Buddha, the 'Enlightened One'

Happy Wesak
16th May 2008

What is Wesak ? 

Wesak or Vesakha is one of the most important festivals in the Buddhist calendar and takes place on, or near to, the May full moon.

The festival celebrates the three most important events in the life of Buddha: his birth and death day, and the moment when he learnt the truth about life and how to avoid suffering.

The celebrations world-wide last for three days. Houses and shrines are decorated with flowers, candles and lanterns, Special offerings are made to statues of the Buddha and there are often processions in the streets.

Buddhists follow the way or truths outlined by Siddiharta Gautama, the `Enlightened One` who was born in northern India in the 5-6th century BC. Buddha devoted his life to seeking a way to end suffering through thought and deed. His philosophy, summarised as The Eightfold Path, provides a guide for disciples striving to perfect the qualities of wisdom and compassion. Buddhists believe in cyclical life, the ultimate goal being the attainment of nirvana, ultimate release and peace.

Many Asian peoples follow Buddhism whose main schools are Mahayana and Theravada. Theravada teachings are collected in the Pali Tripitaka while the earliest Mahayana scriptures, written in Sanskrit, also date from the 1st century AD but were added to over the centuries. Sacred Buddhist sites include Bodh Gaya in Bihar where Buddha attained enlightenment, Lumbini his birthplace in Nepal and Sarnath, the site of his first sermon in Uttar Pradesh. Other places of religious significance include Adam`s Peak in Sri Lanka, Mount Kailash in Tibet and Borobodur in Indonesia. The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy and the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, which contain relics of the Buddha, are other places of pilgrimage.