Vesākha

Vesākha is the second month of the Buddhist calendar, Vesak being the Sinhalese pronunciation.According to Theravāda tradition, Siddhattha Gotama was born, became enlightened and passed away on the full moon eve of the month of Vesākha, although this is not mentioned anywhere in the Tipiṭaka. According to the scriptures, while the Buddha was staying at Vesāli he said that he would pass away in three months time (ito tiṇṇaṃ māsānaṃ, D.II,114). As he did not leave Vesāli until the end of the rainy season (mid-October), he would have passed away no later than mid-January.

When the Chinese monk Hiuen Tsiang was in India during the 7th century, he found that while most Buddhists celebrated the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing on Vesākha, some sects did so at other times. He wrote: ‘According to the general tradition, the Tathāgata was 80 when, on the 15th day of the second half of the month of Vesākha, he attained final Nirvāṇa .... But the Sarvāstivādins say he died on the 8th day of the second half of the month of Kattika .... The Bodhisattva was born on the 8th day of the second half of the month of Vesākha .... But the Sāvaka school say that it was the 15th day of the second half of Vesākha.’

In Theravādin Buddhist countries, Vesākha is a public holiday and on that day people flock to temples to hear sermons, practise meditation and honour the Buddha with various ceremonies. See Kusinārā and Travels.

The Significance of Vesak, K.N. Jayatilleke, 1972.

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