Vesakh Bucha: Thais celebrate the Buddha’s birthday
Considered Buddhism’s main observance, it draws believers across the country to rituals that follow local ancestral traditions. King Maha Vajiralongkorn led a ritual ceremony. A conference on the Buddha’s teachings was held in Bangkok. “[L]et us celebrate the wisdom of Lord Buddha by taking action for others with a strong spirit of solidarity,” said UN secretary Antonio Guterres.
Bangkok (AsiaNews) – Vesakh Bucha, also known as Buddha Day, is a national holiday in Thailand. It was celebrated yesterday, 10 May, beginning with the full moon of the sixth lunar month on the Thai calendar.
For Buddhists around the world, this is an important observance, marking the three most important events in the Buddha's life, namely his birth, enlightenment and death, all on the same day.
The Buddha reached enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, sometimes called the sacred fig tree, venerated in both Buddhism and Hinduism. And according to legend, this is where Buddha enlightened the four noble truths: suffering caused by worry or illness, the origin or cause of suffering, Nirvana or the state of perfect happiness or peace, and the path or way to end suffering.
The Buddha died at the age of 80 and Buddhists believe he reached the state of Nirvana and reincarnation.
Vesakh Bucha is considered Buddhism’s main observance and believers take part in temple rituals around the country following local ancestral traditions. For example, in Pijit province, tradition calls for exchanging money for the life of 19 cows and water buffaloes that are given to poor farmers to work in rice paddies.
Other activities that are normally associated with this holiday include: cash donations, listening to sermons about the teachings of the Buddha, meditation, and the release of birds or fish, who symbolise the decrease of karma or misdeeds.
At 5.30 pm yesterday, King Rama X, Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun led the ceremony of listening to the praying chant of Wat Phra Kaew's temple monks in the royal palace. Government officials and people from all over the country were present. The service ended with participants circle the temple with burning candles, incense and flowers.
Associated with Vesakh, more than a thousand people from 84 countries attended a seminar at the United Nations Centre in Bangkok (6-8 May 2017) on ‘Consciousness: A Path to Perform and a Path to adapt on the basis of Compassion’.
In the opening address, Phra Phrombandit, rector of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (for monks) in Wang Noi, invited the international committee to celebrate the 14th Vesakh.
In his message for Vesakh, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed appreciation for the Buddha's timeless message of compassion for human suffering.
“In our interconnected world,” he said, “there can be no peace as long as others are in peril; no security as long as others suffer deprivation; no sustainable future until all members of our human family enjoy their human rights. On this Day of Vesak, let us celebrate the wisdom of Lord Buddha by taking action for others with a strong spirit of solidarity.”
The UN general secretary went on to suggest that Buddhists around the world and those in the Council celebrate together in solidarity with one heart and one mind.
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