Happy Wesak

Wesak is the most important date for Buddhists the world over. It signifies the birth, enlightenment and passing of my Lord Buddha into parinirvana some 2,500 years ago. It's a happy occasion celebrated by prayers, the giving of dana and a grand procession through the city.

At the first Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists in Sri Lanka in 1950, it was agreed that Wesak should be celebrated on the full moon day of Taurus (that is, the full moon day that occurs between 20 Apr and 20 May). That's why today, 1 May 2007 which is a full moon day, is Wesak here in Malaysia and most other countries that subscribe to the convention set by the World Fellowship of Buddhists. There are a few countries, however, like Singapore, who choose to be different by observing Wesak according to the full moon day of the fourth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. This will be on 31 May 2007 which is the second full moon day in May this year.

But it doesn't really matter. At the heart of Wesak is the celebration of the life and teachings of my Lord Buddha. He wouldn't have any issue whichever day you choose. In fact, every day should be Wesak to us.

Above is a photo I took just today; it's of a resplendent white marble image of my Lord Buddha taken at the Bodhi Heart Sanctuary, Mount Erskine, Penang today. The statue was consecrated two days ago.