Vesak day is a Buddhist holiday commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of the historical Shakyamuni Gautam Buddha.
As there are diverse Buddhist cultures around the world, Vesak day is celebrated on different days by different traditions.
Chinese Mahayana Buddhist celebrates the Vesak Day on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month while the Theravada Buddhist celebrates Vesak on the on the full moon Uposatha day.
As it follow the lunar calendar, Vesak Day falls on different day each year. See Chinese festivals for this year's Vesak Day date.
Vesak Day Celebrations and compassion
Among Overseas Chinese communities, Vesak day is celebrated depending on their respective traditions, the Buddhist culture in that country or simply both.
On Vesak day, Buddhists visit monasteries to offer their prayers and to attend sermons led by Buddhist Venerables. Buddhist prayers often extend beyond themselves to pray for world peace and harmony.
They also perform rituals such as the bathing of the Buddha; A symbolic act to commemorate the devas and spirits who made offerings to the Buddha at the time of his birth.
During the Vesak Day period, monasteries are decorated with Buddhist flags and flowers while vegetarian restaurants offer promotions as people abstain from meat as an act of compassion.
Many Buddhist will also make donations to charity organizations and to free animals that are captured for human consumption.
Different traditions, same journey
So although the dates of Vesak may differ from tradition to tradition, Buddhist communities share a common focus in their celebration and their hope for world peace and harmony.
This celebration of common themes and objectives against the backdrop of cultural diversity is a unique feature of Buddhism.
Soft launch of Tooth Relic Temple in Singapore on the eve of Vesak day