According to Buddhist tradition, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was born in the sacred gardens of Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, on the full moon day of the Vesak month in 624 BC.
Vesak commemorates the three most significant milestones in the Buddha’s life: his birth, his enlightenment, and his passing into Nirvana. On December 15, 1999, the United Nations officially recognized the Day of Vesak as an international observance.
Every year, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha observes Vesak Day on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month, and Vesak Week during the 8 days ending on Vesak Day. This year, from the 8th day to the 15th day of the 4th lunar month, pagodas, monasteries, and Buddhist households across Vietnam have hosted a number of solemn religious activities, including sutra chanting, Buddha statue processions, Buddha bathing rituals, the release of captive animals, and the floating of flower lanterns on rivers and lakes.
Festivities celebrating the birth of the Buddha have also included parades of flower-decorated vehicles, cultural and art performances, Dharma talks, a recreation of the Lumbini Gardens, and a display of Buddhist flags and banners.
From last Sunday through the end of this month, corresponding to the 8th to the 15th day of the 4th lunar month, Buddhist cultural events are taking place in the central areas of Da Lat, Gia Nghia, and Phan Thiet in Lam Dong province.
Activities include Buddhist culture exhibitions, parades of flower-adorned vehicles, art performances, and a special ceremony to light seven giant lotus lanterns on the Huong River to pray for national peace and prosperity.
Most Venerable Thich Van Tri, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Head of the Cultural Department of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Lam Dong province, said, "Vesak is a festival of gratitude and devotion to the Buddha. From the Buddhist perspective, compassion for all living beings and a sense of responsibility toward society are fundamental duties of a disciple of the Buddha. In addition to ceremonial activities, we also carry out charitable programs to bring practical benefits to the community.”
“We hope to foster a Buddhist culture in which every action is directed toward serving people and easing the burdens faced by society," he noted.
A solemn procession carrying the infant Jade Buddha statue traveled from An Quang Pagoda to Viet Nam Quoc Tu Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City to officially open the Vesak celebrations.
On this occasion, leaders of the Party, the State, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front visited and extended greetings to the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and to pagodas and monasteries nationwide. The grand celebration of Vesak reaffirms the Party and State’s consistent policy of respecting and guaranteeing people’s freedom of belief and religion.
