VESAK (WESAK)

VESAK derives from the Pali word "Vesakha" and in Sanskrit word "Vaisakha".  Today, the 4th of May, 2015, the Full Moon Poya Day, we celebrate Vesak Festival on behalf of the BIRTH - ඉපදීම, ,ENLIGHTENMENT  - බුදුවීම (Nirvana) AND PASSING AWAY  - පිරිනිවන් පෑම (Parinirvana), the three significant circumstances of Lord Buddha - Gauthama Buddha. This is very important festival of the Buddhists in Sri Lanka.

The Buddhist countries in the Asian regions, such as India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, Japan, China, Korea, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, etc. celebrate this festival with delight in various dates - mostly from April, May or in June every year. The names they call for Wesak is varied from country to country, as per their language.  Our Lord Buddha - Gauthama Buddha showed us the way of Life and how to get-on with a meaningful life with understanding for both of ascetic and household humans.  Lord Buddha showed us the path to make us free of birth - if there is no birth, then there is no death.

Generally, we, Sri Lankans celebrate Wesak Festival in May in every year.  If there are two full moon Poya days, fallen in the month of May, as a very rare case, then we, Sri Lankans, celebrate the Vesak Festival on the first Poya Day.   May is a very attractive month, where trees and creepers blossom with tender leaves, various kinds of flowers and fruits.  We get rain, as well as sunlight during the month of May.  It is a very fruitful month among the twelve months of a year.  We get Wesak, just after Sinhalese and Hindu New Year, which is fallen in April in every year.

We need a religion to manage and maintain our lives with good manner, self-discipline, kindliness, love, respect, good behaviour, gratitude, calmness and to spend a stress-free life.  Buddhists and followers hoist the Buddhist Flag in their houses and temples. They go to temple to worship Lord Buddha, offering flowers, oil lamps, incense smoke (by lighting joss-sticks) and giving alms to Buddhist Priests and beggars.  Also, Buddhists observe eight precept in the temple whole day of Wesak Poya Day (Buddhists observe eight precept - ata sil - අට සිල් in other poya days, as well).

People and children make Wesak Lanterns and pandol, on behalf of Wesak Festival. There are competitions of Wesak Lanterns, organized by several Buddhist and Cultural Organizations and at the end of Wesak week, the participants will be awarded with

various prizes, gifts of money and certificates.  Usually, the Wesak Lanterns and Pandol demonstrations are going-on for about one week. People will arrange alms houses on behalf of Wesak, by offering, rice and curry and various kinds of food and beverages.   In spite of the differences of their status of lives, any person can have food and beverages freely from these alms houses. Processions - පෙරහැර, with tuskers, elephants, dancers, drummers, etc. too, are taking place on  behalf of Wesak.  There are Dhamma song - Bhakthi Geetha - භක්ති ගීත demonstrations in temples and in Buddhist, State and Non-State Organizations, as well.

Wesak Full Moon Poya Day and the day following are public holidays in Sri Lanka.  Suppose, the Wesak Full Moon Poya Day falls on a week-end holiday (Saturday or Sunday) or any other Public Holidays, a holiday will be given on the next working day, on behalf of Wesak.  

People do several kinds of good work on Wesak Full Moon Poya Day.  But, it is not the real concept that Gauthama Buddha said and preached.  We have to understand the reality of Buddhism.  It is worth doing the good things and practice them through out our life. Whatever we do - good or bad- will come after us until we exist in this earthly world.  If we do good things through-out, we will get good things during this life, as well as in next birth.  We can make our lives in a better way by doing Dhana - දාන (alms givings), Sheela - ශීල (precept) and Bhavana - භාවනා  (meditation).  

We should do good work, helping others, practice love and kindliness frequently in our lives, without limiting them only in Poya days.  If we understand actuality of what our Lord Buddha - Gauthama Buddha - preached, we should spread - out love and kindness through out the planet, without any barriers.  We can make a better and lovely world, without any conflicts, if we follow our Lord Buddha's footpath.  Then there will not be any disputes among religions, nations, skin colours, countries or races. We can live in a PEACEFUL PLANET,  WITHOUT WAR & BATTLE !