Tags
ウェーサーカ祭, បុណ្យវិសាខបូជា, वैशाख, বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা, වෙසක් පෝය, วันวิสาขบูชา, Boeddha's geboortedag, Boeddhistisch Feest, Boeddhistische gedenkdag, Bucheonim osin nal, Buddha's birth, Buddha's Birthday, Buddhist Celebration, Celebrating Vesak, Devanagari, El Vesak es la celebración más destacada del budismo, 부처님 오신 날, Hari Waisak, Il Vesak celebra Buddha storico, in South Korea In Korea, 석가탄신일, Lễ Phật Đản, Lotus Lantern Festival celebrating Buddha's Birthday, Үр сар, Seokga tansinil, Sinhala, the birthday of the Prince Siddhartha Gautama, Vaiśākha, Vesak, Vesak lub Wesak buddyjskiego, Vesak o Phật Đảnté, Vesakh, Vesakha Puja, Vesākha, Waisak, Wesak, Wesak ist der höchste buddhistische Feiertag, 卫塞节, بودا پورنیما
Drawing, conté crayons, copyright by Thomas Kluck
Vesak, or Buddha’s Birthday, is a holy day observed traditionally by Buddhists that commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha. This year Vesak is celebrated on the 25th of May.
Colourful lanterns with wish tags and cherry blossoms
When my family lived in Korea, we celebrated Vesak by going to our neighbouring temple. The streets leading up to the temple were decorated with lanterns and trees celebrated the month of May with abundant cherry blossoms. The temple was almost covered with colourful lanterns. Our young daughter had to touch them all. Buddha’s Birthday was one of the most colourful and happiest days.
We donated money to the temple and clipped our wish tag to one of the lanterns. After a walk through the temple gardens, we were invited by the monks to pour ama-cha (a beverage prepared from a variety of hydrangea) on a small Buddha statute, as if bathing a newborn baby. A festival with music and lectures followed. Long time after we had gone home, we could still listen to the music through our open windows.
If you have no temple in your area, you can still celebrate Buddha’s birthday. Invite friends over, put on colourful lanterns, or write your fellow Buddhist friends a nice handwritten note with a Buddhist verse that inspires you and your friend.
May the teachings of the Buddha bring you wisdom and happiness.
Paula Kuitenbrouwer
