Vesak (Buddha Day)
The most sacred Buddhist holiday — celebrating the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha.
✦ Why It Matters
Vesak, also known as Buddha Purnima or Buddha Day, commemorates three pivotal moments in the Buddha's life: his birth, his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, and his final passing (Parinirvana) — all said to have occurred on the same full moon day.
✦ How It Is Observed
Temple visits at dawn, offering flowers, incense, and candles, listening to Dhamma teachings, releasing birds and animals (symbolic liberation), meditation, vegetarianism, charitable giving. Lantern festivals in many countries.
✦ Sacred Text
“Mind is the forerunner of all actions. All deeds are led by mind, created by mind. If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind, suffering follows, as the wheel follows the hoof of an ox.”
— Dhammapada 1:1 ↗