полнолуние 4-го лунного месяца), в день своего 35-летия, Гаутама сформулировал для себя следующее. От многих желаний происходят страдания. Избавиться от них можно, достигнув нирваны. Соблюдая равновесие между пресыщением наслаждениями и жестким аскетизмом, будешь счастлив. Этот постулат – основа современного буддизма.

Гаутама стал рассказывать людям то, что выяснил. Он долго ходил по свету, приобрел много учеников и последователей. Когда ему было 80, Гаутама сказал, что готов к достижению окончательного просветления — паринирваны, которая может наступить только со смертью физического тела. Это случилось в полнолуние 4-го лунного месяца. Кремировали Гаутаму как властителя мира, а называть стали Буддой Шакьямуни. Ныне учение его – дхарма – большая часть мировой культуры.

Изучая историю и философию буддизма, можно заметить, что для медитаций необходимо принять позу, напоминающую цветок лотоса. Именно в ней провел Будда под деревом те 48 дней.

Поза Будды. Лотос

Смысл лотоса в том, что, произрастая из ила и грязи, он является нежным прекрасным цветком. Вырви с корнем – тут же погибнет. Равновесие грязи и чистоты, баланс тьмы и света, недолговечность всего земного – в этом суть жизни. Поза лотоса – наиболее удобная для медитаций. Она достаточно устойчивая, но при этом не дает уснуть.

Роль полнолуния

Как вы уже заметили, три крупных события в жизни Будды Шакьямуни произошли в полнолуние. Считается, что именно в этот период достигается наибольший эффект управления эфирным телом. Все желания как бы направлены вверх. Солнце в Весак движется обязательно на север.

А теперь расскажу подробнее, что происходит на Бали в этот день.

Праздничные мероприятия

Буддийский праздник Весак — официальный нерабочий день в Индонезии, поэтому многие учреждения и организации закрыты. Исключение составляют сферы жизнеобеспечения и туризма. То есть, аэропорт, отели, больницы, полиция и другие экстренные службы будут работать в штатном режиме.

Основные события в этот день происходят в храмовом комплексе Боробудур на Центральной Яве.  На Бали буддистов очень мало, но кое-что в День рождения Будды все же можно увидеть. Для этого стоит отправиться, например, в храм Брахмавихара Арама. Это самый большой буддийский монастырь острова.

Начинается праздник ранним утром. На рассвете к буддистским храмам собирается народ. На балийцах яркие одежды, в руках – цветы. Храмы тоже украшены цветами. Чаще всего это лотосы. В определенное время проходит церемония поднятия флага буддистов. Далее следует чтение молитв и мантр. К ногам Будды возлагаются подношения.

Вот какие еще ритуалы выполняют в этот день:

• Один из символических проявлений Весака: нужно освободить из заточения какое-нибудь живое существо, например, мелкого зверька или птичку. Это символизирует освобождение человека от страданий.
• Люди в этот день отправляют своим близким праздничные открытки с изображениями Будды в разных сюжетах.
• Приветствуются пожертвования в пользу пожилых, больных, бедных.
• Обязательно нужно одарить монахов продуктами питания.
• А вот еда в этот праздник должна быть скромной и в основном вегетарианской: капуста, шпинат, побеги папоротника и тому подобное. Пибимпаб – рис с овощами — самое популярное блюдо в День рождения Будды.
• Есть один ритуал, который особенно любят проводить дети. Нужно поставить фигурку Будды в специальную емкость и поливать его сверху водой или чаем, немного подслащенным. Такой обряд связан с легендой; согласно ей, во время рождения Гаутамы к нему явился дракон и поливал младенца сверху ароматными водами.
• Когда стемнеет, настает пора зажигать фонарики: источники света, закрепленные внутри бумажной поделки в виде цветка или чего-то подобного. Раньше они крепились к крышам зданий, но в последнее время их стали также запускать в небо. Воздух, нагретый пламенем, уносит огонек высоко вверх. Это выглядит потрясающе красиво и немного печально.

Те, кто исповедует буддизм, в праздник Весак как бы подчеркивают себе свои намерения развиваться духовно, вести разумную жизнь, соблюдать равновесие с миром. Какой отличный повод изменить жизнь к лучшему! И будет всем счастье.

О других официальных и торжественных мероприятиях читайте в разделе Праздники на Бали.

Полезные советы по организации поездки, а также интересные факты об острове Бали вы найдете на странице Советы туристам.

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