17 May 2011 is Vesak Day in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam and many other countries. It is an annual public holiday observed traditionally by practicing Buddhists in Malaysia and other countries. Even in South Africa Vesak Day will be celebrated today at the Johannesburg Meditation Centre. It is also called Buddha’s birthday.
Vesak Day is the most important festival of the Buddhists in Malaysia and falls in the month of May.
Vesak is celebrated to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha because according to Buddhists, all the three events took place on the same lunar date.
The full moon night of Vesak marks the celebration of the birth of Prince Siddhartha who was born to be the light of the world.
Before the prince was to ascend the throne at the age of 29, he renounced all royal might. He went in searh of the righteous path to enlightenment. After 6 years the Middle Path was revealed to him during meditation. He attained the Dhammakaya on the full moon night of Vesak and then became the Lord Buddha or the first Enlightened One.
He passed away 45 years after his enlightenment, on the full moon day of Vesak. His teachings are still followed as being the light of peace for all beings.
The Wesak day celebrations begins much before the dawn when the Malaysian Buddhist devotees gather in Buddhist temples for worship all over Malaysia. The Buddhists will then hoist the Buddhist flag and sing hymns in praise of the holy triple gem namely; The Buddha, The Dharma (his teachings) and The Sangha (his disciples). The celebration is done with prayers, chants, offerings and giving alms. Simple offerings are also brought to the temple such as flowers while prayers using candles and joss-sticks are used. The devotees believe the Candlelight in homage to Lord Buddha on the day of his Birth, Enlightenment and Nirvana will be peaceful and radiating in every mind of those who attend. The peace overs gather together for the goal of peace.
With the candles in hand, the devotees worship Lord Buddha. The dovotees meditate along with chanting songs. They carry forward the light of peace to share with others. A popular song is The Child of Light which can be googled and downloaded.
The Buddhist eat a vegetarian diet prior to the festival in order to cleanse and purify themselves. Animals such as doves and tortoises are released by the Malaysian Buddhist devotees on the Wesak Day as a symbolic gesture of releasing the soul and giving up the past sins. Besides that, this particular act is also seen as a way of giving freedom for those that are held against their will or being tortured. Free meals are also given to the needy on the Wesak Day.
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